The Department of the Interior proposed Friday a new five-year plan to narrow the area for offshore drilling lease sales to the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Cook Inlet.
Why it matters: The plan, which rules out drilling on the East and West Coast, is a significant cutback on a Trump-era target that pushed for a broader range of offshore drilling opportunities.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law Thursday a bill mandating a 25% decrease in disposable plastic packaging and utensils by 2032.
Why it matters: The landmark legislation, which AP called the "toughest plastics reduction rules" in the nation,aims to counter growing plastic waste, which has led to severe pollution and environmental damage.
Monthly and all-time records have been shattered in at least a half-dozen countries, from Europe to Asia, during the past week. None of these events have been typical for June, either.
Driving the news: Japan, Italy, Norway, Iran and Finland are a few of the latest nations to see heat records fall like dominoes in an extraordinary month.
The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in West Virginia v. EPA may not be the worst outcome environmental advocates feared, but it is a major blow to the Biden administration's efforts to reduce the severity of human-caused global warming.
In repeatedly questioning the scope of the EPA's authority from Congress and using the term "administrative state," the conservative justices may also be inviting future challenges to rules imposed by other agencies beyond the EPA.
Why it matters: The 6-3ruling in West Virginia v. EPA will likely make it harder for the Biden administration to meet its climate targets — and may tie the hands of future administrations that want to take aggressive action on climate change.
