environmental-protection-agency

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Austin
Austin Monitor
1 month ago
Austin

Austin receives $1M from EPA for plans to combat pollution - Austin Monitor

Austin receives $1 million grant from EPA to fund climate action plans for Central Texas.
The city will use the funds to complete climate action plans by specific dates, with the Office of Sustainability managing the funds.
Austin Monitor
1 year ago
Austin

County conducts mass prescription drug take-back event - Austin Monitor

Thursday, October 27, 2022 by Seth Smalley
Saturday is prescription drug take-back day across the United States.On Tuesday, county commissioners unanimously passed a proclamation recognizing the day across Travis County.Local constables are teaming up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to carry out the event.
kvue.com
1 year ago
Austin

Austin ISD wants 25% of buses to be electric by next year

Austin is the first to commit to 100% electric buses in Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas - From diesel powered to electric, the Austin school district is making changes to its school buses for next year.
Austin Monitor
1 year ago
Austin

TipSheet: Austin City Council, 7.28.22 - Austin Monitor

Thursday, July 28, 2022 by Elizabeth Pagano
The biggest item on the agenda is probably a planned vote on the Statesman PUD.
kvue.com
1 year ago
Austin

Austin Water testing for PFAS chemicals that contribute to cancer, thyroid disease

PFAS often get into drinking water from firefighting foam runoff.
moreAustin
California
Los Angeles Times
2 months ago
California

Will storing CO2 in old oil fields slow global warming? First California plan nears approval

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has tentatively approved California Resources Corp.'s proposal to store carbon emissions underground, marking the first approval of this kind in the state.
California Resources Corp. plans to send 1.46 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year into a depleted oil reservoir, collected from nearby industrial sources. The emissions will be compressed and injected more than one mile underground.
Los Angeles Times
3 months ago
California

18 California children sue EPA over climate change

Eighteen children in California are suing the EPA for allegedly violating their constitutional rights by allowing pollution from fossil fuels.
The lawsuit by the nonprofit Our Children's Trust claims that the EPA's conduct in allowing climate pollution is harming the health and safety of young people.
moreCalifornia
Chicago
Chicago Tribune
3 months ago
Chicago

Judith Enck: Chicago must choose lead pipe replacement material carefully

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is mandating the removal of lead pipes used for drinking water nationwide.
While lead pipes are being replaced, the concern is that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes may be used as a replacement, which also pose health risks.
Chicago Tribune
9 months ago
Chicago

Judge sides with scrap shredder planned for Southeast Side

A clout-heavy scrap shredder should be allowed to begin operating on Chicago's heavily polluted Southeast Side, an administrative law judge ruled Thursday in a decision that scrapped one of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's key overtures to the environmental justice movement.The ruling by Administrative Judge Mitchell Ex noted that a consultant hired by the city had concluded Reserve Management Group's shredder would not pose unacceptable cancer risks - defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as more than one case per million people during a lifetime.
Chicago Tribune
10 months ago
Chicago

Toxic traces: Read the investigation on lead in water at Illinois schools

Most Illinois public schools that tested samples from sinks and fountains for lead as required by a 2017 state law found traces of the toxic metal lurking in children's drinking water, a Tribune investigation has found.But although the testing identified thousands of potentially problematic fixtures in schools, flaws in the law and weak state oversight have interfered with the goal of protecting children from the brain-damaging metal, the Tribune found.
Chicago Tribune
10 months ago
Chicago

Toxic traces: Read the investigation on lead in water at Illinois schools

Most Illinois public schools that tested samples from sinks and fountains for lead as required by a 2017 state law found traces of the toxic metal lurking in children's drinking water, a Tribune investigation has found.But although the testing identified thousands of potentially problematic fixtures in schools, flaws in the law and weak state oversight have interfered with the goal of protecting children from the brain-damaging metal, the Tribune found.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Chicago had its 4th warmest winter in 70 years, and spring flowers are weeks ahead of schedule

It's no secret that Chicago had a mild winter, but now the data is in.The period from Dec. 1 to the end of February was the city's fourth warmest in the last 70 years and the 14th warmest since records began in 1872, according to Illinois state climatologist Trent Ford."It's pretty rare, and we're seeing the effect of that," Ford said.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Midwest could add more ethanol to gasoline under EPA plan

Gasoline with higher blends of ethanol could be sold year-round in eight Midwestern states beginning in 2024 under a rule proposed Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.The proposed rule is a victory for the biofuels industry, which for years has pushed to allow sales of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol during the summer, which hasn't been allowed because of concerns that it would worsen smog during hot weather.
moreChicago
Left-wing politics
Truthout
3 months ago
Left-wing politics

