Michael Biesecker
Reporter with the Associated Press
About Michael Biesecker
Massive methane leaks speed up climate change
To the naked eye, the Mako Compressor Station outside the dusty West Texas crossroads of Lenorah appears unremarkable, similar to tens of thousands of oil and gas operations scattered throughout the oil−rich Permian Basin.
EPA set to end California's ability to regulate fuel economy
The Trump administration is poised to revoke California's authority to set auto mileage standards, asserting that only the federal government has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy.
Court orders ban on harmful pesticide, says EPA violated law
A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday, August 9, 2018, that the Trump administration endangered public health by keeping the widely used pesticide chlorpyrifos (clor-PEER-i-fos) on the market despite extensive scientific evidence that even tiny levels of exposure can harm babies' brains.
EPA chief faces Capitol Hill grilling over ethical missteps
Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt faces potentially make-or-break hearings on Thursday, April 26, 2018, on Capitol Hill, where he is expected to be peppered with questions about spending and ethics scandals that have triggered bipartisan calls for his ouster.
Ex-Trump aide on leave after questioning Pruitt's spending
A high-ranking political staffer at the Environmental Protection Agency has told lawmakers he faced retaliation after pushing back against outsized spending demands from Administrator Scott Pruitt for first-class flights, luxury hotels and unusual security precautions.
Dems: No evidence of credible threats against EPA's Pruitt
Confidential security assessments in the Environmental Protection Agency show no evidence of specific, credible, physical threats against Administrator Scott Pruitt, despite claims that an "unprecedented" number of death threats justify his outsized security spending, according to a review by Senate Democrats.
New travel costs revealed for EPA head amid ongoing scrutiny
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt spent more than $120,000 in public funds last summer for a trip to Italy that included a meeting of G-7 ministers and a private tour of the Vatican.
EPA to hold hearing on climate plan repeal in West Virginia
The Trump administration announced on Thursday, November 3, 2017, it will hold a public hearing in West Virginia on its plan to nullify an Obama-era plan to limit planet-warming carbon emissions. The state is economically dependent on coal mining.
Pruitt guts EPA science panels, will appoint new members
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday he intends to replace the outside experts that advise him on science and public health issues with new board members holding more diverse views.
GAO: Climate change already costing US billions in losses
A non-partisan federal watchdog says climate change is already costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year.