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Registered nurses at AHMC Seton Medical Center in Daly City, Calif., have called off their one-day strike scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19. Nurses have reached a tentative agreement with AHMC on a new union contract that addresses the issues they were set to strike over, namely, safe staffing and nurse recruitment and retention.

A group of conservation and historical organizations is suing the Trump administration over Interior department policies that erase history and science from America’s national parks.

The lawsuit filed yesterday lists Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron as defendants. It asks the court to declare that Burgum’s order calling for the review or removal of information or signage at national parks that “disparages Americans past and living” is illegal. Under the order, parks and historical sites across the country have altered or removed content related to racism, slavery, sexism, and LGTBQ+ rights, Indigenous history, climate change, and “other core elements of the American experience,” according to the lawsuit.

“We the people deserve and demand a national park system that tells true stories of Black communities, Indigenous tribes, and countless other fascinating chapters of our history,” said Alan Spears of the National Parks Conservation Association. “As Americans, we deserve national parks that tell stories of our country’s triumphs and heartbreaks alike. We can handle the truth.”

A separate lawsuit also filed yesterday argues that the Interior department’s decision to remove the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York City violated a federal law that allows national parks and monuments to fly flags that provide historical context.

Quick hits New lawsuits argue the Trump administration is erasing history

National Parks Traveler | Associated Press | Politico | Reuters | The Hill | Washington Post

Analysis: Why privatizing public land won’t solve the housing crisis

Scientific American

Pacific Crest Trail hikers banned from border wall under new rules

Backpacker

New Mexico’s public lands protections weakened by Project 2025

KRWG

Opinion: Why Nevada’s public lands, and our senators’ votes, matter now

Nevada Current

Trump’s EPA decided climate change doesn’t endanger public health. Evidence says otherwise

High Country News

A land dispute in Colorado’s San Luis Valley pits a billionaire’s request for a 233-acre privacy buffer against local grazing rights

Colorado Sun

A new bipartisan geothermal bill Is about to heat up the house

Heatmap

Quote of the day

National parks are not propaganda tools nor should they be used for partisan purposes. They exist to preserve and interpret the full American story, not just the parts that make some politicians comfortable. Erasing history doesn’t make it go away, it just makes it more likely to repeat itself. And harkens back to some very dark and dangerous times in world history.”

—Emily Thompson, Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks

Picture This @carlsbadcavernsnps

A new study has revealed an extraordinary variety of baryte and celestine speleothems in Lechuguilla Cave. These include stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, coralloids, wall crusts, floor crystals, snow, frostwork, and pool crystals. The baryte speleothems are typically made up of pure baryte, whereas celestine is found in the most diverse assemblages of minerals recorded in the cave. This includes the first record of the extremely rare cave mineral strontianite in Lechuguilla Cave. Radiometric dating demonstrates that many of the speleothems started forming during the Pleistocene and are still growing today. The study was led by Max Wisshak @speleophoto (Senckenberg Institute, Germany) and is based on observations and samples from two recent mineralogical expeditions into the cave.

Wisshak M, Birkenstock J, Schröder-Ritzrau A, Frank N, Barton HA & DuChene HR (2026): Exceptional variety of baryte-celestine-series speleothems in Lechuguilla Cave (New Mexico, USA). International Journal of Speleology, 55: ijs2585.

Photos by Max Wisshak 

Featured photo: An interpretive sign about Indigenous history at Grand Canyon National Park, Wikimedia Commons

The post Coalition sues the Trump administration for attempts to erase history appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

New data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows union representation grew by 463,000 in 2025, bringing the total number of workers represented by union contracts to 16.5 million. Thanks to years of sustained organizing, 11.2% of all wage and salary workers in the United States are now covered under union contracts, up from 2024 and the highest in 16 years.

“Billionaire bosses and union-busting politicians have tried to throw the kitchen sink at working people and their unions—slashing our jobs and rigging the rules to scare us out of organizing— but they are failing,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “Working people are experiencing relentless attacks on our freedoms and our livelihoods. These numbers confirm what we’ve seen in the labor movement: Workers have felt President Trump’s billionaire-first agenda in action and are hungry to take back their power. Workers know that the best check on a bad boss is a strong union contract. In 2026, workers will continue to organize in every corner of the country and build power to fight for the lives they deserve.”

“Labor is one of the last institutions in this country that working people actually trust,” added Shuler. “Nearly 70% of Americans support unions and more than 50 million more workers are eager to join one—but broken labor law still has the deck stacked against them. Too many face vicious union-busting and retaliation for organizing and punishing lay-offs even as corporate bosses rake in profits. When Trump shut down the National Labor Relations Board from functioning by denying it a quorum, workers were forced to wait—beyond their own bosses’ delaying tactics—for their elections to be certified and legal justice to be served.”

The new report shows undeniable energy across the country:

• Years of organizing in new industries, workplaces and in “right to work” states in the South have pushed nationwide union density to 10%.
• Nearly half of all union growth came from Southern states, with younger workers organizing at a rapid pace.
• The number of public sector workers represented by a union grew by 236,000, up to 36.4% of that workforce.
• Despite the biggest act of union-busting in history, union density among federal workers grew to over 31%—the largest single-year increase since 2011—as workers responded to DOGE-driven attacks aimed at stripping away collective bargaining rights and driving experts out of their jobs.
• Private sector union representation grew to add 227,000 workers, with significant gains in health care, retail, education services and construction.
• Workers are looking to the labor movement for solutions as artificial intelligence (AI) threatens their jobs and basic rights. Already, the White House is barreling ahead with its billionaire-first “AI Action Plan” and empowering CEOs to use AI as an excuse to slash payrolls, with 7% of planned job cuts attributed to the new technology.