18 Youths in California Sue the EPA Over Climate Pollution

U.S. law firm Our Children's Trust has filed a constitutional lawsuit against the Biden administration on behalf of 18 California children affected by climate change.
The lawsuit targets the federal government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and its administrator, accusing them of discriminating against children and causing them disproportionate harm.
Truthout
10 months ago
Left-wing politics

Proposed PFAS Regulations Ignore Major Source of Drinking Water Contamination

PFAS precursors could drive PFAS pollution at unsafe levels for years into the future.vitapix/ Getty Images
This story was originally published by Grist.Sign up for Grist 's weekly newsletter here.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drew praise earlier this year when it proposed long-awaited drinking water standards for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

At Least 330 Species Are Contaminated With Cancer-Causing "Forever Chemicals"

Fred Stone, a dairy farmer whose land and cows are contaminated with the chemicals known as PFAS, on his farm in Arundel, Maine, on January 4, 2020.Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
This story was originally published by The New Lede.A class of chemicals linked to multiple health hazards in humans have been detected in hundreds of wildlife species across the United States, according to a report issued Wednesday.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

EPA Orders Norfolk Southern to Pay for Cleanup of East Palestine Train Disaster

The EPA is leaving the company in charge of clean up - but the company has been found to be conducting faulty tests.This video screenshot released by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows the site of a derailed freight train in East Palestine, Ohio.NTSB / Handout via Xinhua The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered Norfolk Southern to conduct and pay for the cleanup of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as the railroad company faces widespread criticism for releasing and burning toxic chemicals in recent weeks.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

Report: Thousands of Federal Officials Have Owned Stock in Companies They Govern

Thousands of federal officials in the executive branch over the last two presidential administrations have disclosed trading stocks in companies that their agencies oversee, representing thousands of potential conflicts of interest, a new investigation finds.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

House Democrats Urge EPA to Accept Union's Demands for Rights and Protections

More than 80 congressional Democrats sent a letter Monday urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to accept the proposals of its largest union - the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents more than 7,500 EPA workers - amid ongoing contract negotiations.
moreLeft-wing politics
www.npr.org
3 months ago
Law

18 California children are suing the EPA over climate change

Eighteen California children are suing the EPA for failing to protect them from climate change.
The lawsuit highlights the current impacts of climate change on the plaintiffs, such as wildfires and extreme heat.
www.npr.org
1 year ago
Law

GEO Group sickened ICE detainees with hazardous chemicals for months, a lawsuit says

People walk outside the U.S. Immigration and Enforcement Processing Center operated by GEO Group Inc. in Adelanto, Calif.The company is facing a lawsuit for the alleged use of hazardous chemicals in the facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.Richard Vogel/AP A new lawsuit filed against one of the nation's largest for-profit prison operators, GEO Group Inc., alleges the company improperly used toxic chemicals to clean its detention centers, causing inmates to get sick.
www.npr.org
3 months ago
Environment

18 California children are suing the EPA over climate change

Eighteen California children are suing the EPA for failing to protect them from climate change.
The lawsuit highlights the current impacts of climate change on the plaintiffs, such as wildfires and extreme heat.
www.npr.org
3 months ago
Environment

18 California children are suing the EPA over climate change

Eighteen California children are suing the EPA for failing to protect them from climate change.
The lawsuit highlights the current impacts of climate change on the plaintiffs, such as wildfires and extreme heat.
Axios
3 months ago
Environment

Curbing powerful methane emissions is a major focus at the COP28 climate summit

Stemming methane emissions, particularly from the oil industry, is a major focus at COP28.
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced final rules to cut methane from oil and gas operations, estimating a reduction of 58 million tons of emissions from 2024 to 2038.
COP28 is prioritizing efforts to reduce methane emissions, including the mobilization of over $1 billion in grants to help countries cut methane.
www.theguardian.com
1 year ago
Environment

US fails to give money promised for developing countries to ease climate impacts

The US has risked alienating developing countries hit hardest by the climate crisis, after Congress delivered just a fraction of the money promised by Joe Biden to help poorer nations adapt to worsening storms, floods and droughts.Biden has promised $11.4bn each year for developing countries to ease climate impacts and help them shift to renewable energy but the vast $1.7tn spending bill to keep the US government running, passed by the Senate on Thursday, includes less than $1bn in climate assistance for these countries.
www.nytimes.com
9 months ago
New York City

