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Almost 1.5m homes could be built on brownfield sites in England, report finds

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Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Almost 1.5m new homes could be built on brownfield sites in England to avoid encroaching on green belt and meet the government target for housing growth by the end of this parliament, new figures suggest.But despite the scale of brownfield land available, developers are pushing to build on green land, including increased housebuilding on and adjacent to areas of outstanding natural beauty.More than half of the brownfield areas – 54% – have planning permission already and are considered deliverable under the national planning policy framework guidelines within five years. These provide shovel-ready sites for 790,000 properties – more than half of the government’s 1.5m target.The countryside charity CPRE, which obtained the figures from councils all over England, is calling for the government to enforce its brownfield-first approach in order to fulfil the target of 1.5m new homes by the end of this parliament in the face of increasing development on green land.Roger Mortlock, the chief executive officer of the CPRE, said: “If the government is serious about a brownfield-first approach, it needs more teeth … We know that large developers favour building on our countryside, with more identikit, car-dependent executive homes being needlessly built on our countryside.”Analysis of the 2023 and 2024 brownfield registers kept by local authorities across England reveals the number of sites available has risen by 16% in the 12 months to 2024.There are 30,257 sites available, covering 32,884 hectares (81,223 acres) that local councils have identified as suitable for 1.49m dwellings, the data shows.Brownfield sites are a constantly renewing resource, the CPRE says. They include former retail areas in town centres, abandoned factories and redundant commercial buildings.Across England, from the south-west, through London to the Midlands and the north, this means there are enough brownfield areas to build the 1.5m new homes the government is promising without encroaching on green belt or precious natural landscapes.The data appears to contradict statements made by the prime minister, Keir Starmer, who has claimed it is impossible to build 1.5m new homes on brownfield land. “We must be honest, we cannot build the homes Britain needs without also releasing some land currently classed as green belt,” he said.Developers appear to be exploiting the failure by this government and previous administrations to mandate a brownfield-first approach.Between 2021 and 2022, 46% of development took place on green belt, or green sites, unnecessarily bulldozing nature and ecosystems, the CPRE said. New developments in the countryside were being built all the time, they added.“A new approach to local housing numbers has massively increased the target in many rural areas without any evidence of local need and without the infrastructure to support new communities,” said Mortlock. As well as damaging nature, the developments were not sustainable, he said, as they had no transport or community infrastructure, forcing people into their cars.Brownfield sites are available in the key areas where the government is focusing its housebuilding growth. These include London, where there are enough brownfield sites to build 535,000 homes; the south-east, where there are sufficient areas for 190,814 homes; and the West Midlands, where brownfield sites exist to build 191,004 homes.The CPRE says the government should apply ambitious and enforceable targets for affordable and social homes on shovel-ready brownfield sites.The new figures come as ministers are finalising the new planning and infrastructure bill, which rolls back environmental laws in what the government says is a ripping up of red tape to speed up approvals.Despite some amendments, the bill is still considered a regression of environmental rules by the government’s own environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection.The Home Builders Federation said: “Not all brownfield land is viable for development, with many sites facing a range of complex challenges. Suitability depends on the land’s ownership, remediation requirements, location, accessibility and attractiveness to potential residents.“Many will be sites that are attractive to retail or other commercial developers who, by not being subject to the taxes and requirements placed on residential developers, can often bid more for land.”The government was approached for comment.

Exclusive: CPRE study suggests housebuilding targets can be met without encroaching on green belt landAlmost 1.5m new homes could be built on brownfield sites in England to avoid encroaching on green belt and meet the government target for housing growth by the end of this parliament, new figures suggest.But despite the scale of brownfield land available, developers are pushing to build on green land, including increased housebuilding on and adjacent to areas of outstanding natural beauty. Continue reading...

Almost 1.5m new homes could be built on brownfield sites in England to avoid encroaching on green belt and meet the government target for housing growth by the end of this parliament, new figures suggest.

