Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Is This DRI Smelting's Moment?
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, June 16 (TNSbrep) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
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Is this DRI smelting's moment?
Technology advances could benefit low-grade Pilbara iron ore
Key Takeaways:
New ironmaking technologies enabling the use of lower-grade ores are expected to commence operation before 2030, which is encouraging for the next phase of iron and steel decarbonisation.
With only one commercial-scale project under construction, significant work is still required to prove these solutions at scale.
Australian projects - alongside pilot
... Show Full Article
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, June 16 (TNSbrep) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
* * *
Is this DRI smelting's moment?
Technology advances could benefit low-grade Pilbara iron ore
Key Takeaways:
New ironmaking technologies enabling the use of lower-grade ores are expected to commence operation before 2030, which is encouraging for the next phase of iron and steel decarbonisation.
With only one commercial-scale project under construction, significant work is still required to prove these solutions at scale.
Australian projects - alongside pilotand demonstration initiatives led by technology providers - are focused on derisking solutions to future-proof Pilbara ores.
Developing these technology solutions should not delay Australia's transition to green iron, using available high-grade iron ore and mature direct reduction technologies.
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Several pathways utilising new and existing technologies have emerged in the global race to produce green iron and steel. However, each faces its own set of challenges and limitations, and not all will succeed, according to a briefing note released today.
In the note, DRI smelters: promise, progress and barriers, Soroush Basirat, Energy Finance Analyst, Global Steel at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), reviews the emerging pathways based on smelter technology with the potential to utilise lower-grade iron ores in green iron and steel production.
"The pressure on steelmakers to decarbonise and reduce emissions is intensifying," Mr Basirat says. "This imperative cannot be achieved through existing production methods."
Of the alternative technological solutions in development, green hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI) - electric arc furnace (EAF) is emerging as one of the most promising but it too faces challenges.
"While direct reduction technologies can effectively remove oxygen from a wide range of iron ores, they cannot eliminate impurities," Mr Basirat says.
"EAFs were initially developed to melt scrap, and while they are highly efficient, their oxidising atmosphere limits their ability to reduce iron ore to metallic iron and remove impurities."
As a result, the DRI-EAF pathway requires high-grade iron ore with minimal impurities, commonly referred to as DR-grade ore (>66% iron, <3.5% silica+alumina). However, as supply of this type of ore is limited and relatively costly, attention is focused on how to utilise the more abundant, low- to mid-grade ores in the direct reduction process.
One solution gaining momentum is to add a step between iron and steelmaking to manage impurities.
"Electric smelting furnaces are emerging as a promising solution to this challenge," Mr Basirat says. "Unlike the EAF, they can handle high-gangue feedstocks, and produce iron comparable to the pig iron from blast furnaces."
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Chart: DRI smelter projects under development worldwide
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Australia is the world's largest iron ore producer with output of about 900 million tonnes a year, accounting for half of global seaborne supply, and developing this pathway is of particular strategic importance.
"The country's dominant hematite/goethite ores, concentrated in the Pilbara, are generally not suitable for DR, and developing pathways to enable their use in low-emissions steelmaking represents a significant challenge for the industry," Mr Basirat says.
Attempts by BHP and Rio Tinto to develop new ironmaking pathways in the early 2000s in Western Australia were unsuccessful. However, as the global shift to decarbonise iron and steelmaking gathers pace, Australia can seize the opportunity if it acts quickly.
"These technologies are still evolving, and further development is required before they can reach a mature, highly reliable stage," Mr Basirat says.
While Australia, together with other technology developers, is working to make these technologies commercially available at scale, the transition through conventional direct reduction pathways has already gained momentum. Several DRI projects are under construction or close to FID in Europe, the US, Middle East and North Africa.
"Australia should carefully consider a broader range of available solutions while pursuing pathways to process low-grade iron ores." Mr Basirat says.
"Given Australia's extensive magnetite resources capable of delivering DR-grade material, a large-scale transition could begin today, by deploying mature DR technologies.
"Global growth in low-emissions iron and steel projects leaves no room for delay in initiating Australia's green iron transition.
"The transition will not wait for any country; without the development of commercially scaled projects in line with global trends, Australia risks falling behind."