“Politicians face a clear mandate to stand up to union-busting bosses, whether they are in the corner office or the oval office,” Shuler said. “We call on Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, and to reverse the single largest act of union-busting in American history by passing the Protect America's Workforce Act in the Senate.”

In response to a Trump administration official telling reporters there is now a 90% chance of U.S. military action against Iran in the coming weeks, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) released the following statement:

“This assessment should trigger immediate action from Congress, the branch of government legally and constitutionally charged with deciding when the U.S. goes to war.

“The United States is positioned on the edge of a major war in the Middle East, one that would not be limited, short-lived, or contained. With extensive military deployments underway and public signals that diplomacy may soon be abandoned, the risk of a large-scale, prolonged and senseless conflict is immediate and real. A war on Iran would not help Iranians demanding change in the face of government repression but instead kill innocent people, create instability inside Iran, and ignite a region-wide conflict.

“NIAC, the largest grassroots Iranian-American organization in the United States, representing more than 70,000 members nationwide, has spent nearly 25 years advancing peace and working to prevent a catastrophic war with Iran. Earlier this month, NIAC Action and 25 other national organizations formally called on Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take immediate action to remove U.S. forces from hostilities and prevent an unauthorized and devastating conflict. This could be the last chance for Congress to finally assert its Constitutional authority and debate whether our nation enters a major war with generational consequences.

“The power to declare war belongs to Congress, not the president. Yet the country is once again being steered toward war without a vote, without meaningful public debate, and without clear authorization from the representatives of the American people.

“A war with Iran would carry enormous regional consequences, endanger American service members and Iranian civilians alike, destabilize global markets, and risk spiraling escalation across the region and diminished civil liberties at home. The American public has consistently opposed such a war. Lawmakers must reflect that reality.

“There is a concrete path to prevent this outcome. The Iran War Powers Resolution (WPR), introduced in the Senate by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and in the House by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), would require the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran absent Congressional authorization and make clear that any war must be debated and approved by Congress. If the reported 90% likelihood of military action is even close to accurate, Congress has no time to waste.”

The MP representing Balcombe, site of a controversial oil well in West Sussex, has asked the government how water supplies could be affected by the onshore industry.

Mims Davies MP, who represents Balcombe. Photo: House of Commons

Last year, Mims Davies, Conservative MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield, urged the government to withdraw the licence for the Balcombe site because of the risk of water pollution to the Ardingly Reservoir, which supplies the area’s drinking water.

This week, in a parliamentary question, Ms Davies asked the energy secretary, Ed Miliband:

“what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of

(a) onshore oil developments in the UK on areas of significant housing growth such as the Ardingly Reservoir catchment and

(b) those developments on drinking water.”

The energy minister, Michael Shanks, replied:

“Local planning authorities and the Environment Agency are responsible for assessing the impact of onshore oil and gas developments on housing and drinking water respectively.

“The North Sea Transition Authority regulates exploration and development licensing for England’s onshore oil and gas resources on behalf of the Secretary of State. Licence holders require further consents and permits before any operations take place.”

Balcombe residents have repeatedly warned of a plausible contamination link between Ardingly and the Angus Energy well site at Balcombe.

When reservoir levels are low –below 28% in October 2025 – water is pumped from the River Ouse to manage supplies. Tributaries of the Ouse are about 10m from the Balcombe well site.

• Last week, Angus Energy failed to meet the planning deadline for the start of a well test at Balcombe. West Sussex County Council told DrillOrDrop the site’s planning permission had now lapsed.

¡An electrifying performance! Puerto Rico’s energy issues in the national spotlight Juan M. Muñoz … Wed, 02/18/2026 - 9:50 am

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.avia-section.av-av_section-d367b5fd938b057a52a61a76b2a4230d{ background-color:#f8f8f8; background-image:unset; } Director of Development
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Job Description

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Director of Development (DoD) will create and oversee fundraising strategies to maximize organizational sustainability and allow for mission-aligned growth. The DoD’s focus will be on building a diverse, strong, and expanding base of support from foundations while assisting with growing independent revenue from individual donors. The DoD is responsible for creating, implementing, and executing initiatives including major gifts, planned giving, grants, annual giving, special events, and developing a comprehensive stewardship process for donors.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in fund development in the nonprofit sector, donor cultivation and stewardship, representing an organization to stakeholders, and managing staff.

The candidate should also have a familiarity with the history and current situation in Indian Country. Prior experience in working with tribal and Native communities and organizations is desirable.

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Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage fundraising efforts from foundation and other institutional sources, stewarding current funders while growing revenue from new sources. This includes prospecting for new funding opportunities, managing and improving development systems, tracking deadlines, reviewing and approving content, coordinating timely and high-quality grant submissions, and responsibility for all proposals and report drafting. In addition, the DoD will be responsible for all funder cultivation, such as briefings, communications, and ensuring all funders are stewarded appropriately.
• Responsible for overseeing the implementation and strengthening of major gift programs to contribute significantly to the growth of independent revenue for NOA.
• Engagement strategies include individualized donor cultivation, special events, and other relationship building and activities. Ensure excellent cultivation and relationship maintenance with all donors and prospects.
• Establish strong internal systems for coordinating and tracking development work.
• Ensure members of the development team have clear work plans and goals, and monitor tracking and transparent reporting of progress towards goals. Oversee timely grant notifications, coordination of financial reporting, and allocations of grants. Lead monthly fundraising meetings with key staff.
• Direct the creation and production of donor publications and communications such as annual reports, newsletters, donor stories, and online donor outreach, including video production and website content.
• Provide regular supervision and support to development staff. Clarify roles among development team members. Provide the vision and leadership to the development team. Provide coaching and support to the NOA staff in building their fundraising skills and success.
• Work closely with the Executive Director in developing organizational income projections, accurately tracking progress towards goals, and ensuring that the goals are met and that the organization operates with a positive net operating income and continues to grow. Work closely with NOA’s fiscal sponsor to ensure that updated income projections are reflected in the NOA budget projections.