But despite the scale of brownfield land available, developers are pushing to build on green land, including increased housebuilding on and adjacent to areas of outstanding natural beauty.

More than half of the brownfield areas – 54% – have planning permission already and are considered deliverable under the national planning policy framework guidelines within five years. These provide shovel-ready sites for 790,000 properties – more than half of the government’s 1.5m target.

The countryside charity CPRE, which obtained the figures from councils all over England, is calling for the government to enforce its brownfield-first approach in order to fulfil the target of 1.5m new homes by the end of this parliament in the face of increasing development on green land.

Roger Mortlock, the chief executive officer of the CPRE, said: “If the government is serious about a brownfield-first approach, it needs more teeth … We know that large developers favour building on our countryside, with more identikit, car-dependent executive homes being needlessly built on our countryside.”

Analysis of the 2023 and 2024 brownfield registers kept by local authorities across England reveals the number of sites available has risen by 16% in the 12 months to 2024.

There are 30,257 sites available, covering 32,884 hectares (81,223 acres) that local councils have identified as suitable for 1.49m dwellings, the data shows.

Brownfield sites are a constantly renewing resource, the CPRE says. They include former retail areas in town centres, abandoned factories and redundant commercial buildings.

Across England, from the south-west, through London to the Midlands and the north, this means there are enough brownfield areas to build the 1.5m new homes the government is promising without encroaching on green belt or precious natural landscapes.

The data appears to contradict statements made by the prime minister, Keir Starmer, who has claimed it is impossible to build 1.5m new homes on brownfield land. “We must be honest, we cannot build the homes Britain needs without also releasing some land currently classed as green belt,” he said.

Developers appear to be exploiting the failure by this government and previous administrations to mandate a brownfield-first approach.

Between 2021 and 2022, 46% of development took place on green belt, or green sites, unnecessarily bulldozing nature and ecosystems, the CPRE said. New developments in the countryside were being built all the time, they added.

“A new approach to local housing numbers has massively increased the target in many rural areas without any evidence of local need and without the infrastructure to support new communities,” said Mortlock. As well as damaging nature, the developments were not sustainable, he said, as they had no transport or community infrastructure, forcing people into their cars.

Brownfield sites are available in the key areas where the government is focusing its housebuilding growth. These include London, where there are enough brownfield sites to build 535,000 homes; the south-east, where there are sufficient areas for 190,814 homes; and the West Midlands, where brownfield sites exist to build 191,004 homes.

The CPRE says the government should apply ambitious and enforceable targets for affordable and social homes on shovel-ready brownfield sites.

The new figures come as ministers are finalising the new planning and infrastructure bill, which rolls back environmental laws in what the government says is a ripping up of red tape to speed up approvals.

Despite some amendments, the bill is still considered a regression of environmental rules by the government’s own environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection.

The Home Builders Federation said: “Not all brownfield land is viable for development, with many sites facing a range of complex challenges. Suitability depends on the land’s ownership, remediation requirements, location, accessibility and attractiveness to potential residents.

“Many will be sites that are attractive to retail or other commercial developers who, by not being subject to the taxes and requirements placed on residential developers, can often bid more for land.”

The government was approached for comment.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

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Government required to create plan to protect greater glider in major legal win for Wilderness Society

Murray Watt agrees recovery plans for greater glider, ghost bat, lungfish and sandhill dunnart were not made by successive governmentsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal environment minister, Murray Watt, has conceded that successive governments acted unlawfully when they failed to create mandatory recovery plans for native species threatened with extinction in a major legal win for one of Australia’s largest environmental organisations.The Wilderness Society has been successful in federal court proceedings it launched in March that sought to compel the minister to make recovery plans for species including the greater glider and the ghost bat. Continue reading...

