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Sharon Lerner

@fastlerner.bsky.social
23K followers 487 following 298 posts

Reporter at ProPublica covering health, human rights & the environment. Brooklynite. Fan of nature, facts, pie

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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
for those, like me, who can't get enough of this story...
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Liza Gross @lizagross.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
New from me: Trump’s EPA doubles down on climate change denial by repealing rules that limit emissions from power plants, claiming that greenhouse gas emissions from power plants “have no material impact on global climate change.” insideclimatenews.org/news/1409202...
insideclimatenews.org
Trump Doubles Down on Climate Denial With Plan to Repeal Power Plant Rules - Inside Climate News
The EPA revoked limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, rejecting decades of settled science to argue that they do not contribute to dangerous air pollution.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026
Some details: Kremlev, the Russian who sponsored Don Jr's wedding, is a former member of the Night Wolves biker gang, went to China with Putin and is personally sanctioned by Ukraine for his role in abducting children www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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Cassandra Jaramillo @cassandrajaramillo.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
"It’s not clear why Kremlev helped pay for Trump Jr.’s wedding. The men appear to have met only recently. Public reporting suggests Trump Jr. could have afforded it himself, with Forbes recently estimating his net worth at roughly $300 million." www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
and now we know that young military veterans have higher ‘forever chemical’ levels than non-veterans. Thank you for your service doi.org/10.1021/EHP....
doi.org
Serum PFAS Concentrations Among US Veterans, NHANES 2003–2018
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of >12,000 chemicals used in commerce and industry. For Veterans, sources of contamination could
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Josh Kaplan @josh-kaplan.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW: Don Trump Jr’s luxurious wedding was secretly bankrolled by a Russian oligarch close to Putin. A saga involving private islands, the Olympics, and a Russian government-backed biker gang: www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 14/09/2026
"The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large group of other Russian guests." Now kinda fascinated as to *why* Trump snr didn't attend.
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Jesse Eisinger @jeisinger.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“This should be unthinkable for the son of the president. End of story.” A Russian oligarch close to Putin bankrolled Don Jr.’s wedding. www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
In 2009, Umar Kremlev did not yet exist...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
To be read immediately. Prepare to scream www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Forever grateful that Kris Hansen bravely shared her story with me — and the world www.propublica.org/podcast/fore...
propublica.org
How the Planet-Altering Disaster of “Forever Chemicals” Was Kept Secret
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Jessica Lussenhop @jlussenhop.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
🎧NEW EPISODE🎧 As a Minnesotan and the daughter of a former 3M scientist, this one was a little bit personal. The incomparable @fastlerner.bsky.social asks the question, how does a multibillion dollar corporation keep a planet-sized secret... a secret? Listen here: www.propublica.org/podcast/fore...
Photo of Kris Hansen, former 3M scientist, in front of snowy scenery
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
so damning www.propublica.org/article/doj-...
propublica.org
Trump’s DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Federal Prosecutor’s “Strongest Possible” Objections
A prosecutor planned to file civil rights charges — similar to those brought against the officers who killed George Floyd — against an ICE agent. In an email we exclusively obtained, he reveals that T...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 03/09/2026
NEW on “Paper Trail”: More likely than not, there are ”forever chemicals” in your blood. Here’s the thing: 3M knew that these chemicals had seeped into people’s blood for decades — and continued making them. We found out how they kept this secret. Listen to the full episode:
propublica.org
How the Planet-Altering Disaster of “Forever Chemicals” Was Kept Secret
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The podcast of how Kris Hansen discovered ¸— or, really, rediscovered — PFAS in the blood of the general public
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
just got an EPA a press release announcing that it will sepnd some fraction of <$12M to protect drinking water from extreme weather events... w/o mentioning Trump cancelled $83B in renewable energy projects that addressed the underlying cause of extreme weather www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
reuters.com
Trump cuts to clean energy linked to $83 billion in delayed or canceled projects
Trump administration policies that scaled back federal support for clean energy have led to the cancellation ​or delay of $83 billion in investment across hundreds of projects, according to a report ‌...
