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The Palestinian Ambassador calls on the UN to stop Israeli attacks. Impacts continue from agency funding cuts and state bills mirror federal pushback on DEI programs.

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The Palestinian Ambassador calls on U.N. to stop Israeli attacks. Impacts continue from agency funding cuts, and state bills mirror federal pushback on DEI programs.

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Cuts to Medicaid and frozen funding for broadband are both likely to have a negative impact on rural healthcare, which is already struggling. Plus, lawsuits over the mass firing of federal workers have huge implications for public lands.

PA pollution, flooding concerns rise as Trump ends 'Justice40' initiative

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Wednesday, January 29, 2025   

Black communities affected by industrial pollution in South Philadelphia are among those watching a Trump administration rollback of health protections. They say they'll continue calls for the state to address the problems.

President Donald Trump has eliminated the "Justice40" initiative, which was intended to ensure the federal government helps communities located near heavy industry, ports and roadways.

Debbie Robinson, a member of the group Philly Thrive, said they've been working for years to end environmental injustice in their area.

"We want clean air. We want the older people to be able to come outside, sit on their steps and breathe fresh air," she said. "We're doing a lot of stuff, a heap of stuff, trying to make it better."

In the Biden administration, the Environmental Protection Agency made environmental justice a priority, working to improve health conditions in heavily polluted, often minority or low-income communities.

Robinson said she and others have experienced poor air pollution along with extreme flooding. She fought to get a local refinery closed after a 2019 explosion, but said pollution persists, including benzene leaks from a nearby terminal. Philly Thrive is pushing for accountability and transparency as the 1,300-acre site is redeveloped.

"We've been trying for four years to talk to them about a benefits agreement, and they haven't given us a benefits agreement, and they be shutting us down," she said. "It's not good at all. You know, I'm on oxygen; a lot of people have passed away from that refinery, from the chemicals."

She said Philadelphia residents blame the former oil refinery for high asthma and cancer rates. While the HRP Group developing the site reached agreements with 16 community groups on environmental and economic plans, Robinson said Philly Thrive was not included.


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