Read the note: DRI smelters: promise, progress and barriers (https://ieefa.org/resources/dri-smelters-promise-progress-and-barriers)
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About IEEFA: The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) examines issues related to energy markets, trends, and policies. The Institute's mission is to accelerate the transition to a diverse, sustainable and profitable energy economy. (ieefa.org)
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Original text here: https://ieefa.org/articles/dri-smeltings-moment
[Category: Energy]
Humane World Action Fund: NIH Establishes a New Office to Advance Human-relevant Research and Reduce Animal Testing
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Humane World Action Fund and Humane World for Animals issued the following statements on June 15, 2026:
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NIH establishes a new office to advance human-relevant research and reduce animal testing
Creation of Office of Research Innovation, Validation and Application heralds a future where scientific advancement no longer depends on animal suffering
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Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statement on the National Institutes of Health's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Humane World Action Fund and Humane World for Animals issued the following statements on June 15, 2026:
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NIH establishes a new office to advance human-relevant research and reduce animal testing
Creation of Office of Research Innovation, Validation and Application heralds a future where scientific advancement no longer depends on animal suffering
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Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statement on the National Institutes of Health'sformal establishment of the Office of Research Innovation, Validation and Application. The creation of an office dedicated to advancing the development and implementation of human-relevant research methods to replace animal use promises to accelerate the transition away from methods that cause suffering and harm to animals.
Kathleen Conlee, vice president for animal research issues at Humane World for Animals, said:
"This is exactly the kind of forward-looking investment in scientific progress for which we have been advocating for decades. With the creation of ORIVA, NIH has signaled its understanding that advancing public health in the middle decades of the 21st century will require building the infrastructure needed to support modern, human-relevant research methods. In the past, biomedical research has relied on animal models that often fail to predict human outcomes. Now, new technologies like organ-on-a-chip systems, advanced cell models and artificial intelligence tools are creating opportunities to study disease and evaluate treatments in ways that are more relevant to human biology. By providing dedicated leadership, coordination and support for these approaches, ORIVA can help move promising technologies from the laboratory into widespread use."
Tracie Letterman, vice president for federal affairs at Humane World Action Fund, said:
"The creation of NIH's ORIVA, to speed the development and use of human-based technologies, is a significant milestone and reflects years of work by Humane World Action Fund, congressional champions and agency leaders to modernize medical research. We have long called for stronger coordination across the federal government to ensure that agencies share expertise and avoid duplicative efforts as they move away from outdated animal testing requirements. ORIVA can expand the interagency coordination that is so vital to the evaluation, validation and implementation of new approaches to biological medicine and safety testing. That kind of coordination is essential to better science, faster results and greater accountability."
Since last year, the federal government has made a series of announcements of its intent to move away from animal testing, including the NIH's decision to reduce reliance on animals in biomedical research and increase investment in critical infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency has also recommitted to ending mammal testing by 2035 and recently introduced a streamlined process for companies to submit approaches that do not use animals for agency-approved use in their chemical and pesticide assessments. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has been providing guidance to industry on the use of non-animal approaches for pharmaceuticals and reducing testing on non-human primates for monoclonal antibody therapies.
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Original text here: https://humaneaction.org/press-release/2026/06/nih-establishes-new-office-advance-human-relevant-research-and-reduce-animal
[Category: Political]
Environmental Defense Fund, Allies File Notice of Intent to Sue EPA in Matter Related to the Endangerment Finding
NEW YORK, June 16 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
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EDF, allies file notice of intent to sue EPA in matter related to the Endangerment Finding
On Friday, the Environmental Defense Fund joined dozens of state and local governments, other public health and environmental organizations, the Zero Emission Transportation Association, and a labor organization to send a notice of intent to sue to the Environmental Protection Agency in a matter related to EPA's repeal of the Endangerment Finding - the agency's science-based determination that climate pollution
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, June 16 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
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EDF, allies file notice of intent to sue EPA in matter related to the Endangerment Finding
On Friday, the Environmental Defense Fund joined dozens of state and local governments, other public health and environmental organizations, the Zero Emission Transportation Association, and a labor organization to send a notice of intent to sue to the Environmental Protection Agency in a matter related to EPA's repeal of the Endangerment Finding - the agency's science-based determination that climate pollutionharms public health and welfare.
Friday's notice follows EPA's failure to respond to administrative reconsideration petitions that EDF and its partners filed with the agency in April. The reconsideration petitions identify new and serious flaws in EPA's final rule rescinding the Endangerment Finding.
