DIThe Distraction Index

#environmental_policy

40 events across 28 weeks

4Damage
16Hype
20Noise
11.3Avg Dmg
23.6Avg Hype
WEEK 85Aug 9 – 15
NOISE2026-08-09
Trump Administration Moves to Expand Coal Mining on Federal Lands
Resource Reallocationmulti state · moderate
Damage
4.9
Hype
10.8
WEEK 84Aug 2 – 8
NOISE2026-08-03
Border Wall Contractors Ordered to Stop Drilling Wells in Drought
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
1.7
Hype
9.3
WEEK 82Jul 19 – 25
HYPE2026-07-24
Trump Administration Weakens Protections for Historic Sites
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
4.4
Hype
38.5
HYPE2026-07-24
Trump Shrinks Bears Ears National Monument and Removes Tribal Seals
Policy Changesingle state · moderate
Damage
18.3
Hype
37.5
NOISE2026-07-24
Trump Allies Weaken Protections for Historic Sites Beyond Washington DC
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
0.6
Hype
9.8
NOISE2026-07-24
Trump Allies Pursue Weakening of Historic Site Protections
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · moderate
Damage
0.2
Hype
11.9
NOISE2026-07-20
Trump Enacts ESA Reforms
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
0.1
Hype
8.5
HYPE2026-07-19
Trump Administration Threatens Endangered Species Protections
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
2.8
Hype
45.3
WEEK 81Jul 12 – 18
NOISE2026-07-18
US Cancels Automatic Protections for Imperiled Animals
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
4.6
Hype
18.5
HYPE2026-07-15
Trump Shrinks Utah National Monuments
Policy Changesingle state · moderate
Damage
0.7
Hype
28.4
NOISE2026-07-12
EPA Rolls Back Biden-Era Truck Pollution Rule
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
7.3
Hype
14.5
NOISE2026-07-12
Trump Administration Rolls Back Wildlife Protection Regulations
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
0.3
Hype
8.5
WEEK 80Jul 5 – 11
HYPE2026-07-05
Trump Pardons Six Individuals Prosecuted Under Biden-Era Emissions Rules
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
9.8
Hype
46.8
WEEK 79Jun 28 – Jul 4
HYPE2026-06-28
Trump Administration Executive Order on Regenerative Agriculture
federal · moderate
Damage
—
Hype
54.8
WEEK 78Jun 21 – 27
HYPE2026-06-20
National Mall Restoration Draws Unusual Backlash Over Algae Protests
Information Operationfederal · narrow
Damage
2.1
Hype
39.8
WEEK 73May 17 – 23
HYPE2026-05-17
Trump Administration Battles Immigration and DEI Policies Amid Forest Fire Crisis
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
8.4
Hype
59.0
WEEK 68Apr 12 – 18
HYPE2026-04-16
Trump Administration Pollution Reprieve for Toxic Gas-Emitting Plants
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
42.2
Hype
43.5
HYPE2026-04-12
Trump Administration Moves Great Lakes Asian Carp Project from Illinois
Resource Reallocationmulti state · moderate
Damage
5.4
Hype
33.3
WEEK 67Apr 5 – 11
HYPE2026-04-05
Trump Administration Proposes Wildfire Fighting Policy Changes
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
3.0
Hype
57.5
WEEK 63Mar 8 – 14
HYPE2026-03-08
Trump Executive Order on Weedkiller and Weapons of War
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
19.0
Hype
45.3
WEEK 61Feb 22 – 28
NOISE2026-02-24
Appeals Court Questions EPA Clean Energy Contract Terminations
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
13.8
Hype
17.6
HYPE2026-02-23
RFK Jr. Backs Pesticide Production Despite Prior Opposition
Personnel Capturefederal · broad
Damage
21.9
Hype
28.5
WEEK 60Feb 15 – 21
DMG2025-03-05
Trump Administration Dismantles Climate Action Policies
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
37.8
Hype
24.1
WEEK 55Jan 11 – 17
HYPE2026-01-16
Trump Administration Halts All Offshore Wind Projects
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
23.4
Hype
27.2
WEEK 53Dec 28 – Jan 3
NOISE2026-01-01
Trump Administration Orders Colorado Coal Generator to Stay Open
Policy Changesingle state · narrow
Damage
8.8
Hype
16.6
WEEK 50Dec 7 – 13
NOISE2025-12-11
First Gulf of Mexico Oil Lease Sale Draws $279 Million in Bids
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
10.6
Hype
9.2
WEEK 46Nov 9 – 15
HYPE2025-11-14
Trump Administration Finalizes Alaska Wildlife Refuge Oil and Gas Drilling Plan
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
13.3
Hype
26.4
WEEK 45Nov 2 – 8
DMG2025-11-07
Trump Administration Battles State-Level Lawsuits Against Oil Giants
Enforcement Actionmulti state · broad
Damage
37.0
Hype
17.1
WEEK 41Oct 5 – 11
NOISE2025-10-10
Republicans Vote to Roll Back Biden-Era Mining and Drilling Restrictions
Policy Changemulti state · moderate
Damage
16.7
Hype
17.8
WEEK 39Sep 21 – 27
NOISE2025-09-26
BLM Issues Record of Decision on West Antelope III Coal Lease
Policy Changesingle state · moderate
Damage
4.0
Hype
2.1
WEEK 29Jul 13 – 19
DMG2025-07-19
EPA Eliminates Research and Development Office
Resource Reallocationfederal · broad
Damage
29.2
Hype
16.4
WEEK 27Jun 29 – Jul 5
NOISE2025-07-05
EPA Administrator Zeldin Suspends 139 Employees
Personnel Capturefederal · narrow
Damage
23.2
Hype
23.1
NOISE2025-07-04
Renewable Energy Faces Setback in Spending Bill
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
5.5
Hype
8.9
WEEK 25Jun 15 – 21
NOISE2025-06-14
International Ocean Protection Agreements Advanced
international · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
2.2
WEEK 20May 11 – 17
NOISE2025-05-17
Navajo President Calls on Trump Administration to Preserve Bears Ears Monument
Policy Changesingle state · narrow
Damage
4.8
Hype
10.7
WEEK 12Mar 16 – 22
DMG2025-03-22
PFAS Regulation Proposed Without Polluter Penalties
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
23.3
Hype
11.9
WEEK 5Jan 26 – Feb 1
NOISE2025-02-01
Lee Zeldin Sworn In as EPA Administrator
Personnel Capturefederal · broad
Damage
10.2
Hype
11.1
NOISE2025-02-01
Trump Orders Large Release at Success Lake
Resource Reallocationsingle state · moderate
Damage
1.4
Hype
8.9
WEEK 4Jan 19 – 25
HYPE2025-01-24
Trump Pauses All Offshore Windmill Projects
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
13.3
Hype
30.2
WEEK 3Jan 12 – 18
NOISE2025-01-18
GOP States and Oil Lobbying Group Sue White House Over Offshore Drilling Restrictions
Judicial/Legal Actionmulti state · moderate
Damage
17.4
Hype
14.1