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Qualifications:

• ​​4–5+ years of fundraising, grant writing, or donor relations experience.
  Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, business administration, marketing, communications, or public relations.
• Strong supervisory and managerial experience.
• Have knowledge of and commitment to progressive social change movements and grassroots organizing as the key to building political power.
• Excellent writing, copy editing, and proofreading capabilities, as well as strong verbal and written communication abilities.
• Are detail-oriented and able to manage your time efficiently in remote work.
• Honor the idea of Native beliefs and practices as the guiding principles of NOA’s organizational culture, political strategy, and ways of working within the staff and with all our relations.
• Have a deep knowledge of the politics and issues impacting tribal and Native communities.
• Understand the decisive role tribal governments play in the movements for achieving sovereignty, protecting civil and human rights, and creating systemic change in nation-to-nation relations with the federal government.
• Experience with G-Suite, Microsoft Office suite, and project management platforms.
• Have a desire to grow and develop personally, and deepen our collective Indigenous frameworks.

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Compensation

Salary: $100,000

Benefits: Include health, dental, and vision insurance; paid holiday time-off, and a generous vacation and sick policy.

Location: Remote (some travel for staff gatherings, campaigns, and events or conferences) 

Native Organizers Alliance is a fiscally sponsored project of the Alliance for a Just Society (501c3) and is an equal opportunity employer, and women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQI people are strongly encouraged to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, nor any other basis protected under law. We embrace the full spectrum of humanity and the intersectional nature of our existence and imaginative energies. We embody diversity in our staff, board, the artists and partners we work with, and the audiences we attract.

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Application Procedure

Interested applicants are asked to please email:

• Cover letter 
• Resume

Please email with the subject line “Your Name: Director of Development” to jobs@nativeorganizing.org

Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. Position open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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The post Director of Development appeared first on Native Organizers Alliance.

National Nurses United today announced its endorsement of Connie Chan for California’s 11th Congressional District. Nurses are ready to elect leaders like Connie Chan, who will bring her years of organizing and advocacy experience to Congress to deliver on a progressive agenda that will improve the lives of our patients, immigrant neighbors, and all working people.

Rev. Jesse Jackson passed away today at the age of 84. A civil rights giant and candidate in the 1984 and 1988 presidential elections, he had a vision that kept…

The head of the United Nations called on Wednesday for governments to get together for an “honest dialogue” on how to transition away from fossil fuels.

Antonio Guterres told those gathered for the International Energy Agency’s ministerial meeting in Paris that “we must stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as taboo”.

“Delay will only breed instability,” he said in a video message, “history is littered with the wreckage of failed transitions – broken economies, scarred communities and lost opportunities. We face a choice: design the transition together – or stumble into it through crisis and chaos.”

He called for “a dedicated global platform for honest dialogue on transitioning away from fossil fuels” that includes fossil fuel producers and consumers, developed and developing countries, civil society and public and private financial institutions.

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Guterres’ call contrasted sharply with the position of the United States. Ahead of the conference, US energy secretary Chris Wright threatened to pull Washington out of the IEA if the government-funded think tank continues to promote the energy transition.

At the event, Wright downplayed the importance of climate change, claiming that while it is a “really physical problem, it just isn’t even remotely close to the world’s biggest problem”. He called on the IEA to focus more on providing clean cooking solutions, which include fossil gas.

But, while US support wavers, the IEA’s head Fatih Birol celebrated the progress of Brazil, India, Colombia and Vietnam towards joining the Paris-based institution. He said this shows that the IEA’s strategy of engaging with the world outside developed countries was paying off. UK energy secretary Ed Milliband said it was a “vote of confidence” in the IEA.

Roadmap and conference

Guterres’ words come just over two years since governments agreed at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems and three months after over 80 governments pushed at COP30 for a roadmap away from fossil fuels.

After the proposal failed to gain consensus at COP30 in the formal negotiations, Brazil’s COP30 presidency promised to deliver a global roadmap through an informal initiative before this year’s COP31 climate summit in Antalya.

Separately, Australia, which is leading the negotiations at COP31, vowed it would “continue to argue” for a transition away from coal, oil and gas in energy systems during its co-presidency.

Governments, experts, industry leaders and Indigenous representatives will be gathering this April in the Colombian city of Santa Marta for a highly-awaited first conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels.

The government of Colombia, which is co-hosting the summit with the Netherlands, said it would seek to launch a permanent platform that would help a “coalition of the willing” accelerate the shift away from planet-heating coal, oil and gas beyond the UN climate process.

“Although there is growing consensus to gradually eliminate fossil fuels, there were still no specific spaces or meeting places dedicated to comprehending and addressing the pathways needed to overcome economic, fiscal and social dependence on fossil fuels, especially for producing countries,” Maria Fernanda Torres Penagos, director of climate change in Colombia’s Environment Ministry, said last month.

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It is unclear how that platform would cross over with Guterres’ suggestion. But Alex Rafalowicz, the director of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative (FFNPTI), which is supporting the conference, praised the UN chief’s “welcome leadership and vision”.

He said that the development of this platform is already happening through the FFNPTI, in which 18 countries are participating in discussions on a fossil fuel treaty.

“The Santa Marta conference is the first stop on this journey and all countries that are seriously committed to the 1.5C limit should be there”, he said, “we expect that out of Santa Marta we will have more proposals and commitments that can feed into the [Brazilian] COP Presidency roadmap”.

Coalitions like the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance and the Powering Past Coal Alliance already offer platforms to discuss transitioning away from fossil fuels. But major fossil fuel producers have not joined these alliances.

Guterres said that the platform should deliver a global transition plan which “aligns investment, energy security and climate goals – with concrete milestones and robust finance, particularly for developing countries”. 