Legal challenges to the Endangerment Finding rescission
In February, the Trump EPA finalized its repeal of the Endangerment Finding along with all greenhouse gas emissions standards EPA has ever adopted for motor vehicles.
Over the next 30 years, that deeply damaging action will lead to 18 billion tons of additional climate pollution and $500 billion in health harms, and it will force Americans already faced with extremely high gas prices to spend $1.4 trillion more on fuel.
EDF and 16 other public health and environmental organizations (including the American Public Health Association and American Lung Association) immediately challenged that action in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Since that time, a broad coalition of states and local governments, the Zero Emission Transportation Association, labor interests and others have also filed legal challenges.
The administrative reconsideration petitions
In April, EDF and other health and environmental groups filed a petition for administrative reconsideration of the repeal of the Endangerment Finding with EPA. Other petitioners in the case -- including states, business and labor interests -- have filed similar administrative petitions with EPA.
Our petition and accompanying technical appendix detail fundamental defects in EPA's final rule to rescind the Endangerment Finding -- most notably substantial changes from the proposed repeal that were never opened for public comment, and seriously flawed new modeling that EPA used to justify its claim that cutting climate pollution from cars and trucks would be "futile." The petition includes new EDF analysis and modeling that document how EPA systematically downplayed climate harms, relied on irrelevant comparisons, discarded well-established health benefits from reducing soot and smog, and produced an analytically skewed assessment that does not support its own conclusions.
EPA's hasty and flawed analysis for the Endangerment Finding repeal was newly cobbled together for the final rule. In its proposal, EPA had instead relied on a report by the "Climate Working Group" which was established in secret by the Trump administration to attack the Endangerment Finding. However, a federal court held that the "Climate Working Group" violated federal law -- a decision that EDF and Union of Concerned Scientists secured. The decision resulted in the Trump administration disbanding the group and the court compelling the administration to release more than 100,000 pages of records (which are now posted online and publicly accessible).
EPA's decision to rely on new modeling and analysis in its final rule deprived the public of an opportunity to comment on the new and seriously flawed material EPA claims supports its decision. This legal failure is part of a broader pattern where the Trump administration has introduced new information or arguments in final rules that have not been subject to legally required public scrutiny.
Today's notice of intent to sue EPA
EPA has a legal duty to respond to administrative petitions that raise clear and significant defects with a final rule. Instead of doing so, the agency has simply declined to act.
Friday's notice of intent to sue informs EPA that EDF and allied groups intend to sue after 180 days (the notice period required by the Clean Air Act) unless EPA has taken action on the petitions. This action aims to ensure that the new and seriously flawed information in EPA's final rule to repeal the Endangerment Finding is subject to both public and judicial scrutiny.
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/edf-allies-file-notice-intent-sue-epa-matter-related-endangerment-finding
[Category: Environment]
Democracy Forward: Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park From Unlawful Trump Transformation
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release on June 15, 2026:
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Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park from Unlawful Trump Transformation
Irreplaceable National Park Site Threatened By Proposal for Another Trump Construction Project
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A coalition of advocacy, conservation, and historic preservation organizations and an individual Washington, D.C. resident have united in an effort to save West Potomac
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Democracy Forward, an organization that says it advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education and regulatory engagement, issued the following news release on June 15, 2026:
* * *
Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park from Unlawful Trump Transformation
Irreplaceable National Park Site Threatened By Proposal for Another Trump Construction Project
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A coalition of advocacy, conservation, and historic preservation organizations and an individual Washington, D.C. resident have united in an effort to save West PotomacPark. In a complaint filed today, the National Parks Conservation Association, DC Preservation League, National Mall Coalition, Olmsted Network, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, and D.C. resident Steve Longenecker are seeking to stop the Trump-Vance administration's unlawful attempt to remake West Potomac Park, national park land that belongs to all Americans. The coalition is represented in the matter by Democracy Forward Foundation.
In the lawsuit, which is filed just after a federal judge blocked the Trump-Vance administration's efforts to erase history and science in the national parks in another matter brought by lawyers at Democracy Forward, the groups argue that the National Garden of American Heroes violates the Administrative Procedure Act based on non-compliance with, among other laws, the Commemorative Works Act, National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and National Park Service Organic Act.