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Andy Kroll @andykroll.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
We're still tracking Russ Vought, Trump's "shadow president," at @propublica.org. Here's my latest on Vought and what he's done to the CFPB after courts stopped him from killing it. Think less watchdog, more golden retriever: www.propublica.org/article/bilt...
propublica.org
The Trump Administration’s Plan for Protecting Consumers? Politely Ask Companies to Behave.
Rather than investigate a buzzy fintech startup for throwing users’ accounts into chaos, the Russell Vought-led Consumer Financial Protection Bureau trusted that the company was “back on track.” Custo...
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Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Every once in a while journalism works. Turkmenistan is going to start plugging its methane leaks, thanks to excellent reporting from the Guardian and @dpcarrington.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Breakthrough’ as Turkmenistan starts fixing ‘mindboggling’ methane mega-leaks
Secretive state begins repairs on ageing facilities after being revealed as worst country for leaks of potent greenhouse gas
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Jack Leonard @jack-leonard.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Senators criticize Trump administration’s demands to access health data as a condition for lifesaving aid. The move follows reporting by @propublica.org's @fastlerner.bsky.social & @annamaria.bsky.social www.propublica.org/article/sena...
propublica.org
Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid
Citing ProPublica’s reporting, eight senators wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioning the administration’s approach to foreign health data. They said it could set an “alarming pre...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
theintercept.com/2026/08/16/r...
theintercept.com
ICE Shot a Journalist and Threw Him in Detention. He’s Approaching 300 Days Behind Bars With a Festering Wound.
With the case of Carlitos Ricardo Parias, the U.S. has broken its own record for holding a journalist in custody.
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
www.404media.co/show-how-3m-... 😬
404media.co
‘Show How 3M Is 0% at Fault:’ Expert Witness Used ChatGPT to Write Report Defending Company in Deadly Explosion Lawsuit
ChatGPT prompts show how an expert witness report was created in a $61 million lawsuit over an explosion that killed three people.
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Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
I’ve been tracking the slush fund/immunity deal in my newsletter since it happened in May & I’ll stay on it whether it’s in the headlines or not. My analysis is based on 25 years at DOJ & you can read along for free—because I believe our power is shared knowledge. Joycevance.substack.com
joycevance.substack.com
Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance | Substack
Worried about the state of the republic? Get the legal knowledge & analysis you need to be an advocate for democracy, along with a dose of savvy optimism. Click to read Civil Discourse with Joyce Vanc...
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 31/07/2026
🚨 WE HAVE A DEAL! After three years, in a major step forward for our members, we have ratified our first contract with @propublica.org’s management. We deeply appreciate everyone who supported us along the way. Here are some of our big wins👇
A graphic poster reads "We have a deal! The ProPublica Guild has reached a deal with ProPublica's management on our first contract and has voted to ratify it. Swipe for the highlights [pointing emoji].
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
so happy about this!
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Lisa Song @lisalsong.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
“It’s laughable to suggest that on the African continent, the prime issue of human rights concern is whites in South Africa,” one former agency official told ProPublica. --> This is where the Trump administration wants our tax dollars to go:
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
NEW: For decades, the State Dept. has given $ to groups protecting human rights in poor and authoritarian countries. Now the Trump administration is in the process of directing some of that $ to advocate for white South Africans and right-wing causes in Europe www.propublica.org/article/huma...
propublica.org
Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe
Proposed grant recipients have included a free-speech organization that has fought against bans on “gay conversion therapy” and an Afrikaner group that promotes self-governance.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 17/07/2026
NEW: Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe Proposed grant recipients have included a free-speech organization that has fought against bans on “gay conversion therapy” and an Afrikaner group that promotes self-governance.
propublica.org
Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe
Proposed grant recipients have included a free-speech organization that has fought against bans on “gay conversion therapy” and an Afrikaner group that promotes self-governance.
