In a significant legal development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would restore crucial climate change information that had previously been removed from its website during the Trump administration. This decision comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, alongside environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group. The lawsuit emphasized that deleted data was essential for farmers to make informed decisions regarding climate risks, including extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts.
### Agriculture Department Reinstates Important Climate Data Following Lawsuit
### Agriculture Department Reinstates Important Climate Data Following Lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Agriculture commits to restoring climate information deleted during the Trump administration, benefiting farmers facing climate-related challenges.
The deleted information encompassed various resources relating to federal funding, rural clean energy initiatives, and detailed climate risk maps critical for assessing the impact of climate change on national forests and grasslands. Court documents reveal that U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton informed the court that the USDA had already initiated the restoration process, which it aims to complete within approximately two weeks. Consequently, the hearing originally set for May 21 has been postponed to enable the department to report back on its progress.
Environmental advocates have hailed the USDA’s decision as a much-needed recognition of the challenges faced by farmers in a changing climate. Earthjustice attorney Jeffrey Stein expressed relief that the USDA acknowledged the unlawful removal of vital climate information, which adversely affects agricultural operations nationwide.
The restoration of these resources signals a shift in policy regarding climate information access for farmers, emphasizing the growing recognition of climate change as an urgent issue that impacts agricultural practices and livelihoods directly.
By reinstating this data, not only does the federal government restore vital resources for farmers, but it also reinforces the importance of informed decision-making in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, underscoring the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding environmental policies in the United States.
Environmental advocates have hailed the USDA’s decision as a much-needed recognition of the challenges faced by farmers in a changing climate. Earthjustice attorney Jeffrey Stein expressed relief that the USDA acknowledged the unlawful removal of vital climate information, which adversely affects agricultural operations nationwide.
The restoration of these resources signals a shift in policy regarding climate information access for farmers, emphasizing the growing recognition of climate change as an urgent issue that impacts agricultural practices and livelihoods directly.
By reinstating this data, not only does the federal government restore vital resources for farmers, but it also reinforces the importance of informed decision-making in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, underscoring the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding environmental policies in the United States.
