FWS waives entrance fees at some wildlife sites today
The entrance-fee waiver is in effect Oct. 11 at FWS lands that normally charge admission. Some separate activity, permit and concessionaire charges remain.
Environment & Weather
Weather, climate, pollution, air and water quality, conservation, wildlife, natural resources, and environmental policy.
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Shade canopies now cover areas at two St. Louis Park parks
Canopies now shade bleachers at Aquila Park and a bench at Ainsworth Park as part of a $262,642 grant-funded project.
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Boulder ties driest water year; reservoirs enter October at 76%
Boulder recorded 10.65 inches of precipitation in the water year ending Sept. 30, tying its driest on record. Reservoirs were below their seasonal average.
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WildCare projects 10,000-plus animals a year, up 50% in a decade
WildCare Oklahoma’s annual intake projection is more than 10,000 animals, veterinarian Mattie Yates told lawmakers. The figure is for one center, not statewide.
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DEQ opens comment on Quantica well near Broadview
Montana DEQ is taking public comment on a proposed well for Quantica’s Big Sky Campus, with comments due Oct. 29.
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DC Water reports normal-range results in expanded Potomac tests
Five rounds of tests at six Maryland sites found oxygen, nutrient and metal results within the river’s normal range, DC Water said.
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EPA plans broader changes to oil and gas emissions rules
EPA says it will propose changes to federal oil and gas rules, including rescinding the Methane Super Emitter Program. The announcement does not change current requirements.
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Isaias reached 80 mph as warnings stood in Oct. 8 update
A 4:23 a.m. update listed hurricane warnings for Escambia Coastal and Escambia Inland, with a storm-surge warning for the coastal zone.
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Arkansas PCB settlement sets $16 million initially, up to $80 million
Arkansas settled its PCB-related claims against Monsanto and affiliates. The agreement calls for $16 million in initial payments, with as much as $64 million more tied to a separate indemnity action.
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Nearly 10,000 acre-feet routed to Great Salt Lake wetlands
A coordinated water release tied to the Pineview pipeline project is underway, with delivery to Great Salt Lake wetlands including Willard Spur.
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New York challenges EPA’s power-plant emissions repeal
New York and New York City joined a petition asking a federal appeals court to overturn EPA’s partial repeal of power-plant emissions standards.
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Penn State warns campus communities as wildfire smoke drives unhealthy air across Pennsylvania
Penn State urged students, faculty, staff and visitors to monitor air quality after wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota produced unhealthy readings in parts of Pennsylvania.
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Fish and Wildlife Service Revises Endangered Species Act Rules
The agency finalized changes to threatened-species protections and critical-habitat designations, including an end to the prior blanket-rule option.
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EPA Allows Some Air Permits Before Credits Are Secured
EPA guidance issued July 1 says authorities may issue certain construction permits in areas that miss national air-quality standards before required emission-reduction credits are secured, if enforceable conditions are included.
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D.C. Circuit says EPA improperly terminated billions in climate grants
A divided federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration likely violated federal law by terminating climate grants and seeking to recover money already distributed.
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ADEM lists July 22 PSD permit action for Kronospan in Talladega
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management lists a July 22, 2026 Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit action for Kronospan LLC in Talladega.
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Buckhannon and Upshur County continue long-term recovery after July flooding
Buckhannon and Upshur County have shifted from emergency response to long-term flood recovery, with the West Virginia National Guard extending debris-removal work.
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WMO Warns El Niño Could Strengthen Sharply as Pacific Waters Rise Above 2°C
The World Meteorological Organization says El Niño has developed and could intensify rapidly from July through September 2026, raising risks of extreme weather worldwide.
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Hoquiam moves toward North Shore Levee construction after federal funding restored
A court order restored $150 million for stalled Washington projects, including $85 million for the Aberdeen-Hoquiam Flood Protection Project. Hoquiam has awarded an initial Levee Street phase, with the full project expected to go out for bid after a grant agreement is signed.
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Seven Manville Homeowners Told State-Funded Elevations Will Not Proceed
Seven Manville homeowners have been told their homes will not receive planned elevation assistance because construction costs exceed federal eligibility rules. Blue Acres buyouts are the state’s alternative.
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DOE says Oak Ridge cleanup workaround moves priority project forward, could save $175 million
The Department of Energy says a workaround has advanced a top-priority cleanup project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and could reduce projected costs by $175 million.
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Grasshopper Fire prompts continued evacuation readiness in the Mount Hood corridor
Oregon invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the 18,136-acre Grasshopper Fire on July 29, while emergency agencies prepared for changing wildfire, smoke and travel conditions around Welches.