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Matt Easton @matteaston.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Yet again, these grants are not surprising, but they are shocking. “It’s laughable to suggest that on the African continent, the prime issue of human rights concern is whites in South Africa,” a former official told ProPublica.
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
NEW: Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe, by @annamaria.bsky.social and @fastlerner.bsky.social
propublica.org
Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe
Proposed grant recipients have included a free-speech organization that has fought against bans on “gay conversion therapy” and an Afrikaner group that promotes self-governance.
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The latest from me and @annamaria.bsky.social on the proposed grants from the State Department to advocates for white South Africans and groups aligned with conservative and anti-immigration movements in Europe www.propublica.org/article/huma...
propublica.org
Trump Officials Want to Use Human Rights Aid to Advocate for White South Africans and Right-Wing Causes in Europe
Proposed grant recipients have included a free-speech organization that has fought against bans on “gay conversion therapy” and an Afrikaner group that promotes self-governance.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 15/07/2026
NEW: Months after FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty cast a decisive vote approving Paramount’s historic $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, she and a guest accepted Kennedy Center gala tickets from the company worth more than $12,000.
propublica.org
FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals
Accepting tickets to the Kennedy Center honors gala compromised the commissioners’ impartiality, ethics experts told ProPublica. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has been gifted at least $63,000 worth of ticket...
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 15/07/2026
“ProPublica should be the example for the industry,” says reporter Mark Olalde, “that means fair pay… that means layoff protections, and that means guardrails around artificial intelligence.” Learn more about our fight for a fair contract at propublicaguild.org
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
this makes my head explode 🤯. I think about it a lot. But especially when it's so hot that people are dying 👇 www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
reuters.com
Trump cuts to clean energy linked to $83 billion in delayed or canceled projects
Trump administration policies that scaled back federal support for clean energy have led to the cancellation ​or delay of $83 billion in investment across hundreds of projects, according to a report ‌...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
As we head today 96 degrees today, nothing is more important than exposing the efforts of fossil fuel companies to dodge liability for this global disaster. So listening to @emorwee.bsky.social heated.world/p/republican...
heated.world
Republicans introduce extreme bill to ban lawsuits against Big Oil forever
Shouldn't Democrats... be saying something about this?
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 09/07/2026
“I care most about a contract that will lift the salary floors of our lowest paid employees so that they can afford to live in the cities that we work in,” says research reporter Kirsten Berg. We deserve a fair contract now!
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
So grateful to @amywestervelt.bsky.social and everyone else involved for making this so clear. and infuriating. projects.propublica.org/carbon-captu....
projects.propublica.org
Carbon Captured
How the fossil fuel industry turned the plan to solve climate change into a plan to save itself
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
much-needed clarity from the indomitable @annamaria.bsky.social about the money that's supposed to paying for global aid — and isn't www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
“A Huge Grab of Power”: Trump Is Defying Congress on Foreign Aid
Lawmakers gave specific orders to Trump officials on foreign aid spending, but officials have refused to follow many of them — likely in violation of the law, experts say. In doing so, they’re escalat...
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Chris Morran @themorrancave.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Imagine if France said they'd help the US with urgently needed medical aid and relief after a disaster, but only if we turned over sensitive medical data for millions of Americans. That's what Trump's State Dept. is doing across Africa. By @fastlerner.bsky.social @annamaria.bsky.social
propublica.org
“Digital Colonialism”: U.S. Demands to Access Africans’ Data Raise Privacy, Sovereignty Concerns
The United States is requiring access to health data as part of lifesaving aid deals with African countries. The U.S. says the data will be aggregated and anonymized, but privacy experts fear the info...