Smoke From Canada Wildfires Is Returning to New York

A week after a thick plume of smoke choked the air in New York City, delaying flights, closing schools and sending people to hospitals with respiratory issues, another round of eastward winds is pushing Canadian wildfire smoke toward the East Coast.Smoke from the hundreds of wildfires burning across Canada is expected to return to the New York area starting late Thursday, according to the National Weather Service office in Upton, N.Y.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
New York City

In a Policy Reversal, Bear Hunting Will Again Be Permitted in New Jersey

Starting next month, New Jersey will again allow hunters to use guns and bows to shoot bears on private and state-owned land in a major policy reversal for Gov. Philip D. Murphy, a Democrat who campaigned for a first term on a pledge to end the hunts.Months after taking office in 2018, Mr. Murphy used his executive powers to end bear hunting on state property.
www.nytimes.com
9 months ago
US news

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Descends in an Unhealthy Haze Over Minnesota

As a gray cloud and a pungent smell moved through the Twin Cities on Wednesday, normally bustling bike lanes and running trails were largely deserted.Several commuters wore high-quality masks as they made their way home.The air quality reached unhealthy levels in Minneapolis, St. Paul and much of Minnesota on Wednesday, as the Upper Midwest became the latest pocket of the country to have its air fouled by smoke drifting south from wildfires that have been burning across Canada for weeks.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Senate passes bill to rescind EPA waterway rule in second rebuke of Biden administration regulations

The Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would rescind a second Biden administration policy, this time challenging an EPA rule that Republicans argue places a burden on the agriculture community by being too restrictive in defining what is a navigable waterway.The final vote was 53-43.The resolution, which cleared the House earlier this month, will now be sent to Biden's desk where he has already threatened to veto it.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Officials find no signs of a spill after a Norfolk Southern freight train derails in west central Ohio

Crews found no signs of a spill after a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in west central Ohio Saturday afternoon, prompting a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby residents just one month after the company's toxic train wreck on the other side of the state in East Palestine.Twenty cars of the 212-car train derailed while heading southbound near the town of Springfield, Norfolk Southern spokesperson Connor Spielmaker told CNN.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Norfolk Southern is paying $6.5 million to derailment victims. Meanwhile, it's shelling out $7.5 billion for shareholders

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw pledged Tuesday the freight railroad will spend $6.5 million to help those affected by the release of toxic chemicals from its derailment nearly three weeks ago in East Palestine, Ohio.But in a plan released earlier this year, the company said it's planning to spend more than a thousand times that amount $7.5 billion to repurchase its own shares in order to benefit its shareholders.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Schools and parks reopen as smoke conditions improve near Florida waste facility fire that has been burning over a week

Schools and parks in Doral, Florida, will reopen Tuesday after a fire at a waste-to-energy facility that has been burning over a week raised air quality concerns.Firefighters are still battling the flames, but smoke conditions in the area have improved, Miami-Dade County officials said in an update Monday.
Boston.com
9 months ago
Boston real estate

Smoke from Canadian wildfires will return. Here's how to keep it out of your home.

Home Improvement Use your HVAC system to your advantage.Plus, how to DIY a portable air cleaner.Last week, smoke from Canadian wildfires worsened air quality inNortheastern cities from Washington, D.C., to Boston.While the smoke has since dissipated, experts warn it will return - and get worse, according to an article in USA Today.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
Health

Pesticides in produce: 2023's list of most and least contaminated foods | CNN

Editor's Note: Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style.Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life.Blueberries, beloved by nutritionists for their anti-inflammatory properties, have joined fiber-rich green beans in this year's Dirty Dozen of nonorganic produce with the most pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization.
www.npr.org
1 year ago
Health

Health concerns grow in East Palestine, Ohio, after train derailment

Smoke rises from a derailed cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 4. Dustin Franz/AFP via Getty Images Health and environmental concerns are mounting in East Palestine, Ohio, after several derailed train cars released toxic fumes last week.On Feb. 3, about 50 cars of a Norfolk Southern train went off track in Ohio, causing a days-long fire in the area.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US politics

First on CNN: Federal teams providing flyers to East Palestine families and conducting health surveys following toxic train wreck

Federal teams are going door-to-door to check in with residents of East Palestine, Ohio, and conducting health surveys as part of the federal government's response to the toxic train derailment that has fueled anxiety about the safety of the air and water in the town, according to a White House official.
Washington Post
1 year ago
Business

Analysis | What If Regulation Is Unconstitutional?