Guterres said in 2022 that, in order to be compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5C, wealthy countries should phase out coal by 2030 and other nations by 2040. The IEA said in 2021 that the world should reach net zero by 2050 to meet the 1.5C warming limit.

This article was amended on 19/2/2026 to clarify the progress towards IEA membership of Brazil, Colombia, India and Vietnam

The post UN head calls for platform for “honest dialogue” on fossil fuel transition appeared first on Climate Home News.

Campaigners have questioned council officials about whether a “viable” planning application is likely for the Horse Hill oil production site in Surrey.

Horse Hill oil site in January 2026. Photo: Used with the owner’s consent

The site, near Redhill, was stripped of its planning permission in June 2024 following a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court.

Since then, there have been multiple delays to clear the site and submit a new planning application.

Last month, Surrey County Council said it expected key application documents by mid-February.

But correspondence between council planners and the campaign network, the Weald Action Group, indicates the application submission has been delayed again.

The Weald Action Group said the focus of the Horse Hill parent company, UK Oil & Gas plc, had “moved away from onshore oil and gas altogether”:

“it is therefore increasingly difficult to understand why the Council continues to assume that a viable planning submission at Horse Hill is forthcoming.”

Sian Saadeh, Surrey County Council’s assistant director of planning, replied this week

“We are in regular contact with the applicant who has provided information setting out the proposed timeframe and details for the submission of the necessary information to allow the redetermination of the application.”

She added:

“It is reasonable for the Council to continue to act on the basis that a planning application is forthcoming. 

“I appreciate however that this submission has been delayed and therefore this position does remain under review, if it appears that the operator’s position has changed. 

“Recently we have had communication that a submission should be imminent in February once two final supporting documents have been completed. A full public consultation will be undertaken once the submission has been received.”

Horse Hill oil site in January 2026. Photo: Used with the owner’s consent Horse Hill oil site in January 2026. Photo: Used with the owner’s consent Enforcement concerns

Weald Action Group also raised concerns about the level of county council enforcement against oil companies in Surrey.

It said the Horse Hill operator had been allowed to cease oil production voluntarily, four months after planning permission had been quashed.

Another company, Angus Energy, drilled a sidetrack well at Brockham, even though Surrey County Council twice told the company it did not have planning permission for the work.

Weald Action Group said:

“it is difficult not to feel concerned that these operators view enforcement action as something that is negotiable and the consequences of acting unlawfully as minimal.”

The group asked:

“what reassurances can the Council provide that its planning system is being applied robustly? If a pattern of unlawful activity is seen to have no meaningful consequence, it is obvious that this sends a clear signal to UKOG (and other operators) that delay and non-compliance will be tolerated.” 

Ms Saadeh said it was “established good practice in planning enforcement” to seek a negotiated or voluntary remedy.

She said the purpose of planning enforcement was to remedy the planning harm from any breach of planning control and “not to only act punitively”:

“A negotiated remedy is always therefore sought as a first option and this will also usually result in a quicker remedy than the serving of a formal notice which may be followed by appeals or legal action during which time the planning harm may be continuing.

“It was therefore appropriate for us to follow this approach in respect of Horse Hill and this ultimately had the desired result of the cessation of the extraction.”

Ms Saadeh added:

“there has been continued negotiation and discussions regarding the removal of equipment from the site and its restoration. There was initial positive action by the operator with equipment removed from the site to ensure that the well was no longer functional alongside the removal of other ancillary equipment. 

“Discussions remain active with recent meetings having taken place.  From the Council’s perspective, engaging in these discussions does not prevent the Council from taking formal enforcement action if we deem it now necessary and expedient to do so. 

“Those options, including all possible formal enforcement action options, remain under active consideration by the team and work is on-going in this respect. 

“I have asked that the team update me in no more than a month’s time as to how this has progressed and I will ensure you are updated at that time as well.”

WAG also raised concerns about possible damage to the Horse Hill site liner on the perimeter bund.

Ms Saadeh said she had passed on the concerns to “relevant enforcement officers” and it was being investigated. She said she had also told the Environment Agency.

• The next meeting of Surrey County Council’s planning meeting is on Wednesday 25 February 2026 at 10.30am in the council chamber, Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Reigate RH2 8EF. Agenda

A year at Horse Hill

28 January 2026: Council still waiting for Horse Hill information

17 December 2025: Horse Hill – key details delayed

26 November 2025: Key information promised before Christmas

26 June 2025: No site clearance at Horse Hill one year on from Supreme Court ruling

26 March 2025: Horse Hill judgement – 9 months on and no date for final site clearance

26 February 2025: No date for site clearance and council seeks new details

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Health, environmental groups challenge the Trump EPA’s harmful, unscientific, and illegal repeal of the endangerment finding and elimination of clean vehicle standards.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 18, 2026) — A broad coalition of health and environmental groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency today over its illegal determination that it is not responsible for protecting us from climate pollution and its elimination of rules to cut the tailpipe pollution fueling the climate crisis and harming people’s health.

The case, filed in the D.C. Circuit, challenges the Trump EPA’s rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding, which found that climate pollution is a threat to public health and welfare, and the elimination of the vehicle emissions standards. 

The case was brought by:

• The American Public Health Association, American Lung Association, Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment, Clean Wisconsin, represented by Clean Air Task Force,
• Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), Clean Air Council, Friends of the Earth, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), and the Union of Concerned Scientists, represented by Earthjustice, and
• Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Law & Policy Center, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Public Citizen, and Sierra Club.

The named defendants are EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and EPA itself as an agency.

Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is legally required to limit vehicle emissions of any “air pollutant” that the agency determines “cause or contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.” In 2007, the Supreme Court held in Massachusetts v. EPA that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases unambiguously are “air pollutants” under the Clean Air Act and told EPA to determine, based on the science, if that pollution endangers human health and welfare. EPA made that determination in 2009, which led to new standards for vehicles. It built on that finding when issuing other standards.

