Groups Petition USDA to Restore Organic Board’s Independent Authorities Set by Congress Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014.  Today, 20 organic farm and consumer groups filed a petition with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to protect the authority and permanence of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The petitioners object to[Read More…]

U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy Joins Tour, New Northerly Island Will Open in Fall 2014 CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014.  With Chicago Park District summer programming to begin on Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina[Read More…]

742,000-acre zone off Massachusetts coast more than doubles federal offshore acreage available for utility-scale wind energy projects BOSTON, MA–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014.  As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy resources and cut carbon pollution, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014. SECRETARY KERRY: Well, welcome back, everybody. Good morning to you all. And thank you, Mr. President, for that announcement. And I think many of you saw the sneak preview in the newspaper this morning, in The Washington Post, about a major announcement that John Podesta will[Read More…]

ANN ARBOR–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014.  When it comes to controlling hay fever-triggering ragweed plants on Detroit vacant lots, occasional mowing is worse than no mowing at all, and promoting reforestation might be the best solution. Those are the findings of a new University of Michigan study that surveyed vacant lots in[Read More…]

Reflects Support from 80 percent of voters ALBANY–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014 – A deal was reached today on a final bill that, when passed, will ban the trade of ivory antiques in the state and increased penalties for traffickers, a move that can make significant progress in curbing the ongoing slaughter[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–June 17, 2014.  Given that plant starts in many garden centers across the country are grown from seeds coated with bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides, or drenched with them, Beyond Pesticides has launched the Pollinator-Friendly Seed Directory, a comprehensive list of companies that sell organic seeds to the general public. Included[Read More…]

Annapolis, MD–(ENEWSPF)–June 16, 2014.  This afternoon, the Chesapeake Executive Council—which represents the seven watershed jurisdictions, a tri-state policy group and federal agencies including the Department of the Interior—signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, committing Chesapeake Bay Program partners to a set of interrelated goals to advance the restoration, conservation and[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–June 16, 2014.  As pollinator week begins, the critical importance of pollinators is exemplified in a recent study out of the University of California, Berkeley. Not only do pollinators help increase crop yields, they may be even more important than fertilizers, according to the study suggests. Ecologist Alexandra-Maria Klein, Ph.D. and[Read More…]

Request for Information Begins Multi-Year Evaluation Process to Engage Public, States, Tribes, Stakeholders WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–June 13, 2014.  Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Acting Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Walter Cruickshank today announced the first step in a robust public engagement process to develop the next[Read More…]