The federal environment minister, Murray Watt, has conceded that successive governments acted unlawfully when they failed to create mandatory recovery plans for native species threatened with extinction in a major legal win for one of Australia’s largest environmental organisations.The Wilderness Society has been successful in federal court proceedings it launched in March that sought to compel the minister to make recovery plans for species including the greater glider and the ghost bat.In a court settlement, reached Friday, the government agreed mandatory recovery plans for four threatened species – the greater glider, the ghost bat, the lungfish and the sandhill dunnart – had not been made and successive ministers had exceeded the timeframe in which the plans were required to be created and put in force.The government also agreed that recovery plans for seven other threatened species – including the baudin’s and carnaby’s black cockatoos – that were previously said to have expired or “sunsetted”, would remain in force.Sign up: AU Breaking News email“Today is a win for threatened wildlife across Australia. After decades of neglect by government after government, we took to the courts to fight for Australia’s pride and joy – its diverse and world-important environment,” the Wilderness Society biodiversity policy and campaign manager, Sam Szoke-Burke, said.“The resolution of this case provides much-needed certainty for Australia’s iconic plants and animals, some of whom have been waiting for over a decade for a legally required recovery roadmap to give them a better chance at surviving extinction.”Recovery plans set out actions needed to bring species back from the brink of extinction and put them on a better trajectory.Under Australia’s national environmental laws, the environment minister decides whether a species requires a recovery plan or not. If the minister decides a species does require one, the plan must usually be made within three years.Once a recovery plan is enacted, the minister must not make decisions that would be considered contrary to its goals and actions.The Wilderness Society’s legal action followed long-held concerns about a backlog of unfinished and undeveloped plans for species including the greater glider, which has required a recovery plan since 2016 but has no plan in place.Years of reporting by Guardian Australia has highlighted the failure by successive governments to make recovery plans within the required time frames. An auditor general’s report in 2022 found only 2% of recovery plans had been completed within their statutory timeframe since 2013.In 2020 the federal environment department told a Senate estimates hearing that 170 plants, animals and habitats were waiting for recovery plans.To reduce the backlog, the previous Coalition government had the threatened species scientific committee reassess whether some species still required a plan and, in 2022, scrapped the requirement for almost 200 plants, animals and habitats.In 2022, freedom of information documents obtained by Guardian Australia revealed concerns within the federal environment department that 372 recovery plans covering 575 species and ecosystems were due to expire by the end of 2023.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Breaking News AustraliaGet the most important news as it breaksPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionLast week before it reached its settlement with the Wilderness Society, the government updated its recovery plans webpage to state that recovery plans were exempt from sunsetting.Szoke-Burke said the legal victory set an important precedent that showed recovery plans were not optional.“The government now knows that when the law says the minister must do something, that doesn’t mean maybe,” he said.“This outcome should set a new tone for how the government treats Australia’s iconic and unique natural environment. It’s time to prioritise nature, or face legal action and further community outcry.”Ellen Maybery, a lawyer at Environmental Justice Australia which acted for the Wilderness Society in the proceedings, said the win “forces the government to act”.“For decades, successive governments have failed to follow their own laws and deliver these vital recovery plans. The court has now compelled the environment minister to do his job and make the required plans,” she said.Guardian Australia has sought comment from Watt.

Government
Extinction
Nature

Trump will reportedly link autism to pain reliever Tylenol - but many experts are sceptical

Some studies have suggested an association between the two, but experts say there is no causal relationship.