In its repeal, the Trump EPA is rehashing legal arguments that the Supreme Court already considered and rejected in Massachusetts v. EPA.

Along with the repeal of the endangerment finding, the EPA eliminated all carbon emissions standards from vehicles. The EPA’s clean car standards set in 2024 would save drivers of new cars an average of $6,000 over the lifetime of their vehicles. The EPA’s own analysis found that eliminating the vehicle standards will increase gas prices, force Americans to spend more on fuel, and be a net negative for the economy.

Quotes from Plaintiffs: 

“With this action, EPA flips its mission on its head,” said Hana Vizcarra, senior attorney at Earthjustice. “It abandons its core mandate to protect human health and the environment to boost polluting industries and attempts to rewrite the law in order to do so. Earthjustice and our partners will defend what we all know to be true: climate pollution is harming our health, welfare, and economy and EPA has an obligation to control these harmful emissions.”

“Here in the Inland Valley, climate change isn’t some abstract future threat—it’s something our families live with every day. It’s parents worrying about their kids’ asthma as diesel trucks rumble past schools and neighborhoods. It’s workers commuting through smog and extreme heat, and families cutting short time outdoors because the air simply isn’t safe to breathe, it’s wildfires and flooding,” said Ana Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. “By trying to repeal the endangerment finding and weaken vehicle greenhouse gas standards, the Trump administration’s EPA is abandoning its legal duty to protect communities like ours. That decision would lock in more pollution, more dangerous heat, and more health risks—threatening our well-being, our local economy, and our children’s future. We won’t stand by while climate denial becomes official policy and puts the Inland Valley at risk.”

“The Endangerment Finding has been the backbone of climate policy for 17 years, protecting us from air pollution that endangers public health and welfare — including greenhouse gases that are driving climate change,” said Lawrence Hafetz, Clean Air Council’s Legal Director. “By repealing the finding, we are sweeping the single deadliest type of pollution, climate pollution, under the rug. Deadly floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes are harming our health, our communities, and our economy. This climate chaos plan is decimating the EPA’s ability to act when we need protections more than ever.”

“Today’s lawsuit makes clear that we will not idly stand by while EPA blatantly refutes its core mission to protect the environment and public health from dangerous pollution,” said Hallie Templeton, Legal Director for Friends of the Earth. “The science is overwhelmingly clear that greenhouse gases cause harm, yet the Trump administration has unlawfully chosen to benefit polluters at the planet’s expense. We will keep fighting and holding these bad actors accountable in court for their lawlessness.”

“The EPA’s rollback of the endangerment finding is a devastating decision that goes against the science and testimony of countless scientists, health care professionals, and public health practitioners,” said Ankush K. Bansal, MD, DCM, FACP, FACPM, SFHM, Physicians for Social Responsibility Board President. “It will result in direct harm to the health of Americans throughout the country, particularly children, older adults, those with chronic illnesses, and other vulnerable populations, rural to urban, red and blue, of all races and incomes. The increased exposure to harmful pollutants and other greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel production and consumption will make America sicker, not healthier, less prosperous, not more, for generations to come.”

“Revoking the Endangerment Finding sets our country down a dangerous path that will have unimaginable consequences for so many. It ignores the real harms that people and communities like ours along the Rio Grande in South Texas are already experiencing from declining rainfall, heat, and fragile ecosystems,” said Tricia Cortez, Executive Director of Rio Grande International Study Center. “We have a moral obligation to our current and future generations to protect their future and the well-being of our planet’s climate. We must act now to tackle and reduce all sources of harm. We need our national leaders to do everything in their power to protect our human race, and to leave behind a habitable and thriving world for those to come after us.”

“EPA’s repeal of the endangerment finding and safeguards to limit vehicle emissions marks a complete dereliction of the agency’s mission to protect people’s health and its legal obligation under the Clean Air Act. This shameful and dangerous action by the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Zeldin is rooted in falsehoods not facts and is at complete odds with the public interest and the best available science. Heat-trapping emissions and global average temperatures are rising—primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels—contributing to a mounting human and economic toll across the nation. This anti-science administration must be held to account for evading its responsibility to help address this acute crisis and we’re going to help make sure that happens,” said Dr. Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“Ignoring the scientific evidence of the threat climate pollution poses to the health of all of us sends a very wrong message to communities across the nation and around the world. EPA has a duty to consider the well-being and safety of all, and the science is clear; climate change and air pollution threaten everyone’s health,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Chief Executive Officer of the American Public Health Association. “To reverse course now, and to also repeal limits on climate pollution from vehicles, puts everyone in the country at risk of experiencing serious and preventable harm. It also weakens our nation’s ability to address the severe health impacts caused by climate change.”

“EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO, American Lung Association. “Repealing the Endangerment Finding and vehicle emission safeguards weakens important protections against air pollution that harm lung health. On behalf of the millions of people living with lung disease and everyone who breathes, the American Lung Association is committed to upholding the law and protecting public health.”

“We need to call the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Engagement Finding what it is – climate denialism and the EPA abandoning its responsibility to protect us from climate change,” said Katie Huffling, DNP, RN, CNM, FAAN, Executive Director, Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment. “The EPA is legally required to protect against air pollution that endangers the public’s health. It’s time that the EPA be held accountable for these reckless actions and get back to its mission to protect human health and the environment.”

“Repealing the endangerment finding and vehicle emissions standards are among the most destructive and irresponsible actions taken by the Trump EPA to date,” said Katie Nekola, General Counsel, Clean Wisconsin. “The dangers of climate change are becoming ever more apparent as Wisconsin experiences record heat, toxic air from wildfire smoke, and extreme weather. The EPA is ignoring its legal duty to protect our communities from the heath harms of greenhouse gas emissions in its zealous pandering to big oil, gas and coal interests.”

