Hundreds of US government drones have switched from border surveillance to a different surveillance mission this summer—looking for signs of screwworm infestations in wild animals and livestock herds.

The flesh-eating New World Screwworm is the parasitic larva that emerges from eggs laid by flies in the open wounds or body openings of warm-blooded animals and humans, with untreated cases potentially leading to severe injury or death. Since the first screwworm cases were detected in South Texas in June, the US Department of Agriculture and US Customs and Border Protection have been conducting “one of the most extensive animal-health surveillance operations in the country,” the USDA said on August 10 in social media posts on platforms like X and Facebook.

The effort involves at least 200 drones owned by the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency. But the actual number in use "varies depending on availability and need," a USDA spokesperson told Ars.

Read full article

Comments

© US Department of Agriculture

The Mediterranean coast faces rising microplastic contamination as researchers trace pollution to waste processing, runoff, and record rainfall.

Parts of the shipping industry are partnering with environmental scientists to monitor ocean plastic pollution.

We need the North Carolina General Assembly to step up and protect their constituents as the EPA rolls out its stated plans to eliminate nationwide drinking water standards for PFAS, a known human health risk.

Some see this moment of rapidly growing energy demand and desire for reliable, domestic energy as an opportunity to revitalize coal’s image.

Cleveland-Cliffs got $500M for a big green-steel push. Under Trump, the firm is “rescoping” to work that perpetuates coal use and will boost local pollution.

A Trump administration proposal to eliminate a federal requirement giving the public notice and an opportunity to comment on air-pollution permits could reduce the scrutiny of diesel generators backing up data centers, advocates warn.

The ‘Bury the Barrels’ campaign urges the U.S. Department of Energy to comply with a state effort to increase New Mexico nuclear waste in repository.

New EU packaging regulations will come into force this week which set EU-wide limits on PFAS, or "forever chemicals", in food-contact packaging and set targets to cut the bloc's waste, especially of oil-derived plastics.

Climate Change Committee’s Baroness Brown said the ‘evidence is screaming at us’ of the need to act on climate change.

Pesticide manufacturers have voluntarily canceled registrations for products containing paraquat in California — kicking off a statewide phase-out of the controversial herbicide.

Companies that manufacture, use, or transport nurdles must report spills and will be required to develop plans to limit them in storm runoff.

Critics argue U.S. high court justice should recuse himself from upcoming fossil fuel firms’ climate accountability case.

The Trump administration’s mineral agenda will bolster defense technologies and data centers. It’ll also provide a big boost for EV companies.

As Trump’s agencies shrink, narrow their role, and reduce enforcement, politically connected Energy Transfer is steering a slow cleanup of fuel it spilled into drinking water near the Delaware River.

The Hollywood actor investigates claims cancer-causing chemicals were dumped across Wales.

The planned Pecos County facility may generate the most greenhouse gas emissions of any single site in the U.S.

Amid mounting public concern about data center growth this year, Pennsylvania state lawmakers introduced at least 30 bills to regulate or encourage data center construction.

One resident said he ‘wasn’t expecting black smoke,’ which can signal higher levels of toxic pollutants in the air. Another said she’s concerned about potential health impacts because she wants to have a family.

As the Sandy Fire approached the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in May, state and local officials had to move quickly to assess how safe the air was amid radiation concerns as the fire burned a quarter mile from the contaminated area.