"Our national parks in Washington, D.C. are some of the most visited and symbolically significant public spaces anywhere in the world," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association. "We're filing this lawsuit with our partners to ensure that remains the case in West Potomac Park. This invaluable green space is enjoyed by locals and millions of visitors alike for recreation, reflection and commemoration. Our parks are held in trust for every American and for generations to come. Congress put clear laws in place to safeguard the National Mall from new construction and to ensure the public has a meaningful voice in decisions about landscapes that belong to them, as space open to all. On this 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, we must celebrate our parks and the democratic ideals they represent."
"West Potomac Park was designated by Congress over a century ago to be preserved for the recreation and enjoyment of all people, regardless of their background or privilege," said Rebecca Miller, Executive Director of the DC Preservation League (DCPL). "DCPL has joined this coalition to ensure that this historically significant cultural landscape remains a public treasure for everyday citizens, protecting it from being unlawfully transformed into an unrecognizable island that does not fulfill its intended purpose."
"West Potomac Park is an integral landscape component of the brilliant historic plans -- 1791 L'Enfant Plan and 1901-2 McMillan Plan - that give our capital the visual and symbolic power revered by Americans and foreign visitors alike," said Judy Scott Feldman, chair of the National Mall Coalition. "We join our fellow plaintiffs in demanding respect for the capital's visionary planning legacy and the public consultation process that sustains Americans' faith in their democracy."
"Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. believed that public landscapes are among our most important democratic institutions. The National Mall and its surrounding parks comprise a nationally significant network of ceremonial and civic spaces that express our shared values and invite public participation in our democracy. West Potomac Park is an essential part of that landscape. For generations, it has provided an open and welcoming place for recreation, reflection, and community at the heart of the nation's capital. We are joining this coalition because protecting places like West Potomac Park requires more than preserving land--it requires respecting the laws, public engagement, and democratic processes that guide decisions about our shared civic inheritance," said Sue Breitkopf, President, The Olmsted Network.
"The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has long defended the fundamental values of the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans to sustain the distinction, beauty, and open spaces of our nation's capital. The Trump administration has announced that it plans to install a major new project -- the National Garden of American Heroes -- in West Potomac Park, without Congressional approval or any review by the National Capital Planning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts, as required by law. West Potomac Park, located on land within the National Mall, is specifically protected by the Commemorative Works Act, one of several laws that the Administration has chosen to ignore in this case. The Committee of 100 is pleased to join our co-plaintiffs in seeking to ensure protection of this national treasure," said Judy Chesser, Chair, The Committee of 100 on the Federal City.
"The National Register-designated West Potomac Park is not available open space; it is part of the National Mall, which is one of the world's finest achievements in civic landscape architecture, architecture, city planning, and art," said Charles A. Birnbaum, The Cultural Landscape Foundation's Founding President and CEO, adding, "West Potomac Park and other treasured examples of our nation's shared patrimony are safeguarded by the rule of law, which we believe should be enforced."
"For many years, West Potomac Park has been a place I am able to come with my children and friends to play ultimate frisbee," said Longenecker, who has been bringing his daughter with disabilities to weekend pickup games at West Potomac Park since she was a baby. "This recreation area is part of what makes our community an amazing place to live and enjoy; it is a privilege to play a sport I love in view of some of our most iconic national symbols. I like to think our friendly games actually elevate the specialness of the space by adding everyday human activity into the mix. I am heartbroken at the thought of losing it."
West Potomac Park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District since 1973 for its association with the City Beautiful Movement and its cultural landscape. The park sits on the National Mall and is home to some of its most prominent sites, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Nestled alongside these monuments and the Potomac River, the park's open fields provide a scenic landscape for recreation and reflection, and serve as a recreational haven for thousands of D.C. residents and visitors. In 1897, Congress mandated that the land "be forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people." More than a century later, on any given day, the park might be hosting friendly games of softball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, kickball, or rugby, and offering runners, walkers, bicyclists, and others an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
West Potomac Park, a part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, has been targeted, however, for an unlawful transformation. With no regard for the site's historic and recreational features, President Trump has characterized West Potomac Park as "a totally BARREN field of Prime Waterfront Real Estate," and announced that his administration would convert the park into a so-called sculpture garden he is calling the "National Garden of American Heroes" as part of the upcoming celebrations around the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The proposed changes to the park include the introduction of 250 statues - each at least eight feet tall - to go along with reflecting pools and plazas as well as dining facilities and an amphitheater. One of the president's top fundraisers has reportedly begun soliciting donations, sharing renderings that illustrate how the garden complex will replace the current idyllic landscape in West Potomac Park.