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Access to Meds | Public Citizen @pcmedsaccess.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Thanks @fastlerner.bsky.social and @annamaria.bsky.social for speaking with us about the Trump admin’s unprecedented demands for data access in exchange for global health funding. Our new analysis of the few publicly-available health agreements: www.citizen.org/wp-content/u...
citizen.org
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 17/06/2026
NEW: Across Africa, the State Department has demanded access to health data for millions of people as a condition of giving countries billions of dollars in aid needed to address HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other illnesses.
propublica.org
“Digital Colonialism”: U.S. Demands to Access Africans’ Data Raise Privacy, Sovereignty Concerns
The United States is requiring access to health data as part of lifesaving aid deals with African countries. The U.S. says the data will be aggregated and anonymized, but privacy experts fear the info...
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Lynn Dombek @lynndom.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Expert: “If you take the deal, you’re going to be exploited. If you don’t take it, you’re going to die”. @fastlerner.bsky.social @annamaria.bsky.social for @propublica.org www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
“Digital Colonialism”: U.S. Demands to Access Africans’ Data Raise Privacy, Sovereignty Concerns
The United States is requiring access to health data as part of lifesaving aid deals with African countries. The U.S. says the data will be aggregated and anonymized, but privacy experts fear the info...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
New from @annamaria.bsky.social and myself about the new approach to foreign aid, which be given “in a way that directly benefits the American people and directly promotes our national interest,” according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
“Digital Colonialism”: U.S. Demands to Access Africans’ Data Raise Privacy, Sovereignty Concerns
The United States is requiring access to health data as part of lifesaving aid deals with African countries. The U.S. says the data will be aggregated and anonymized, but privacy experts fear the info...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
An infuriating read from @alexcuadros.bsky.social about the Trump donors whose stripper wells are huge sources of climate pollution www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
Trump Plans to Protect Methane-Leaking Stripper Wells. This Billionaire Donor Will Benefit.
Oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand gave millions to Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign. He is set to reap a financial windfall as the EPA moves to weaken restrictions on wells like his that produce very...
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
www.propublica.org/article/snap...
propublica.org
More Than 770,000 Children Are No Longer Receiving SNAP Benefits After Trump Changes Federal Food Program
Republican backers of Trump’s signature domestic policy bill repeatedly claimed that revisions to the food benefits program wouldn’t affect the most vulnerable. But reports from a dozen states show ch...
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Ann Telnaes @anntelnaes.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
@propublica.org has the story: anntelnaes.substack.com/p/speaking-o...
anntelnaes.substack.com
Speaking of the Trump 250 dollar bill...
Don Jr. is also making big bucks off the presidency
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
The scary video that goes with the scary story. I recommend both - with a restful break in between www.youtube.com/shorts/E11GI... @lisalsong.bsky.social @mayatmiller.bsky.social
youtube.com
My brother and I were tear-gassed
YouTube video by ProPublica
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The EPA got info on the toxicity of GenX in 2006, when DuPont sent it the 1st of 16 reports showing the compound causes cancer 20 years later, the agency is rolling back drinking water limits on GenX and other PFAS chemicals citing the need for more research 🤯 theintercept.com/2016/03/03/n...
theintercept.com
New Teflon Toxin Causes Cancer in Lab Animals
DuPont’s replacement for PFOA, a chemical used to make Teflon and many other products, causes many of the same health problems.
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
wow. EPA just announced a major PFAS rollback 😞 It's withdrawing drinking water limits for PFNA, PFHxS, GenX and PFBS that were finalized under Biden. The Trump administration says it needs to review the science—but the science was reviewed many many times over the years it took to pass these
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Sharon Lerner @fastlerner.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
More outraging stories from @nicolefoy.bsky.social 😞 www.youtube.com/shorts/2w3r-...
youtube.com
Why have immigration agents detained this citizen three times?
YouTube video by ProPublica
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alt Environmental Health @alt-enviro-health.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Yes, we have our own toxicologists at HHS agencies & yes we rely on EPA's IRIS program too "For decades, a small EPA program assessed toxic chemicals.. a top Trump appointee sharply criticized the program’s work and directed agency offices to review regulations that relied on its assessments."
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