Like Reagan, Trump is slashing environment regulations, but his strategy may have a far deeper impact
Barbara Kates-Garnick, Tufts University When the Trump administration announced it was moving to eliminate dozens of U.S. climate policies, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said he was sending “a dagger straight into the heart of the climate...
Seventy-five years after the Organic Act: Guam reflects on its path to self-government
Throughout July, Guam celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Organic Act, which redesignated the island of Guam as an unincorporated territory of the United States. Activities included signings, exhibits, and panels. At the end of the festivities, there was a final...
#TBT: August 28, 2025
On August 28, 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck the US Virgin Islands, which were affected primarily by damaging winds, with gusts reaching 111 mph. The hurricane went on to become one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic Ocean in terms of 1-minute...
Renewable Energy for US Territories Act reintroduced in US House
On July 23, Representatives Ted Lieu (D) of California, Stacey Plaskett (D) of the United States Virgin Islands, James Moylan (R) of Guam, and Pablo Hernandez (PDP, D) of Puerto Rico reintroduced the Renewable Energy for US Territories Act in the US House of...
Newly signed law limits transgender rights for those under 21 in Puerto Rico
On July 16, a new law was put into place on the islands of Puerto Rico. Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed a bill, PS0350, limiting transgender care for those under 21 years old. The bill focuses on restricting hormone therapy. It also works to prevent...
Politician profile: Albert Bryan Jr.
Albert Bryan Jr. (D) has been the governor of the United States Virgin Islands since January 2019. Prior to his time in office, Bryan served his community in a variety of ways. He co-founded a nonprofit, worked for the Department of Labor, and held a position at the...
Guam after the battle: The plans that changed the island, in context
From July 21, 1944, to August 10, 1944, the brutal Battle of Guam occurred. During World War II, the Japanese army took over Guam, a prime naval base for the United States. The Battle of Guam was the retaking of this territory, but it was not a cut-and-dry victory....
Right to Democracy launches first cohort of environmental and democracy fellows
Right to Democracy has launched its first Environment and Democracy Fellowship Program, highlighting how climate and environmental justice in the United States territories are inseparable from questions of democracy, colonial legacies, and self-determination. The...
Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico has set unprecedented records
During what is typically a slow season for tourism in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s residency sets an unprecedented record in visitors. A musical residency is a series of performances by an artist or group, similar to a tour, but all held at a single venue. In this case,...
The Northern Mariana Islands after the death of Governor Arnold Palacios
After a medical incident and following medical evacuation to the Guam Regional Medical Center, Governor Arnold Palacios of the Northern Mariana Islands passed away in the late night of July 23. “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of...