"The National Mall belongs to the people and not to any president," said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. "President Trump's vanity project to transform West Potomac Park defies clear congressional commands and several statutes governing projects of this magnitude. The president's attempt to overhaul West Potomac Park poses a grave threat to the historic, aesthetic, and recreational interests of our clients and the American public. We are honored to sue on the coalition's behalf. "
The case is National Parks Conservation Association et al. v. Burgum et al. and the legal team at Democracy Forward working on the matter includes Michael Torcello, Anne Swift, Catherine Carroll, and Robin Thurston.
Read the complaint filed today here (https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/National-Parks-Conservation-Association-et-al.-v.-Burgum-et-al.-Complaint.pdf).
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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
The DC Preservation League (DCPL), founded in 1971 as "Don't Tear It Down" to save the Old Post Office Building on Pennsylvania Avenue, is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the District of Columbia's historic and built environment. As the citywide advocate for historic preservation, DCPL identifies and documents historically significant buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods; monitors proposed government legislation to ensure sound preservation policies; and works to increase public awareness through education and outreach. Learn more at www.dcpreservation.org.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1998 with a mission of "connecting people to places." TCLF educates and engages the public to make our shared landscape heritage more visible, identify its value, and empower its stewards. Through its website, publishing, lectures, and other events, TCLF broadens support and understanding for cultural landscapes. TCLF is also home to the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.
The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, founded in 1923, has championed the fundamental values of the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans to sustain the distinction, beauty, and varied neighborhoods of the nation's capital. As independent advocates for sound planning, we are active city-wide in land-use, housing, transportation, historic preservation, and the environment. The Committee's vision of a beautiful and livable city for all has guided the Committee of 100 on the Federal City's actions and priorities throughout its history to benefit the residents of Washington, DC. www.committeeof100.net
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Original text here: https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/coalition-files-suit-unites-to-save-west-potomac-park-from-unlawful-trump-transformation/
[Category: Political]
Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park From Unlawful Trump Transformation
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The National Parks Conservation Association posted the following news release:
* * *
Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park from Unlawful Trump Transformation
Irreplaceable National Park Site Threatened By Proposal for Another Trump Construction Project
-
A coalition of advocacy, conservation, and historic preservation organizations and an individual Washington, D.C. resident have united in an effort to save West Potomac Park. In a complaint filed today, the National Parks Conservation Association, DC Preservation League, National Mall Coalition, Olmsted
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- The National Parks Conservation Association posted the following news release:
* * *
Coalition Files Suit, Unites to Save West Potomac Park from Unlawful Trump Transformation
Irreplaceable National Park Site Threatened By Proposal for Another Trump Construction Project
-
A coalition of advocacy, conservation, and historic preservation organizations and an individual Washington, D.C. resident have united in an effort to save West Potomac Park. In a complaint filed today, the National Parks Conservation Association, DC Preservation League, National Mall Coalition, OlmstedNetwork, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, and D.C. resident Steve Longenecker are seeking to stop the Trump-Vance administration's unlawful attempt to remake West Potomac Park, national park land that belongs to all Americans. The coalition is represented in the matter by Democracy Forward Foundation.
In the lawsuit, which is filed just after a federal judge blocked the Trump-Vance administration's efforts to erase history and science in the national parks in another matter brought by lawyers at Democracy Forward, the groups argue that the National Garden of American Heroes violates the Administrative Procedure Act based on non-compliance with, among other laws, the Commemorative Works Act, National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and National Park Service Organic Act.
"Our national parks in Washington, D.C. are some of the most visited and symbolically significant public spaces anywhere in the world," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association. "We're filing this lawsuit with our partners to ensure that remains the case in West Potomac Park. This invaluable green space is enjoyed by locals and millions of visitors alike for recreation, reflection and commemoration. Our parks are held in trust for every American and for generations to come. Congress put clear laws in place to safeguard the National Mall from new construction and to ensure the public has a meaningful voice in decisions about landscapes that belong to them, as space open to all. On this 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, we must celebrate our parks and the democratic ideals they represent."
