In This Issue: Upcoming ESA Webinars ESA will host two webinars with the Federation of American Scientists and Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally. Congress House passes most spending bills. Executive Branch President Trump signs the Great American Outdoors Act. Courts State attorneys general challenge new Clean Water Act regulations in court. States North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality denies permit…
In This Issue: White House Finalizes Revisions to NEPA Regulations New rules direct agencies to focus on “reasonably foreseeable” effects and set pages limits for environmental impact statements. Federal Government Begins Work on Fifth National Climate Assessment A notice identifies the proposed overarching themes and framework of the next assessment. Congress Full House passes spending bills funding the Departments of…
In This Issue: Congress – House Appropriators Release Fiscal Year 2021 Spending Bills for Science Agencies – House Democrats Outline Climate Action Plan – Full House Passes Infrastructure Bill Executive Branch ICE regulations suspend visas for international students attending universities that become online-only amid the coronavirus pandemic. Courts Dominion Energy and Duke Energy cancel Atlantic Coast Pipeline. International U.N. Environment…
In This Issue: President Trump Suspends Entry Under H1-B Visas Through the End of 2020 Senators Introduce Bill Restricting Visas to Researchers with Ties to “Hostile Foreign Actors.” House Democrats Infrastructure Bill Reauthorizes Watershed Restoration Programs, Creates Wildlife Corridor System Full House will vote on bill this week. Congress Senate confirms Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan to lead NSF, House introduces relief…
In This Issue: President Trump Signs Executive Order Directing Agencies to Use Emergency Provisions of Environmental Laws to Speed COVID-19 Economic Recovery Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduce bills to reform NEPA permitting. COVID-19 Delays Competition for NEON Management Battelle Memorial Institute will continue to manage NEON in the interim. Congress Bipartisan Senate Committee…
In This Issue: Letter to the community Racism and prejudice continue to harm scientists, future scientists, and the communities we serve. ESA leaders echo the message of these protests: Black lives matter. Webinar: Invasive Species Policy and COVID-19 Webinar recording and related resources posted online. Ecology of COVID-19 blog series ESA guest blogs explore the evolutionary biology of the coronavirus,…
In This Issue: Pandemic Response House Legislation Includes Funding for Science, Wildlife Disease The latest coronavirus bill includes $125 million for NSF. Webinar: Invasive Species Policy and COVID-19 Speakers will explore how ecological research can inform policy and contribute knowledge to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species. National Science Board Unveils Visions 2030 Report, Charts Impacts of COVID-19…
The National Science Foundation’s Biological Science’s Advisory Committee (BIO AC) held a virtual, abbreviated meeting April 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic. The committee, composed of biological and ecological scientists from across the research enterprise, typically meets twice a year for a two-day in-person meeting. Here are some of the highlights from that meeting relevant to the ecological science community: COVID-19…
The National Science Board (NSB), the oversight body for all of NSF who serve as independent science advisors to the president and Congress, met May 5 and 6. The meeting marked the full board’s first meeting held during the coronavirus pandemic. The marquee item on the agency was the release of the NSB Visions 2030 report, which charts a path…
In This Issue: National Science Board to Convene, Discuss NSF’s COVID-19 Response Agencies release guidance for grantees and grant opportunities for COVID-19-related research. Congress Senate Environment and Public Works Committee introduces draft water infrastructure bill. Executive Branch EPA finalizes WOTUS rule, Science Advisory Board finalizes review of “Transparency in Science” rule Courts Supreme Court creates new test for Clean Water…
In This Issue: Federal Agency Award COVID-19 Resources Agencies release guidance for grantees and grant opportunities for COVID-19-related research. The Ecology of COVID-19 Blog Series First post from the Long-term Ecological Research Network offers considerations for deciding whether and when to go into the field. Congress Senators ask Secretary of State to take action to shutdown the global illegal wildlife…
In This Issue: Lawmakers Provide Additional Funding for Science Agencies in CARES Act, Funding Agencies Release New Guidance NSF receives $76 million for coronavirus grants. EPA Reduces Enforcement Activities, Extends Comment Period for “Transparency in Science” Rule by 30 Days The comment period for the proposed rule closes May 18. Executive Branch NSF Director France Cordova completes her six-year term,…