Is regulation as we know it unconstitutional?It's not inconceivable that, sometime soon, the US Supreme Court could reach such a conclusion, invalidating much of the vast administrative apparatus created to promote such public goods as clean air, workplace safety and financial stability.The court is right to worry about America's dozens of regulatory agencies abusing their power or becoming an unaccountable fourth branch of government.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
Health

CDC says a room spray connected to a deadly multistate outbreak last year also killed a pet raccoon

Humans weren't the only ones that lost their lives after being exposed to an aromatherapy spray linked to fatal cases of a rare tropical disease.The disease also killed a family's pet raccoon in Texas.Exposure to a room spray containing gemstones that was sold at Walmart last year led to the death of one person in Georgia and another in Kansas, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
www.scientificamerican.com
9 months ago
Science

Wildfire Smoke Reacts with City Pollution, Creating New Toxic Air Hazard

Smoke from massive Canadian wildfires has been blowing thousands of miles across the U.S., blotting out the sun and shrouding many cities in a cough-inducing haze.As the smoke drifts with the wind, it also creates a new hazard along the way that is greater than the sum of its parts: a troubling ozone cocktail that results from a chemical reaction between wildfire smoke components and urban air pollution.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
NYC real estate

6 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Now that Bluetooth speakers, Alexa home assistants and internet-connected refrigerators have become ubiquitous in our homes, it is a good time to ask a question: How should we power all of this technology in the most efficient way?A big part of the answer can be found in sustainable tech and the expanded use of solar power.
Brooklyn Paper
1 year ago
Brooklyn

Brooklyn advocates demand Hochul, Adams stop fracking gas pipeline expansion * Brooklyn Paper

Brooklyn advocates are demanding that Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams stop the flow increase from the Iroquois pipeline.The Iroquois Gas Transmission System LP (IGTS) is a 414 miles long natural gas pipeline that extends from the Canadian border to the Bronx through New York State and western Connecticut, including native American Iroquois' land.
Poynter
1 year ago
OMG science

Climate change is not a 'naturally occurring phenomenon.' Humanity is the driving force. - Poynter

As global leaders discussed climate change and other issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a social media post sought to downplay humanity's role in climate change."Climate change is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can be tracked throughout prehistoric eras," the caption on the Jan. 17 Instagram post says.
Los Angeles Times
1 year ago
Los Angeles

Local air regulators say it's impossible to meet smog standards without federal help

Southern California air regulators have approved a sweeping plan to reduce pollution in the nation's smoggiest region within the next two decades, but say they cannot meet national air quality standards without federal action.The South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board voted 9-2 on Friday to adopt a nearly 5,000-page plan, which is expected to serve as a roadmap on how the air district expects to comply with the 2015 federal standard for ozone (the lung-aggravating haze commonly known as smog).
www.independent.co.uk
1 year ago
France news

Methane blast in Baltic Sea highlights global problem

In Permian Basin, the largest oil and gas field in the United States, methane emissions were two to three times higher than what companies reported, he said.Some companies do capture methane instead of just releasing it, but more could adopt the practice, scientists said.Climate scientists have found that methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are far worse than what companies are reporting, despite claims by some major firms that they've reduced their emissions.Most of the oil and gas industry's methane emissions come from pipelines and compressor stations, according to Kayrros, a company which analyzes satellite data.
Los Angeles Times
9 months ago
California

Bay Area refinery fallout does not pose significant health risk, authorities say

Bay Area public health authorities announced Thursday that heavy metals released by a refinery in November do not pose a significant risk to gardeners or residents in the city of Martinez, according to new laboratory testing.On Nov. 24 and 25, Martinez Refining Co., an 880-acre refinery on the northern edge of the city, released up to 24 tons of spent catalyst, powdery white dust filled with chemicals used to break crude oil into finished petroleum products.
Los Angeles Times
10 months ago
California

FBI investigating hazardous fallout from Bay Area refinery

The FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have opened a joint investigation into the release of hazardous materials from a Bay Area oil refinery - an incident that has sparked heated criticism of the facility's owner as well as local government officials.FBI agents and EPA Region 9 staff have been going door to door in the city of Martinez, asking residents for details about the release of metal-laden dust from the Martinez Refining Co. over the Thanksgiving holiday last year.
www.cnn.com
12 years ago
Health

