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Georgia prepares for the end of COVID-19 emergency; comment period open for experimental nuclear tech in eastern ID; Mexican gray wolf population rebounds in Arizona.

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Lawmakers grill the CEO of Tik Tok over national security concerns, the House Pro-Choice Caucus aims to repeal the Helms Act and allow U.S. foreign aid to support abortion care, and attempts to ban or restrict books hit a record high as groups take aim at LBGTQ+ titles.

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Finding childcare is a struggle everywhere, prompting North Carolina's Transylvania County to try a new approach. Maine is slowly building-out broadband access, but disagreements remain over whether local versus national companies should get the contracts, and specialty apps like "Farmers Dating" help those in small communities connect online.

Environmental Groups: Trump's First 100 Days "Dizzying"

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Monday, May 1, 2017   

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- President Donald Trump marked his 100th day in office this weekend, saying his administration "has brought profound change to Washington.” While they agree the change has been profound, environmental groups say it's been anything but positive, especially regarding policies that protect public health.

Natural Resources Defense Council president Rhea Suh said since taking office, Trump has targeted clean water protections, fuel economy standards and safeguards against dangerous climate pollutants.

"The first 100 days are fairly dizzying in terms of the level, the breadth and the depth of the environmental attacks that they've unleashed,” Suh said. "Things like the purity of the water we drink, the cleanliness of the air we breathe and sanctity of the places that we recreate."

Trump also has threatened to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords, and moved to cancel the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan, calling it a threat to jobs. The plan would have forced coal-fired power plants to reduce their carbon emissions.

Trump's 100th day was Saturday, and 300,000 people attended a national climate march in Washington D.C. Events were held in solidarity in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and dozens of other U.S. cities.

The Trump administration also proposed significant cuts to the EPA and nominated climate change skeptic Scott Pruitt to head it. Suh said this is despite polling that shows a majority of Americans would like the agency's powers preserved or strengthened.

"With 30 percent cuts to that agency, that's literally like taking cops off the beat,” she said. "That will prevent EPA from doing its job. It will prevent EPA from protecting us and it will certainly allow polluters to have a greater license in their activities."

Trump has touted his environmental policies as necessary to spur economic growth. According to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted 73 days into the president's term, 61 percent of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the environment - more than twice as many as those who approve.


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