"West Potomac Park was designated by Congress over a century ago to be preserved for the recreation and enjoyment of all people, regardless of their background or privilege," said Rebecca Miller, Executive Director of the DC Preservation League (DCPL). "DCPL has joined this coalition to ensure that this historically significant cultural landscape remains a public treasure for everyday citizens, protecting it from being unlawfully transformed into an unrecognizable island that does not fulfill its intended purpose."
"West Potomac Park is an integral landscape component of the brilliant historic plans -- 1791 L'Enfant Plan and 1901-2 McMillan Plan - that give our capital the visual and symbolic power revered by Americans and foreign visitors alike," said Judy Scott Feldman, chair of the National Mall Coalition. "We join our fellow plaintiffs in demanding respect for the capital's visionary planning legacy and the public consultation process that sustains Americans' faith in their democracy."
"Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. believed that public landscapes are among our most important democratic institutions. The National Mall and its surrounding parks comprise a nationally significant network of ceremonial and civic spaces that express our shared values and invite public participation in our democracy. West Potomac Park is an essential part of that landscape. For generations, it has provided an open and welcoming place for recreation, reflection, and community at the heart of the nation's capital. We are joining this coalition because protecting places like West Potomac Park requires more than preserving land--it requires respecting the laws, public engagement, and democratic processes that guide decisions about our shared civic inheritance," said Sue Breitkopf, President, The Olmsted Network.
"The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has long defended the fundamental values of the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans to sustain the distinction, beauty, and open spaces of our nation's capital. The Trump administration has announced that it plans to install a major new project -- the National Garden of American Heroes -- in West Potomac Park, without Congressional approval or any review by the National Capital Planning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts, as required by law. West Potomac Park, located on land within the National Mall, is specifically protected by the Commemorative Works Act, one of several laws that the Administration has chosen to ignore in this case. The Committee of 100 is pleased to join our co-plaintiffs in seeking to ensure protection of this national treasure," said Judy Chesser, Chair, The Committee of 100 on the Federal City.
"The National Register-designated West Potomac Park is not available open space; it is part of the National Mall, which is one of the world's finest achievements in civic landscape architecture, architecture, city planning, and art," said Charles A. Birnbaum, The Cultural Landscape Foundation's Founding President and CEO, adding, "West Potomac Park and other treasured examples of our nation's shared patrimony are safeguarded by the rule of law, which we believe should be enforced."
"For many years, West Potomac Park has been a place I am able to come with my children and friends to play ultimate frisbee," said Longenecker, who has been bringing his daughter with disabilities to weekend pickup games at West Potomac Park since she was a baby. "This recreation area is part of what makes our community an amazing place to live and enjoy; it is a privilege to play a sport I love in view of some of our most iconic national symbols. I like to think our friendly games actually elevate the specialness of the space by adding everyday human activity into the mix. I am heartbroken at the thought of losing it."
West Potomac Park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the East and West Potomac Parks Historic District since 1973 for its association with the City Beautiful Movement and its cultural landscape. The park sits on the National Mall and is home to some of its most prominent sites, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Nestled alongside these monuments and the Potomac River, the park's open fields provide a scenic landscape for recreation and reflection, and serve as a recreational haven for thousands of D.C. residents and visitors. In 1897, Congress mandated that the land "be forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people." More than a century later, on any given day, the park might be hosting friendly games of softball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, kickball, or rugby, and offering runners, walkers, bicyclists, and others an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
West Potomac Park, a part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, has been targeted, however, for an unlawful transformation. With no regard for the site's historic and recreational features, President Trump has characterized West Potomac Park as "a totally BARREN field of Prime Waterfront Real Estate," and announced that his administration would convert the park into a so-called sculpture garden he is calling the "National Garden of American Heroes" as part of the upcoming celebrations around the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The proposed changes to the park include the introduction of 250 statues - each at least eight feet tall - to go along with reflecting pools and plazas as well as dining facilities and an amphitheater. One of the president's top fundraisers has reportedly begun soliciting donations, sharing renderings that illustrate how the garden complex will replace the current idyllic landscape in West Potomac Park.