“As the nonpartisan National Academies stated last fall, the endangerment finding ‘was accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence.’ No amount of legal sophistry from this administration or EPA can evade the well settled statutory requirements and those scientific conclusions,” said Frank Sturges, Attorney at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “The Clean Air Act’s requirements are simple: protect public health and welfare from air pollutants that endanger them. On the law and on the science, greenhouse gases fit that bill. To protect public health and the environment, we will challenge this unlawful action in court, and when the dust settles, we will prevail.”

“We’re suing to stop Trump from torching our kids’ future in favor of a monster handout to oil companies,” said David Pettit, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “Nobody but Big Oil profits from Trump trashing climate science and making cars and trucks guzzle and pollute more. Consumers will pay more to fill up, and our skies and oceans will fill up with more pollution. The EPA’s rollbacks are based on political poppycock, not science or law, and the courts should see it that way.”

“Taking away the endangerment finding doesn’t protect families — it abandons them,” said Conservation Law Foundation Senior Vice President for Law and Policy Kate Sinding Daly. “This scientific determination has for years served as the bedrock of our nation’s efforts to curb deadly pollution and safeguard public health and welfare. Taking it away only absolves the EPA of acting on behalf of every family in the country. We won’t let that stand and we’re prepared to take this fight to court to ensure our communities aren’t left to bear the consequences of unchecked climate-warming pollution.”

“Repealing the Endangerment Finding endangers all of us. People everywhere will face more pollution, higher costs, and thousands of avoidable deaths,” said Peter Zalzal, Distinguished Counsel and Associate Vice President of Clean Air Strategies at Environmental Defense Fund. “The Trump EPA’s action tramples mountains of scientific evidence, ignores the law, and is fundamentally at odds with EPA’s core responsibility to protect us from dangerous pollution. We are challenging this action in court, where evidence matters, and we will continue working together to build a better, safer and more prosperous future.”

“This is not a mere rollback. EPA is attempting to completely disavow its statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. After two decades of scientific evidence supporting the 2009 finding, the agency cannot credibly claim that the body of work is now incorrect. This reckless and legally untenable decision creates immediate uncertainty for businesses, guarantees prolonged legal battles, and undermines the stability of federal climate regulations.  EPA cannot be permitted to abandon its responsibility to protect public health and welfare,” said Brian Lynk, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law & Policy Center.

“The Trump EPA’s slapdash legal arguments should be laughed out of court. Undercutting the ability of the federal government to tackle the largest source of climate pollution is deadly serious, but the administration’s legal and scientific reasons for doing so are a joke,” said Meredith Hankins, legal director for federal climate at NRDC.  

“The repeal of the EPA’s endangerment finding is illegal, and if allowed to stand, it will have devastating impacts on public health and a livable climate for decades,” said Adina Rosenbaum, attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group.

“The Trump administration’s reckless decision to rescind the Endangerment Finding and strip the EPA of its primary authority to regulate greenhouse gases will have disastrous consequences for the American people, our health, and our shared future,” said Joanne Spalding, Director of the Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program. “In the early 2000s, the Sierra Club brought the first-ever lawsuit seeking federal greenhouse gas standards under the Clean Air Act, and as a result, these protections became a reality. Nearly 25 years later, we’re taking Lee Zeldin and Donald Trump’s EPA to court because people should not be forced to suffer for this administration’s blind allegiance to the fossil fuel industry and corporate polluters. This shortsighted rollback is blatantly unlawful and their efforts to force this upon the American people will fail.”

The Brazilian Amazon is on pace to see forest clearing hit a record low this year, government figures show. Officials credit the decline to stepped-up enforcement against illegal deforestation.

Read more on E360 →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New report reveals companies that care about the climate crisis have a hidden weapon: their credit cards. 

Contact:
Alec Connon, 206-258-9176, alec@stopthemoneypipeline.com
Sarah Lasoff, 818-929-8777, sarahlasoff@stopthemoneypipeline.com 

Seattle, WA – Today, a coalition of 68 civil society organizations representing more than 5.6 million supporters, released a major new report: Better Options: How large companies and nonprofits can select a climate-aligned credit card partner.

Better Options is a first-of-its-kind report that assesses the climate performance of the 20 largest credit card issuers in the United States based on their alignment with the International Energy Agency’s ’Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep 1.5°C Within Reach’.

Eight of the financial institutions analyzed did not provide large-scale financing to the fossil fuel industry in the time period analyzed (2021-2024), and are therefore aligned with the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 pathway. These companies include major credit card issuers, such as American Express, Synchrony, and Credit One Bank.

Meanwhile, twelve of the financial institutions analyzed, including Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, provided tens of billions of dollars to the fossil fuel industry over the same timeframe, meaning they are deeply misaligned with the IEAs Net Zero pathway.

“What this means,” said lead author of Better Options, Sarah Lasoff with Stop the Money Pipeline, “Is that major companies with co-branded credit card partnerships have a decision to make: maintain their relationships with their existing credit card partners that are fueling the climate crisis; or come up with a clear and responsible plan to switch to a better option and partner with a company that’s aligned with their own climate goals and commitments.”

The Better Options report comes less than a week after scientists warned that Earth was getting perilously close to reaching a “point of no return” at which climate tipping points are triggered and runaway global warming threatens most life on Earth.The report also comes after nearly three years of campaigning to get Costco to end its co-branded credit card partnership with Citigroup, the world’s second-largest financier of fossil fuel expansion in recent years.

