WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The Center for Biological Diversity, Tucson, Arizona, a prominent environmental advocacy group, is vehemently opposing a proposed federal rule that it warns will politicize the nation's civil service and undermine democratic governance. The group submitted a formal comment to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), urging the immediate withdrawal of the "Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service" proposal, also known as "Schedule F." B  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI) has revealed significant challenges for artists seeking to protect their intellectual property through the Copyright Claims Board (CCB). In a comment submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office on May 9, 2025, CCI's analysis of over 1,000 case records from 2022 to 2024 underscores procedural and financial hurdles that limit the board's accessibility, particularly for low-income and marginalized creators. The CCB, designed as a streamline  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The Environmental Protection Network (EPN), a group of over 650 former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff, has submitted critical comments on the proposed registration of cyclobutrifluram, a new active ingredient used as a pesticide on crops like cotton, romaine lettuce, and soybeans. EPN asserts that the EPA's human health risk assessment and proposed labeling for spray drift contain significant shortcomings that warrant further review. EPN's comments highlight s  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed its review of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Draft Environmental Assessment for Space Exploration Technologies Corporation's (SpaceX) proposed expansion of Falcon 9 operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Brevard County, Florida. The EPA concluded that the plans, which include increasing annual launches and constructing a new landing zone, do not raise significant environmental concerns.   more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Friends of the Clearwater (FOC), Moscow, Idaho, a wildlands defense organization, is vehemently opposing a proposed federal rule change that would redefine "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, arguing it would gut critical habitat protections for at-risk species. The organization submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, asserting that the proposed change represents a "full-scale rollback that would serve extractive industry interests." The proposed rul  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The FIFRA Endangered Species Task Force (FESTF), representing 16 major crop protection and non-crop pesticide manufacturers, has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to utilize more comprehensive and up-to-date data in its evaluations of pesticide impacts on federally listed endangered species. In comments submitted regarding the biological evaluation of cyclobutrifluram, FESTF highlighted the extensive information it maintains and offered collaboration to enhanc  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation - Phoenix Zoo has formally submitted comments to a federal agency, strongly opposing a proposed rule to redefine "harm" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The organization argues that rescinding the long-standing definition would severely weaken a critical protection for wildlife and their habitats. The proposed change, addressed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, suggests that "harm" is synonymous with "kill" and "captu  more