"The National Mall belongs to the people and not to any president," said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. "President Trump's vanity project to transform West Potomac Park defies clear congressional commands and several statutes governing projects of this magnitude. The president's attempt to overhaul West Potomac Park poses a grave threat to the historic, aesthetic, and recreational interests of our clients and the American public. We are honored to sue on the coalition's behalf. "
The case is National Parks Conservation Association et al. v. Burgum et al. and the legal team at Democracy Forward working on the matter includes Michael Torcello, Anne Swift, Catherine Carroll, and Robin Thurston.
Read the complaint filed today here (https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/National-Parks-Conservation-Association-et-al.-v.-Burgum-et-al.-Complaint.pdf).
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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
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Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
* * *
The DC Preservation League (DCPL), founded in 1971 as "Don't Tear It Down" to save the Old Post Office Building on Pennsylvania Avenue, is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the District of Columbia's historic and built environment. As the citywide advocate for historic preservation, DCPL identifies and documents historically significant buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods; monitors proposed government legislation to ensure sound preservation policies; and works to increase public awareness through education and outreach. Learn more at www.dcpreservation.org.
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The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) is a 501 Copyright (c) (3) non-profit founded in 1998 with a mission of "connecting people to places." TCLF educates and engages the public to make our shared landscape heritage more visible, identify its value, and empower its stewards. Through its website, publishing, lectures, and other events, TCLF broadens support and understanding for cultural landscapes. TCLF is also home to the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.
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The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, founded in 1923, has championed the fundamental values of the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans to sustain the distinction, beauty, and varied neighborhoods of the nation's capital. As independent advocates for sound planning, we are active city-wide in land-use, housing, transportation, historic preservation, and the environment. The Committee's vision of a beautiful and livable city for all has guided the Committee of 100 on the Federal City's actions and priorities throughout its history to benefit the residents of Washington, DC. www.committeeof100.net
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Original text here: https://www.npca.org/articles/11412-coalition-files-suit-unites-to-save-west-potomac-park-from-unlawful-trump
[Category: Environment]
Americans for Tax Reform: Big, Beautiful Work Requirements
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 15, 2026, by James Brighenti:
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Big, Beautiful Work Requirements
The federal Medicaid program was designed to help pregnant women, the disabled, and children. But today, it has become overrun with able-bodied, unemployed adults. Although Medicaid programs are administered by state governments, they are funded by federal tax dollars. This translates to a $12,100 cost per beneficiary paid by the American taxpayer. Roughly 62% of the able-bodied adults on Medicaid are not working, volunteering, or getting
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 15, 2026, by James Brighenti:
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Big, Beautiful Work Requirements
The federal Medicaid program was designed to help pregnant women, the disabled, and children. But today, it has become overrun with able-bodied, unemployed adults. Although Medicaid programs are administered by state governments, they are funded by federal tax dollars. This translates to a $12,100 cost per beneficiary paid by the American taxpayer. Roughly 62% of the able-bodied adults on Medicaid are not working, volunteering, or gettingan education. Astoundingly, a plurality (35.9%) of all Medicaid spending is on able-bodied adults. That means a significant portion of the $12,100 each taxpayer is paying is going towards people who could work, but choose not to. This problem will finally be addressed through work requirements. A study conducted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation calculated that Medicaid work requirements could increase family net income by $12,034 and reduce poverty for Americans by 1.6 million to 2.9 million. This calculation projects that if these work requirements are effectively implemented by states, then they will significantly reduce poverty by promoting economic growth and labor force participation.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released an interim rule, in accordance with the Working Families Tax Cut of 2025, that clarifies the law's requirement for certain adult Medicaid applicants and enrollees to meet an 80 hours per month work requirement through employment, education, work programs, or community service. The Cato Institute reports that this reform will reduce $325 billion in Medicaid spending, which allowed Congress to relieve the tax burden on everyday Americans.
The CMS rule contains necessary guardrails around who qualifies as "medically frail" and thus is exempt from these work requirements. Someone who is "medically frail" is anyone with a serious medical condition or disability that significantly impairs their ability to live or comply with the work requirements. On top of this new definition, states must require documentation when it is available to prove if someone is medically frail, starting January 1st, 2028. Through 2027, states may accept self-assessment when reliable data isn't available.