Since 2023, the Costco: Clean Up Your Credit Card campaign has gathered signatures from over 45,000 people, including 20,000 Costco members, urging the company to end its relationship with Citigroup; Costco shareholders have asked questions of the CEO at the company’s last two Annual General Meetings; and advocates have organized nearly 100 public events at farmers markets, Costco’s warehouses and headquarters, and published opinion pieces in media markets important to Costco.

In 2024, campaign leaders met with the Costco CEO at Costco’s HQ in Issaquah, WA, and have been engaging with Costco leadership since. However, one of the main obstacles campaigners have encountered when talking with Costco leadership is the lack of clarity about which credit card issuers climate-conscious companies should partner with. This is where the Better Options report comes in, as it lays out clear options for better co-branded credit card partners for large climate-responsible companies, such as Costco.

The Costco partnership is not insignificant to Citigroup. In total, Citigroup issues 82 million credit cards, and approximately 13 million of them (15.8%) are through its co-branded credit card partnership with Costco.

In order to find a more climate-aligned credit card partner, Costco needs to act now. Costco’s contract with Citigroup is up in 2029, which means their selection process for their next partner could start as soon as 2027. Campaigners and the authors of Better Options are urging Costco to commit to including climate criteria in its next credit card selection process. The Better Options report provides Costco and other companies with sample credit card selection criteria that are based on the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 pathway. 

“If Costco, and other large companies, announce that they’re going to prioritize working with financial institutions that aren’t in the business of fueling climate chaos, it would make a real difference,” said Rémi Hermant, Policy Analyst with Reclaim Finance. “It would help provide a major financial incentive to banks to finally get behind a fair and swift energy transition.”

Costco is not alone in having a co-branded credit card with a bank that is financing the fossil fuel expansion that drives runaway global heating, environmental racism, and deadly pollution. Disney, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines have co-branded credit cards with JPMorgan Chase; Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and the Susan B. Komen Foundation, one of the country’s largest breast cancer advocacy groups, have cards with Bank of America; and Expedia and Choice Hotels have co-branded card partnerships with Wells Fargo.

“These banks are financing climate destruction and environmental racism. But socially responsible companies such as Costco, and foundations, such as the Susan B. Komen Foundation, have an opportunity to stand with communities like mine that are facing the burdens of fossil fuel pollution and climate disaster,” said Roishetta Sibley Ozane, CEO of the Vessel Project of Louisiana, who met with the Costco CEO in 2024. “All they need to do is choose a better option for their co-branded credit card partner.”

The Better Options report can be viewed at: www.BetterOptionsReport.com 

Additional Quotes

“Leadership means aligning your values with your power — especially in a moment as urgent as this one,” said Vanessa Arcara, President of Third Act. “Companies that publicly commit to climate responsibility cannot ignore the financial institutions they choose to partner with. The good news is that doing the right thing is entirely possible — and it doesn’t require hardship or sacrifice. Better options already exist. It simply takes one step of leadership to choose them and help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and toward a just, livable future.”

“This report changes the game for the fight to end the funding of the fossil fuel industry and demonstrates the power of research: we had an ‘aha’ moment once we looked at global financial transactions and discovered that eight out of the twenty largest credit card issuers have not provided any large-scale financing to the fossil fuel industry in the past four years. That means that large institutions like Costco that want a co-branded credit card partner that isn’t funding the destruction of our planet, can now confidently choose one of the better options. Moving business on these terms will incentivize the entire banking sector to move away from fossil fuels.” – Lauren Parker, Researcher at LittleSis

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The Center for Biological Diversity and a broad coalition of health and environmental groups sued the Trump administration today over its rollback of the landmark scientific finding that forms the core basis of federal climate action.

The lawsuit also challenges the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of tailpipe rules that cut pollution from cars and trucks — the nation’s largest source of climate pollution.

“We’re suing to stop Trump from torching our kids’ future in favor of a monster handout to oil companies,” said David Pettit, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “Nobody but Big Oil profits from Trump trashing climate science and making cars and trucks guzzle and pollute more. Consumers will pay more to fill up, and our skies and oceans will fill up with more pollution. The EPA’s rollbacks are based on political poppycock, not science or law, and the courts should see it that way.”

The 2009 endangerment finding concluded that planet-warming pollution like carbon dioxide and methane threatens public health and the welfare of current and future generations. It was based on overwhelming scientific evidence that has only become more robust and irrefutable since then.

The United States is the second-largest carbon polluter in the world, after China, and the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases.

The endangerment finding underpins federal regulations that have reduced climate-damaging pollution from cars and trucks.

Revoking those lifesaving and gas-saving clean air standards will allow automakers to make cars that guzzle more gas and pollute more. It will force consumers to pay more at the gas pump.

The vehicle rules Trump plans to scrap would cut 7 billion metric tons of emissions and save the average American driver $6,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the lifetimes of the vehicles made under the standards.

Today’s lawsuit was filed in federal court in the D.C. Circuit.

The case was brought by:

• The American Lung Association, American Public Health Association, Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment, Clean Wisconsin, represented by Clean Air Task Force
• Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), Clean Air Council, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC), and the Union of Concerned Scientists, represented by Earthjustice
• Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Law & Policy Center, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Public Citizen, Sierra Club

Today, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) joined a group of environmental, public health and science nonprofits in filing suit against the Trump administration for unlawfully repealing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding and rolling back emissions standards for vehicles despite the transportation sector being the largest source of U.S. climate pollution.

The 2007 Supreme Court ruling Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency—a court case where UCS was a petitioner—established that heat-trapping emissions are covered by the Clean Air Act. EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding then confirmed that global warming emissions are a threat to public health and the environment, with subsequent court rulings repeatedly reaffirming EPA’s obligation to the public to regulate these harmful emissions.

Below is a statement by Dr. Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of UCS.