Trump officials are expected to link the use of pain reliever Tylenol in pregnant women to autism, according to US media reports. At an Oval Office event on Monday, the US president will reportedly advise pregnant women in the US to only take Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere, to relieve high fevers.At the Charlie Kirk memorial service on Sunday, Trump said he had an "amazing" announcement coming on autism, saying it was "out of control" but they might now have a reason why.Some studies have shown a link between pregnant women taking Tylenol and autism, but these findings are inconsistent and do not prove the drug causes autism. Tylenol is a popular brand of pain relief medication sold in the United States, Canada and some other countries. Its active ingredient is acetaminophen, which is called paracetamol outside North America.Tylenol maker Kenvue has defended the use of the drug in pregnant women.In a statement to the BBC, it said: "We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers."Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women, it added, and without it, women face a dangerous choice between suffering through conditions like fever or use riskier alternatives.The BBC has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for comment. In April, the leader of HHS, Robert F Kennedy Jr, pledged "a massive testing and research effort" to determine the cause of autism in five months.But experts have cautioned that finding the causes of autism - a complex syndrome that has been researched for decades - would not be simple. The widely held view of researchers is that there is no single cause of autism, which is thought to be the result of a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors.The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology said doctors across the country have consistently identified Tylenol as one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant women."[S]tudies that have been conducted in the past, show no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during any trimester and fetal developmental issues," the group has said. The drug is recommended by other major medical groups as well as other governments around the world. In August, a review of research led by the dean of Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health found that children may be more likely to develop autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders when exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy. The researchers argued some steps should be taken to limit use of the drug, but said the pain reliever was still important for treating maternal fever and pain, which can also have negative effects for children. But another study, published in 2024, found no relationship between exposure to Tylenol and autism. "There is no robust evidence or convincing studies to suggest there is any causal relationship," said Monique Botha, a professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University. Dr Botha added that pain relief for pregnant women was "woefully lacking", with Tylenol being one of the only safe options for the population. Autism diagnoses have increased sharply since 2000, and by 2020 the rate among 8-year-olds reached 2.77%, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Scientists attribute at least part of the rise to increased awareness of autism and an expanding definition of the disorder. Researchers have also been investigating environmental factors.In the past, Kennedy has offered debunked theories about the rising rates of autism, blaming vaccines despite a lack of evidence.

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CNN: Costa Rica Shifts From “Switzerland” to Drug Transit Route

CNN en Español published an article noting that Costa Rica has gone from being “the Switzerland of Central America” to becoming a key route for drug trafficking.“ Renowned for its peaceful and stable environment… today it faces a different reality, as reflected in the report published on Monday by the United States government,” the article said, […] The post CNN: Costa Rica Shifts From “Switzerland” to Drug Transit Route appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

CNN en Español published an article noting that Costa Rica has gone from being “the Switzerland of Central America” to becoming a key route for drug trafficking.“ Renowned for its peaceful and stable environment… today it faces a different reality, as reflected in the report published on Monday by the United States government,” the article said, referring to the fact that the country was named one of the main transit routes or centers of illicit drug production for fiscal year 2026. Costa Rican Security Minister Mario Zamora told CNN that the most important thing is that the country maintains its certification from the United States as a reliable partner in the fight against drugs in the region. The official added that Costa Rica, like the rest of the Central American nations, shares the geographical reality of being a “transit route between producer and consumer countries.” He insisted this is not something new, since the country has been part of the transit route for more than 35 years. Zamora told CNN that “there is no news,” emphasizing again that, like its neighbors, Costa Rica’s role as a transit country is practically impossible to avoid. “But what is new is the recognition as a trusted partner that Secretary of Security Kristi Noem gave us during her visit to Costa Rica,” he stressed. CNN reported that during a tour of the area surrounding San José, the capital, several citizens said they were not surprised that the United States included Costa Rica on its list of major drug transit countries. “It’s too obvious; the authorities can’t be everywhere. Years ago, it was quiet, but not now. Governments have to come together to counteract this,” said one of the citizens interviewed. What is most concerning, the media outlet highlighted, is that reports indicate shootouts between criminal groups are resulting in collateral victims. According to the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), as of September 16, there have been 25 victims: 17 men and 8 women. From January to September 16, the OIJ recorded 614 homicides, of which 404 were related to score-settling and threats. Authorities attribute these crimes to clashes between criminal gangs fighting over drug sales territories. CNN noted that Costa Rica’s image as the “Switzerland of Central America” was forged in the second half of the 20th century, built on the consolidation of a welfare state, the expansion of social rights, the strength of democratic institutions, and remarkable leadership in environmental conservation. However, that image is now being tarnished by the escalation of violence linked to drug trafficking. The post CNN: Costa Rica Shifts From “Switzerland” to Drug Transit Route appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

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After the trauma of the fires, survivors faced worry over contamination, struggled to find testing

With limited resources and scarce information, L.A. fire survivors remain worried about contamination and unable to get environmental testing.

