Broad coalition calls on Congress to make school food free for all
A diverse group of nutrition advocates, environmentalists, medical associations, teachers unions and parent's groups are joining forces to push Congress to make school meals free for all children, regardless of their families' income. Until now, free school meals have been limited to children from low-income families, although rules were relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic. (No paywall)
EPA renews approval of paraquat, including aerial application
After nine months of review, the EPA finalized its interim decision on the weedkiller paraquat on Monday, effectively keeping the herbicide on the U.S. market for 15 years. The agency decided to allow aerial application of the chemical on a broader range of crops than it proposed last …
Green groups sue EPA over BASF herbicide
Comparing the herbicide trifludimoxazin to dicamba, two environmental groups asked the U.S. appeals court in San Francisco to set aside the EPA’s unconditional approval in May of the new weedkiller. Trifludimoxazin is sold by BASF under the brand name Tirexor and is the first new “mode of …
Lesser prairie chicken will get another look from wildlife agency
Months after removing the lesser prairie chicken from its list of threatened species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will "reconsider the status of a grouse found in pockets across the Great Plains," said the Associated Press. The agency agreed to conduct the review after environmentalists filed a petition that argued that emergency protection is needed for the lesser prairie chicken.
U.S. to decide by mid-2019 whether monarch butterfly is endangered
Under terms of a settlement, the Interior Department will rule by June 30, 2019, whether the monarch butterfly, which has suffered a huge drop in population, deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act, said two environmental groups. The groups say without help, the well-known orange-and-black insect is at risk of extinction.
EPA: Widely used weedkiller atrazine is risk to birds, mammals, fish
The second-most widely used weedkiller in the country, atrazine, poses potential chronic risk to birds, mammals and fish due to runoff and spray drift, said a draft ecological-risk assessment by the EPA. The assessment is part of a review that started in 2013 on whether to extend use of the broad-spectrum herbicide in the U.S. for 15 years.
Lawsuit is planned over protection of monarch butterfly
Two environmental groups said they plan to sue the Interior Department to force a decision on whether to protect the monarch butterfly as a "threatened" animal under the Endangered Species Act.
EPA to expand review of glyphosate and atrazine
Two of the most widely used herbicides, glyphosate and atrazine, will be part of a nationwide evaluation of the effects of 16 chemicals on 1,500 endangered plants and animals...
U.S. aims to restore 200,000 acres for monarch butterfly
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and two conservation groups launched a campaign to save the monarch butterfly that includes restoration and enhancement of 200,000 acres of habitat.
Ignoring limits on tuna catches
A large Chinese fishing company declared in a draft document "that it intended to circumvent international conservation limits on tuna – by simply ignoring them" with little fear of discipline for it, says the Guardian.
Groups ask US protection for Monarch butterfly, blame GMOs
Three groups petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act.