The Trump administration is reviewing national monument boundaries to potentially expand U.S. energy production, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordering a review by Feb. 18, raising concerns among conservation groups about shrinking or eliminating monuments like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah. Trump previously reduced monument sizes, citing a “land grab,” while Biden restored protections; legal challenges remain unsettled. Burgum’s actions align with a push to unlock energy potential and economic development, drawing praise from oil industry groups but facing criticism from Democrats and environmentalists over the declaration of a national energy emergency and potential impact on culturally and geographically significant sites.
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Severe storms threaten millions in South from Texas to Carolinas
This weekend, severe weather is impacting over 40 million Americans across the South, from Texas to the Carolinas, with threats of damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes. Following heavy rains and flash flooding in Arkansas, multiple severe thunderstorms are causing wind damage in Mississippi and Alabama, leaving over 430,000 customers without power. The severe weather threat continues into Sunday, particularly in southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, where very large hail and destructive winds are...
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