Work requirements for certain federal aid programs already exist and have shown to work in incentivizing employment and economic growth. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) requires a minimum of 20 to 35 hours per week, depending on family structure and age of the youngest child to receive benefits. Research from the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies found that work requirements increased employment by 4.2 percentage points in the first 5 years. Another study done in Charlotte, North Carolina, found that enforcing work requirements for public housing residents for at least 15 hours per week resulted in the employment rate rising from 58% to 88%. This tangible evidence shows that work requirements are effective in increasing employment at both the local and national level.
Federal taxpayers spend more on Medicaid for able-bodied adults than they do for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and children. But work is plentiful, and an entry-level job would pay more than $15 an hour on average across the country. An able-bodied adult would only have to work 19 hours a week to lift themselves over the poverty line. Further, work requirements can also be met by receiving any kind of education, learning a trade, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. There is no reason an able-bodied adult without young children couldn't meet these requirements.
Food stamp work requirements have led to able-bodied adults leaving welfare to join the workforce in more than 1,000 industries and doubling their previous incomes within a year and tripling them within two. On top of this, the higher wages offset any lost welfare benefits. The able-bodied adults being pulled out of welfare programs due to work requirements start to contribute to the economy; this is a win for the American taxpayer and a win for those who pulled themselves out of a difficult situation.
Medicaid was designed as a bridge to temporarily assist those that genuinely need it. But it has been abused by able-bodied adults who are capable of employment. Work requirements not only work, but they also restore the original purpose of Medicaid. Work requirements also help relieve the taxpayer burden that Medicaid causes because, as of right now, a large portion of Medicaid money is going to able-bodied adults. The Working Families Tax Cut of 2025, along with the recent, strong CMS guidance, will deliver relief to American taxpayers, reduce poverty, and restore the intent of Medicaid.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/big-beautiful-work-requirements/
[Category: Political]
ATR Commends Pledge Signers in Oklahoma Ahead of June 16 Primary
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 15, 2026, by Theresa Grover:
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ATR Commends Pledge Signers in Oklahoma Ahead of June 16 Primary
As voters head to the voting booth, they deserve to know where their candidates stand on key issues such as taxes and spending.
Fortunately for voters in Oklahoma, these candidates have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and made written commitments to oppose and vote against tax hikes.
Oklahoma
* Senator James Lankford
* Rep. Josh Brecheen (OK-02)
* Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03)
* Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04)
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... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 16 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on June 15, 2026, by Theresa Grover:
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ATR Commends Pledge Signers in Oklahoma Ahead of June 16 Primary
As voters head to the voting booth, they deserve to know where their candidates stand on key issues such as taxes and spending.
Fortunately for voters in Oklahoma, these candidates have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and made written commitments to oppose and vote against tax hikes.
Oklahoma
* Senator James Lankford
* Rep. Josh Brecheen (OK-02)
* Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03)
* Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04)
*Rep. Stephanie Bice (OK-05)
* Rep. Kevin Hern (SEN)
* Mark Tedford (OK-01)
* Kim David (OK-01)
* Todd Woods (OK-01)
* Jed Cochran (OK-01)
Candidates often make campaign promises not to raise taxes, only to abandon taxpayers once elected. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge requires candidates to put their commitment in writing - making it harder to reverse course.
Americans for Tax Reform created the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in 1985 to solidify candidates' commitments to taxpayers. President Reagan urged all candidates to sign the Pledge. He campaigned for and praised candidates who signed the Pledge. Today, over 1,400 elected officials and candidates at the federal and state levels are Taxpayer Protection Pledge signers.
There are currently 194 Pledge signers in the U.S. House and 43 Pledge signers in the U.S. Senate. About 88% of Congressional Republicans have signed the Pledge and put their commitment to oppose tax increases into writing, contrasting with the ZERO congressional Democrats who have made this commitment.
"Voters are looking for solutions that get Americans back to work and grow the economy. Signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and holding the line on taxes is the first step in that process." said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.
Unfortunately, Democratic candidates for office do not share this commitment. They seek to reverse course and implement tax-and-spend policies that would only stunt economic growth and take more money out of the hands of taxpayers.
New candidates sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge regularly. For the most up-to-date information on these races or any others, please visit the ATR Pledge Database (https://atr.org/pledge-database/).
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Original text here: https://atr.org/atr-commends-pledge-signers-in-oklahoma-ahead-of-june-9-primary/
[Category: Political]
