Author: Dani Tietz

Federal

Trump Order Opens 59% of National Forest Lands—Over 112 Million Acres—to Accelerated Logging and Timber Projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed a significant increase in timber production and the rapid implementation of forest management projects across a majority of National Forest System lands. This includes 112,646,000 acres of National Forest System lands (59 percent of all national forest acreage). The move, outlined in Secretary’s […]

State of Illinois

Illinois Senate Unanimously Approves Ban on Carbon Capture Near Mahomet Aquifer

The Illinois Senate has unanimously approved a bill that would ban carbon sequestration activities near the Mahomet Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for nearly one million residents in central Illinois. The measure, which passed 55-0, responds to mounting concerns from local communities and environmental groups about the potential […]

Local

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Alerts Residents to Tularemia Risk Following Squirrel Deaths

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has issued a health advisory after several squirrels in Urbana were found dead, with one testing positive for tularemia, a rare but serious bacterial disease that can affect both humans and animals. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, commonly found in wild animals […]

Federal

Trump Rolls Back Showerhead Water Limits, Citing Need for Better Flow to “Take Care of My Beautiful Hair”

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at reversing federal regulations on water flow in showerheads. The order, signed on April 9, directs the Department of Energy to rescind rules implemented during the Obama and Biden administrations that limited water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute across all […]

Local

International Dark Sky Celebration 2025: A Night to Preserve the Stars

On Saturday, April 26, the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Rankin, Illinois, will host the International Dark Sky Celebration, an event dedicated to raising awareness about light pollution and promoting the beauty of natural night skies. This special occasion coincides with International Dark Sky Week, a global initiative that highlights […]

Federal

Trump Issues Executive Order Delaying Stricter EPA Emissions Standards in Bid to Boost Coal Industry

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order titled “Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Promote American Energy,” granting a two-year extension for compliance with stricter emissions standards under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). The executive order is part of the administration’s broader […]

Federal

Trump Executive Order Targets State Climate Laws

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order titled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach.” This is a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to dismantle state-level climate regulations and bolster domestic energy production.  The order says that it aims to secure “American energy dominance” by removing what the administration […]

Federal

Trump, Bukele Defy Supreme Court, Refuse to Return Wrongfully Deported Maryland Resident

Despite a Supreme Court order saying the Trump administration must facilitate the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, President Trump and  El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, have now publicly stated they will not facilitate his return to the United States. Abrego Garcia is a Maryland resident who the Trump administration […]