Policy Primer

Let’s not forget what America looked like before we had the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Our rivers caught on fire, our air was full of smog, and it stank (literally).

Trump is pushing a fossil fuel–heavy energy agenda, but in the final days of the Obama administration, the Bureau of Land Management left a hurdle in his path.

The incoming head of the EPA believes states should be in charge of their own environmental regulations. Been there, done that, got the oil-soaked T-shirt.

Scientists want to round up the world’s last vaquitas to protect them from extinction. Cue Flipper.

Congressional hearings kick off for those who will lead our government’s top agencies. Earth has reason to worry.

Vulnerable here, endangered there, threatened over yonder. What do all these classification systems mean for the future of our largest living land animals?

Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.

The world must crack down on the pangolin trade or risk losing these animals for good.

If we don’t address these increasingly severe threats, America’s most treasured lands might soon be unrecognizable.

This month’s National Park Service centennial presents an opportunity to create a parks system that is reflective of—and accessible to—all Americans.