After the Eaton and Palisades fires ripped through Los Angeles County, the vast majority of residents in and around the burn scars were concerned about the hazardous compounds from the smoke and ash lingering in their homes, water and soil, according to a new survey published Tuesday. Yet many felt they lacked the support to move back safely.While more than 8 in 10 residents hoped to test their properties for contamination, only half of them could. And as fire survivors searched for information to protect their health, many distrusted the often conflicting messages from media, public health officials, academics and politicians.Researchers studying post-fire environmental health as part of the university consortium Community Action Project LA surveyed over 1,200 residents around the Eaton and Palisades burn scars from April through June, including those with destroyed homes, standing homes in the burn area and homes downwind of the fires.Eaton and Palisades fire survivors said the lasting damage to their soil, air and water caused anxiety, stress, or depression. On average, survivors in the Eaton burn area — which has more significant environmental contamination — worried more than those in the Palisades.An independent survey conducted for the L.A. fire recovery nonprofit Department of Angels in June found that the environment — including debris removal and contamination — was the most pressing issue for people who moved back home and those still displaced, more than construction costs, insurance reimbursements or a lack of strong government leadership.Soil was the biggest worry for Eaton-area respondents in the Community Action Project survey. The team had just started collecting responses in April when the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the first comprehensive soil testing results for the burn scars.About a third of samples taken within the fire perimeter and nearly half downwind had lead levels above the state’s stringent health standards, designed to protect the most vulnerable kids playing in the dirt. Scientists attribute this lead to the Eaton fire, and not other urban contamination because samples taken in a nearby area unaffected by the fire had far lower lead levels. The county sampling came after The Times reported in February that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would break precedent and forgo soil testing and remediation in its cleanup efforts.Three quarters of Eaton fire survivors and over two thirds of Palisades fire survivors expressed worry over the air in their homes. Through private testing, many in both burn areas have found contaminants on surfaces in their home, including lead — which can cause brain damage and lead to developmental and behavioral issues in kids — as well as arsenic and asbestos, known carcinogens.Around the start of the survey period, two groups independently found widespread lead contamination on surfaces inside homes that were left standing — some exceeding 100 times the level the Environmental Protection Agency considers hazardous. The majority of survivors also felt distress over the safety of their drinking water, although to a lesser extent. Water utilities in both burn areas found small amounts of benzene — which can be a product of the incomplete combustion of vegetation and wood, and a carcinogen — in their drinking water systems. But, thanks to a fire-tested playbook created by researchers like Whelton and adopted by the California State Water Resources Control Board, utilities were quick to begin the formidable undertaking of repressurizing their damaged systems, testing for contamination and flushing them out. All of the affected utilities had quickly implemented “do not drink” and “do not boil” water orders following the fires. The benzene levels they ultimately found paled in comparison to blazes like the Tubbs fire in Santa Rose and the Camp fire in Paradise.The last utility to restore safe drinking water did so in May. Around the same time, independent scientists verified the utilities’ conclusion that the drinking water was safe.As researchers neared the end of collecting survey responses, L.A. County Department of Public Health launched a free soil testing program for residents in and downwind of the Eaton burn area. By the start of September, the County had shared results from over 1,500 properties.Yet, residents in the Palisades hoping to test their soil, and residents in both burn scars looking for reassurance the insides of their homes are safe, have generally had to find qualified testing services on their own and either pay for it themselves or battle with their insurance companies.The survey also found that, amid conflicting recommendations and levels of alarm coming from the government, media and researchers, Palisades fire survivors trusted their local elected officials most. For many living in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, L.A. City Councilmember Traci Park has become the face of recovery. Survivors in the Altadena area — which has no city government because it is an unincorporated area — turned to academics and universities for guidance. They’ve had a lot of contact with researchers because the Community Action Project LA, which conducted the survey, routinely meets with residents in both fire areas to understand and address the health risks homeowners face. Other post-fire research efforts, including from USC and Harvard University, have done the same. Social media and the national news media ranked lowest in trust.

