EPA Violated the Law by Failing to Investigate Civil Rights Complaints, Court Rules
Plaintiffs in Alabama, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Michigan successfully sued the EPA for long delays responding to civil rights complaints.
Environment
Louisiana and Minnesota Introduce Anti-Protest Bills Amid Fights Over Bayou Bridge and Enbridge Pipelines
Louisiana’s bill inflicts harsh penalties for conspiracy to trespass — which can apply even if someone never sets foot on a critical infrastructure site.
Oil and Water
A TigerSwan Employee Quietly Registered a New Business in Louisiana After the State Denied the Security Firm a License to Operate
The company notorious for surveilling pipeline opponents at Standing Rock was pursuing a contract to guard Louisiana’s Bayou Bridge pipeline.
Trump’s Nominee to Oversee Superfund Program Spent Decades Fighting EPA Cleanups on Behalf of Polluters
For a quarter-century, Peter Wright has defended companies responsible for some of the biggest industrial disasters, including Dow Chemical and Monsanto.
Puerto Rico Wants to Cut the Cost of Incarcerating People by Shipping Them Off the Island
This is not the first time Puerto Rico’s government has sought to outsource prisons. Previous attempts ended in rights abuses and riots.
“Environmental Extremism” or Necessary Response to Climate Emergency? Pipeline Shutdown Trials Pit Activists Against the Oil Industry
Climate activists turned the valve wheels on five tar sands pipelines in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Washington state to stop the flow of oil.
Puerto Ricans and Ultrarich “Puertopians” Are Locked in a Pitched Struggle Over How to Remake the Island
Six months after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Ricans are designing a recovery that defends their island. Politicians and bitcoin billionaires have other ideas.
Oil and Water
From North Dakota to Puerto Rico, Controversial Security Firm Profits From Oil Protests and Climate Disasters
TigerSwan, the mercenary security firm that worked to suppress the NoDAPL movement, is promoting its disaster response efforts in Houston and Puerto Rico.
Before Pushing Tariffs, Wilbur Ross Had a Messy History With the U.S. Steel Industry
The commerce secretary made a fortune selling U.S. steel companies to a foreign entity and evaded responsibility for environmental cleanup.
“The Scales Are Tipped”: Emails Show Louisiana’s Close Relationship With Oil Industry, Monitoring of Pipeline Opponents
The state’s relationship with Energy Transfer Partners stands in stark contrast to its lack of engagement with activists opposing the Bayou Bridge pipeline.