“EPA’s repeal of the endangerment finding and safeguards to limit vehicle emissions marks a complete dereliction of the agency’s mission to protect people’s health and its legal obligation under the Clean Air Act. This shameful and dangerous action by the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Zeldin is rooted in falsehoods not facts and is entirely at odds with the public interest and the best available science. Heat-trapping emissions and global average temperatures are rising—primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels—contributing to a mounting human and economic toll across the nation. This anti-science administration must be held to account for evading its responsibility to help address this acute crisis and we’re going to help make sure that happens.”

UCS is being represented by Earthjustice in this latest lawsuit. The joint press release from groups filing the lawsuit is available here. Please contact UCS Media Director Ashley Siefert Nunes to speak with a UCS expert.

UCS filed comments on behalf of its half a million supporters and its network of more than 22,000 scientists to voice strong opposition to EPA’s proposed repeal of the endangerment finding and vehicle standards. It also submitted a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin that was signed by more than 1,000 scientists opposing repeal of the endangerment finding and urging the agency to stop dismantling critical climate regulations and fulfill the mission of the agency to protect public health.

UCS has also filed and recently won a suit against the Trump administration related to its violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. A federal judge recently declared the Trump administration violated federal law when it secretly formed a “Climate Working Group” and tasked it with writing a dangerously slanted report that the administration then used as a basis for its proposal to overturn the endangerment finding. As part of that lawsuit—brought by UCS and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)—the administration was compelled to turn over more than 100,000 documents, which UCS and EDF plan to make available to the public in early March.

Vanuatu has tabled a draft resolution to the UN to formally endorse last year’s International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate change. Despite pressure from big polluters to stall the momentum from international law to action, island nations like Vanuatu continue to push for accountability.

The current draft resolution responds to the unanimous ICJ advisory opinion on climate change, which among others confirmed that:

• The 1.5°C limit is legally binding, not aspirational, and must guide all state conduct.
• States have binding obligations under customary international law to prevent foreseeable climate harm and resulting rights violations—obligations that apply to all countries, including those that have withdrawn from the Paris Agreement.
• Fossil fuel subsidies, exploration licenses, and continued production can breach international law.
• Climate harm can be attributed to individual states, and states cannot escape liability by asserting that they are only one of many releasing greenhouse gases.
• States must regulate private actors, including fossil fuel corporations whose emissions cause harm, including transboundary devastation.

Fenton Lutunatabua, 350.org Program Lead Pacific & Caribbean said:

“Six months ago, this advisory opinion was unanimous, meaning all agreed that countries have the legal responsibility to avoid climate harm and are liable for the damages if they fail to do so. This decision put the fossil fuel industry, and the governments that enable them, on notice. It is crucial, for all of us on the frontlines, that this notice be turned into concrete action. The world may think that the climate crisis is confined to islands like ours in the Pacific, but the reality is that it is impacting everyone – from heatwaves in Australia to wildfires in the US. As people that have lived this reality for decades, we are urging the international community to grasp this opportunity to avoid the worst of it. Global cooperation to solve this crisis is in everyone’s best interest.”

Anne Jellema, Executive Director of 350.org, said:

“Vanuatu’s leadership is a powerful reminder that climate justice is not abstract, it is rooted in law, responsibility, and lived reality. The International Court of Justice has made clear that protecting people and the planet is a legal obligation, not a choice. This UN resolution is about turning that clarity into action.

At a time when some governments are trying to delay and deny, island nations are showing what true leadership looks like: standing up for fairness, accountability, and a livable future for all. Communities on the frontlines should not have to pay the price for pollution they did not cause. The world now has both the moral and legal mandate to act, governments must rise to that moment.”

The award-winning documentary Common Ground is now available in a free educational format, designed to bring regenerative agriculture into learning spaces. The film aims to elevate soil health in food and climate conversations.

Directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Common Ground, a sequel to Kiss the Ground, centers farmers, ranchers, and advocates using regenerative practices to build resilience in the face of climate and market pressures. The documentary examines the consequences of industrial agriculture and follows producers who are implementing regenerative alternatives on the ground.

Through farmer-led storytelling, the film explores how soil health, land stewardship, and diversified farming practices can restore ecosystems and strengthen farm livelihoods. Ryland Engelhart, Executive Director of Kiss the Ground, tells Food Tank the film has resonated widely. It has “inspired a new generation of wellness moms, environmentalists, farmers, and food lovers to understand the critical role soil health and regenerative agriculture play in our future,” he says.

To expand access to these ideas, Big Picture Ranch, an organic farm and film studio founded by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, produced Common Ground: Redux, a 45-minute, free version edited specifically for use in educational settings. The abbreviated film distills the documentary’s core themes into clear, actionable takeaways for students, educators, farmers, and communities. Engelhart says Big Picture Ranch released this version with the belief that “essential education–especially for students, farmers, and grassroots changemakers–should never sit behind a paywall.”

Common Ground: Redux builds on the widespread reach of Kiss the Ground For Schools, which has been viewed in more than 60,000 schools worldwide and incorporated into curricula ranging from environmental science to social studies. Like its predecessor, Common Ground: Redux is meant to serve as an entry point into essential conversations about the future of food, and the regenerative practices already in use across diverse landscapes and production systems.

Viewers will hear from farmers, ranchers, and advocates who have committed their lives to these practices. Featured voices include Gabe Brown, Rick Clark, Leah Penniman, Kelsey Ducheneaux, Jonathan Lundgren, Ray Archuleta, Brandon Bock, Glenn Elzinga, and Roy Thompson. Their collective experiences help to illustrate both the opportunity and complexity of transitioning to regenerative food systems.

“It shares inspiring, real-world stories of American farmers and ranchers who are finding both ecological and economic success through regenerative agriculture,” Engelhart shares, “proving that healing the land and feeding communities can go hand in hand.”

“Common Ground: Redux” can be accessed online by clicking HERE.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Common Ground

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