Contentious meeting reflects N.Y. community divided by medical mystery

More than a dozen students have developed tic-like symptoms Doctors have diagnosed most of the cases as "conversion disorder" But some parents want more environmental testing A community meeting Saturday reflected a divided community A community meeting Saturday at a school where over a dozen children have developed tic-like symptoms quickly became contentious, further dividing an already-polarized community.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Ohio governor drinks the tap water as the EPA demands Norfolk Southern manage all cleanup of a toxic train wreck or face consequences

The US Environmental Protection Agency is ordering Norfolk Southern to handle and pay for all necessary cleanup after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.The EPA announced its legally binding order Tuesday, 18 days after the freight train derailed.The disaster ignited a dayslong inferno, shot plumes of black smoke into the air and led to the intentional release of vinyl chloride to help avert a more catastrophic blast.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
World politics

What Toxic Chemicals Were Aboard the Derailed Train in Ohio?

Health and environmental concerns are mounting after the train derailment and toxic chemical fire this month in eastern Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border.According to information provided to the Environmental Protection Agency by the rail operator, Norfolk Southern, around 20 of the train's roughly 150 cars were carrying hazardous materials.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
Health

What makes mosquito bites itch and what to do about it

(CNN)If you've ever been bitten by a mosquito, you know how frustrating their bites can be.
www.npr.org
9 months ago
Science

Staying safe in smoky air is particularly important for some people. Here's how

Smoky air is filled with microscopic flakes of particulate matter that can get into the lungs and even into the blood stream.Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images While a thick yellow haze has blanketed much of the Eastern U.S. this week, some of the poorest air quality in the world has been in New York City.
KQED
9 months ago
Science

Mosquitoes Are Abuzz in San Francisco. You Can Thank Climate Change | KQED

Compared to tropical regions, the U.S. has lower infection rates and milder health effects from mosquito-borne diseases.Globally, malaria and dengue pose more significant risks, particularly in Africa and Asia.Tick-borne diseases are more prevalent than mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., although West Nile virus cases are widespread, especially in the Plains and Central regions.
Washington Post
1 year ago
Science

Fires started by humans linked to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018

A wildfire in the Council Mountain foothills near Council, Idaho, on July 26, 2018.(iStock)In 2018, fires raged throughout the nation - and their victims weren't just those who perished in the flames.New research attributes 20,000 premature deaths in the United States that year to small smoke particles in the air from human-caused fires.
www.scientificamerican.com
1 year ago
Science

We Need 50 More Years of the Clean Water Act

When a blaze ignited Ohio's Cuyahoga River on June 22, 1969, it wasn't the firstor worsttime the notoriously filthy waterway had caught fire.
KQED
1 year ago
Science

'Poorly Prepared': SF Civil Grand Jury Slams City for Not Protecting Residents From Toxic Contamination | KQED

The jury "found that rising groundwater in the Shipyard could interact in dangerous ways with future infrastructure, and with hazardous toxins the Navy plans to leave buried in the soil.
KQED
9 months ago
Healthcare

Martinez Refinery's Chemical Release Poses No Long-Term Hazard, Tests Find | KQED

The test results come less than two weeks after the FBI confirmed it has launched a joint investigation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency into the Martinez plant's spent catalyst release.FBI agents and EPA personnel have gone door to door asking residents about their experience during and after the incident.
www.npr.org
9 months ago
Health

Purple is the new red: How alert maps show when we are royally ... hued

A version of this story originally ran on Feb. 5, 2021 This week, millions of Americans are anxiously scanning air quality maps focusing on two colors: red and purple.Red indicates "unhealthy" air quality, and purple?"Very unhealthy."When did purple become the color most associated with danger?
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

Ohio Residents Fear Returning Home in Toxic Aftermath of Train Crash

Smoke rises from a derailed cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 4, 2023.Dustin Franz / AFP via Getty Images Residents of East Palestine, Ohio are voicing alarm and mistrust of officials after a 150-car train carrying hazardous materials - including vinyl chloride - crashed in their small town, prompting emergency evacuations and a " controlled release " of chemicals into the air to prevent a catastrophic explosion.
www.npr.org
1 year ago
Health

Some residents have filed a federal lawsuit after hazardous train derailment in Ohio

It's been just over a week since a train carrying hazardous material derailed and caused a fiery crash in Ohio.Some residents worried about health risks have filed a federal lawsuit.AILSA CHANG, HOST: It's been just over a week since a train crashed in northeastern Ohio near the Pennsylvania border.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Norfolk Southern conductor killed in accident involving a dump truck at Ohio steel facility