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Ministers tell Environment Agency to wave planning applications through

Exclusive: Officials say they have been told to do as little as legally possible to prevent housing approvalsMinisters have told officials at the Environment Agency to wave through planning applications with minimal resistance, as part of a major regulatory shakeup designed to increase economic growth and plug the government’s financial hole.Officials at the agency say they have been told to do as little as legally possible to prevent housing applications from being approved, with the government also drafting in senior advisers from the housing department to speed up the process. Continue reading...

Ministers have told officials at the Environment Agency to wave through planning applications with minimal resistance, as part of a major regulatory shakeup designed to increase economic growth and plug the government’s financial hole.Officials at the agency say they have been told to do as little as legally possible to prevent housing applications from being approved, with the government also drafting in senior advisers from the housing department to speed up the process.Some believe the entire existence of the agency is under threat given Rachel Reeves’s push to eliminate government quangos as part of her dash for growth. Government officials insist this is not the case.The moves come amid a wider push from the chancellor to inject more urgency into housing and infrastructure development, which she is hoping will help her fill a multibillion-pound hole at the next budget.But environmental campaigners warn that clipping the wings of the Environment Agency could harm wildlife and the natural world.One agency source said the staff from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) were “pushing development at any cost”.They added: “We are taking a step back from planning and the organisational steer is to do the minimum required to fulfil our legal duties but nothing more. They are seeking legal advice as to what the minimum they can get away with is.”They added: “There are lots of examples of where nature and development happen together, but going forwards, the EA doesn’t seem to want to be part of it.”An Environment Agency spokesperson said they did “not recognise” the claims, but acknowledged that MHCLG staff had been brought into the agency. The person added: “The EA continues to provide robust technical advice to ensure that environmental protections are considered in planning decisions.“The government’s ambitious target for building 1.5m new homes is vital. To support this, we have rapidly reformed our planning service, now provide advice consistently within the 21-day deadline and use our technical expertise to achieve the best outcomes for the environment and economic growth.”Reeves has told ministers to make a fresh push to cull quangos which their departments oversee, with sources indicating that the environment department has particularly been singled out.The department, whose new secretary of state, Emma Reynolds, was previously a Treasury minister, controls 37 agencies, including Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Office for Environmental Protection.Ministers in this government and the previous Conservative administration have expressed frustration at the ability of some of these environmental regulators to hold up development. The chancellor has blamed them for choking economic growth by demanding developers build expensive wildlife protections such as the infamous £100m “bat tunnel” over the HS2 high-speed rail line.The Environment Agency polices so-called nutrient neutrality rules which ban developments in dozens of regions across the country if those developments are predicted to add to nutrients to nearby rivers.The rules are in place to prevent the buildup of algae and other plants, which can choke off aquatic life, but have been blamed for the complete lack of housebuilding in certain areas.The agency’s role in judging planning applications is enshrined in law, but Reeves is working on a new planning and infrastructure bill which could rip up many of the rules around permitted developments. New rules could also be included in the forthcoming water bill.Environmental campaigners say removing the agency entirely from the planning process could damage British wildlife.Ali Plummer, the director of policy and advocacy at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “Deregulation won’t speed up nature recovery; it will just leave us with poorly designed developments, increased pollution and lower access to nature. Weaker regulation is not the foundation to build from for the next generation.”Alexa Culver, a lawyer at the ecological consultancy RSK Wilding, said: “Properly funded and independent regulators are an essential part of any thriving economy. Choking the role of the Environment Agency and fettering their independence goes against all principles of good regulation.”

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Suggested Viewing

Lake Victoria: An Ecosystem in Turmoil

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Waters of the U.S.

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THE SPRAYER

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Fracking the System: Colorado's Oil and Gas Wars

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