Senate vote sets up a clash over Boundary Waters environmental safeguards
The US Senate is poised to vote on a resolution intended to eventually open a long-disputed copper mine close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeast Minnesota, triggering protests from environmentalists who fear the action will diminish the government’s ability to protect America’s cleanest waters, most exquisite forests, and wildest natural landscapes.
Not so fast – lawyers for cancer victims see “red flags” in Bayer’s $7.25 billion Roundup settlement deal
A group of 14 law firms representing nearly 20,000 plaintiffs is seeking to intervene in Bayer’s proposed class action settlement of Roundup litigation, citing concerns that the settlement deal will not be fair to cancer victims.
Bayer cites Trump support in Supreme Court Roundup battle
In an opening salvo aimed at convincing the US Supreme Court to curtail costly Roundup litigation, Bayer is citing support from President Donald Trump and US regulators while renewing a threat to stop sales of glyphosate-based herbicides to farmers if it does not prevail with the justices.
EPA official touts controversial TSCA reforms
A top US regulatory official on Monday championed controversial chemical review reforms that critics say will support industry interests while weakening protections against toxic chemicals for the public.
Wisconsin manure digester at the center of USDA loan trouble
Five years after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) guaranteed more than $100 million to what’s billed as the “world’s largest manure biogas project”, the loans are in delinquency, which, along with operational failures and underperformance at such plants, has seemingly prompted an agency-wide pause on loan guarantees for such projects, according to The New Lede’s analysis of federal data.
USDA has “sufficient opportunities” to respond to PFAS crisis on farmland, report finds
Federal regulators have a range of solutions available to tackle the widespread contamination of farmland with toxic chemicals, according to a new report by US academics.
EPA repeals Biden-era coal rules aimed at limiting brain-harming pollution
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed Biden-era regulations that forced power plants to cut harmful pollutants including brain-damaging mercury and particulate matter, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced on Friday.
Trump enrages MAHA with order granting “immunity” to glyphosate pesticide production
In a move enraging health and environmental advocates, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order protecting production of and providing “immunity” for glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, which have been linked to cancer and are the subject of widespread US litigation.
USDA seeks higher slaughterhouse line speeds; critics say workers will pay the price
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to increase how fast meat plants can slaughter chicken, turkeys and hogs, raising alarm over food and worker safety and the welfare of livestock animals.
Bayer proposes $7.25 billion class action settlement in Roundup litigation
In a bold bid to put costly US Roundup litigation behind it, Bayer on Tuesday announced a $7.25 billion proposed class action settlement for users of its glyphosate-based weed killing products who have cancer now or develop cancer in the next several years, with average awards ranging from $10,000 to $165,000.