RISE Stronger has teamed up 500 Women Scientists, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and the Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy (ESEP) Coalition to launch an exciting op-ed writing campaign. Join us, and speak up for science by writing an op-ed in support of government funding for science, technology, and the programs that improve our society in general. Learn more here.

Environment Wins as EPA Loses. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently halted the Trump administration's efforts to roll back the EPA's Obama-era rule limiting methane emissions from oil and gas operations. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced in June that he would delay implementation for two years so the agency could reconsider the rule. Six environmental groups filed suit against the EPA, and the Court agreed that the EPA had no legal authority to prevent the regulations from taking effect. If the agency wishes to undo the rule, then it must go through the normal administrative process. The Court's ruling is likely to have consequences for numerous other regulations that the Trump administration has attempted to delay or revoke, including EPA's ozone pollution rules and the Waters of the United States Rule.

Breaking the Ice. A 2,239 square mile iceberg broke away from the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica. While this is normal behavior for ice sheets, this iceberg is notable for its size, as it is twice the size of Luxembourg. Climate change is accepted as having played a role in the disintegration of the Larsen A and Larsen B ice shelves, but experts are divided as to whether climate change played a role in this break. Regardless of the expert debate, the recent event has called new attention to the threat of rising sea levels caused by climate change.

DoD and Climate Change. A bipartisan group of congressmen, including 46 Republicans, voted down an attempt to amend the National Defense Authorization Act that would have blocked a study of the effects of climate change on the military. The amendment would have stripped a provision, added by the armed services committee, instructing the military to identify their 10 military installations that are most likely to be impacted by climate.

Two Down, Twenty-Five to Go. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke withdrew two national monuments from his department's review for removal or reduction of their monument designation. An announcement from Interior stated that Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington are no longer under review and the Secretary will recommend that no modifications should be made to the monuments. Zinke offered no legal reason for his announcement, only pointing out that Craters of the Moon "is a living timeline of the geologic history of our land on the Great Rift," and Hanford Reach is a destination for "sportsmen and women from all over the country." Twenty-five monuments remain under review.

What you can do:

• The EPA has put out a call for nominations for positions on its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Learn more here, and nominate yourself or or a colleague here. Nominations are due July 27, 2017.