trump administration
August 28, 2017 -
Though their states' governors and coastal communities oppose offshore oil and gas development, U.S. Reps. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina and David Rouzer of North Carolina are co-sponsoring a bill that would make it easier for companies to conduct seismic tests for offshore deposits by weakening marine life protections.
August 25, 2017 -
The Census Bureau had initially planned to include the Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill area of West Virginia in its dress rehearsal for the 2020 census, but budget cuts forced it to scale back its plans. As a result, not a single Southern or rural community will be included in the full test, deepening worries about the count's accuracy.
August 17, 2017 -
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has joined with the other governors of Southeastern states targeted for offshore oil and gas development and said he opposes those plans — a critical move since federal law gives special consideration to a governor's position.
July 14, 2017 -
After the controversial commission requested voter data from all 50 states, it faced an onslaught of resistance and lawsuits. Meanwhile, rattled voters have been contacting elections officials to get their names off of the rolls.
June 29, 2017 -
President Trump wants to open an area from Delaware to Florida to seismic airgun blasting for offshore oil and gas reserves, a plan that carries risks for coastal communities while benefiting mostly foreign firms. Federal officials are accepting public comments on the proposal through July 6.
June 28, 2017 -
With the 2020 count approaching, concerns are mounting that budget cuts and turnover at the U.S. Census Bureau could lead to missing significant numbers of historically undercounted residents — many in disadvantaged Southern communities that depend on accurate numbers to apportion political power and fund services.
June 2, 2017 -
Science watchdogs are warning of serious flaws in the plan for storing spent nuclear fuel in pools at individual power plants — flaws that could ultimately lead to the long-term relocation of millions of people. North Carolina and Alabama are among the states with the largest amount of spent fuel stored in pools.
