A guest post by Tyler Coverdale (Princeton University), 2017 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) recipient. This year’s six award winners traveled to Washington, D.C. at the end of April for policy experience and training. As a 2017 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) recipient, I traveled to Washington, D.C. in late April with five other students from around the…
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) will present its tenth annual Regional Policy Award to U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), representative of Oregon’s 1st congressional district, during the Society’s Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon in August. The award recognizes an elected or appointed local policymaker with an outstanding record of informing policy decisions with ecological science. A member of the…
In This Issue: Trump Administration Review of National Monument Designations Rapidly Continues ESA and AAAS submit comments; congressional response; public support for monuments; legal authority uncertain Waters of the United States, EPA Proposal to Rescind and Recodify EPA revising the rule in a two-step process of repeal and replace Appropriations Markups, Spending Bills Advance Subcommittees approve several spending bills for…
The 2017 Innovation in Sustainability Science Award honors Ian Donohue, Helmut Hillebrand, José M. Montoya, Owen L. Petchey, Stuart L. Pimm, Mike S. Fowler, Kevin Healy, Andrew L. Jackson, Miguel Lurgi, Deirdre McClean, Nessa E. O’Connor, Eoin J. O’Gorman, and Qiang Yang for their review and synthesis of “Navigating the complexity of ecological stability,” published in Ecology Letters in July,…
Awards from the Forrest Shreve Student Research Fund provide $1,000-2,000 to support ecological research by graduate or undergraduate student members of ESA in the hot deserts of North America (Sonora, Mohave, Chihuahua, and Vizcaino). Frederick Hansen, a junior majoring in Biology at New Mexico State University, received the Forrest Shreve Student award for his research into patterns of microbial life…
Submit comments to the Department of the Interior on the review of National Monuments and Marine National Monuments and to NOAA on the review of Marine National Monuments and National Marine Sanctuaries. Dear ESA Member, We ask you to submit comments to the Department of the Interior (DOI) and NOAA on the administration’s review of National Monuments. Your expertise,…
A guest post by Anna Groves (Michigan State University), 2017 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award recipient. This year’s six award winners traveled to Washington, D.C. at the end of April for policy experience and training. As a fifth year Ph.D. student, I spend a lot of time thinking about my future. I adore science and have loved being a…
In This Issue: Appropriations Hearing on National Science Foundation Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Budget NSF director Córdova greeted with unified support of agency’s mission Appropriations Hearing on Environmental Protection Agency Fiscal Year 2018 Proposed Budget Administrator Pruitt emerges unscathed, budget in tatters Senate Hearings Examine DOI Budget for FY 2018 Zinke testifies, suggests cutting 4,000 employees for FY 2018 Quick…
In This Issue: U.S. to Exit Paris Climate Accord President withdraws from global deal Agency Heads Defend Paris Withdrawal, Question Climate Change Support for withdrawal from Zinke, Pruitt ESA Statement on U.S. Exit from Paris Agreement Statement from ESA president condemns withdrawal Quick Reads ESA member action alert, NSF DDIGs discontinued, hearing on NSF grant costs, EPA rule delays, DOI…
Ask your Members of Congress to restore funding for science Dear ESA Member: As you may know, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget request sent to Congress cuts research accounts across federal agencies and would devastate America’s scientific enterprise. We are hearing from Hill staff that they are not receiving comments about the administration’s budget request or specific funding…
In This Issue: President Releases FY 2018 Budget Request Proposes huge cuts to non-defense discretionary spending, especially science and environmental funding Congressional Review Act, Record 14 Rules Overturned Only used once before, actions could chill rulemaking for decades President Announces Additional Agency Nominees Industry lobbyist for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, EPA enforcement officer, rumored USDA research nominee Coast Guard…
This issue of Policy News concludes ESA’s series of special editions covering the US Presidential Transition. With many vacant positions remaining in the new administration, we will continue to report on relevant updates in our regular Policy News and monitor them in the Federal Agency Transition Tracker. In This Issue: President Trump’s Use of Executive Authority in the First 100 Days Modern…