A Norfolk Southern conductor was killed Tuesday after being struck by a dump truck at a facility in Ohio, prompting a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the railway's safety culture due to the number and significance of recent accidents.The conductor, identified as 46-year-old Louis Shuster, was fatally injured early Tuesday morning at the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works property, the railroad said in a news release.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

How to reduce your exposure to PFAS: Avoid microwave popcorn, water-resistant makeup, nonstick pans

PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances used for decades in firefighting foam and to make products such as nonstick cookware, stain-repellent carpets, waterproof jackets and fast-food wrappers that repel oil and grease.
Boston.com
1 year ago
Boston

Toxic 'forever chemicals' found in Cambridge drinking water

The Globe reported that Cambridge City Councilor Quinton Zondervan has advocated for permanently using MWRA water because of the high PFAS levels in the city's water.
...
In Wayland, officials have distributed bottled water to 1,400 households due to high PFAS levels in the town's water.
nj
9 months ago
Chicago White Sox

Yankees react to 'hazardous' air quality, postponement vs. White Sox

NEW YORK - Arriving at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone went through business as usual.He didn't think too much about the smoke wafting over New York City, smog from Canadian wildfires that created an ominous and "unhealthy" environment on Tuesday night in the Bronx.
www.amny.com
9 months ago
Brooklyn

THE BIG HAZE: Smoke from Canadian wildfires likely to cover NYC for days | amNewYork

The ominous, sometimes orange haze that has been lingering over New York City since Monday is likely to stick around until the weekendas the smoke from the Canadian wildfires continue to envelop the five boroughs.The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a statement Wednesday forecasting that air quality in New York City will be at Unhealthy levels through 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
QNS.com
9 months ago
Brooklyn

City agrees to clean up radioactive material from city-owned land in Ridgewood: Feds - QNS.com

Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams
New York City has agreed to remediate radioactive materials on the city-owned property located near the former Wolff-Alport Chemical Company facility on Irving Avenue in Ridgewood, and to pay the federal government $1.6 million for costs incurred by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace announced Monday.
www.nytimes.com
10 months ago
Environment

E.P.A. Announces Crackdown on Toxic Coal Ash From Landfills

The Biden administration is moving to close a loophole that had exempted hundreds of inactive coal ash landfills from rules designed to prevent heavy metals like mercury and arsenic from seeping into groundwater, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday.Coal ash, a byproduct from burning coal in power plants, contains lead, lithium and mercury.
New York Daily News
10 months ago
Environment

Biden administration proposes new pollution limits for US coal, gas power plants

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new restrictions Thursday on atmospheric pollutants that come from coal- and gas-fired power plants in the United States.It marks the Biden administration's most ambitious effort yet in attempting to combat the growing climate crisis and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
Environment

Opinion | The Government Is This Close to Reining in Some of the Worst Air Pollution

ALBUQUERQUE For one 73-year-old patient in our hospital system, the simple act of breathing has become so difficult that a short walk during a medical appointment caused his blood oxygen levels to dangerously plummet.A retired Marine, he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and uses supplemental oxygen but can no longer walk to his pickup truck without a struggle.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US news

Norfolk Southern CEO defends railroad's response to Ohio derailment

East Palestine, Ohio CNN Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw defended his company's actions since the disaster caused by the derailment of one of its trains in East Palestine, Ohio, and promised the railroad will pay for the cleanup.Norfolk Southern is committed to the community and citizens of East Palestine, Shaw told CNN Tuesday.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US politics

EPA rolls out strongest limits ever' on toxic wastewater from coal-fired power plants

The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed a new rule for regulating wastewater from coal-fired power plants that are stronger than previous rules in the Obama and Trump administrations.Coal-fired power plants discharge wastewater that can contain toxic metals and other pollutants that contaminate our vital water sources, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan told reporters Tuesday.
www.cbc.ca
10 months ago
Canada news

Former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler pleads guilty to fraud in Volkswagen emissions case | CBC News

The former head of Volkswagen's luxury division Audi pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges tied to the automaker's diesel emissions scandal, becoming the highest-ranking executive convicted over cars that cheated on emissions tests with the help of illegal software.Rupert Stadler answered "yes" to a statement read in court by his attorney that said Stadler admitted wrongdoing and regret for his failure to keep rigged cars off the market even after the scandal had become public knowledge, the dpa news agency reported.
www.cbc.ca
1 year ago
Canada news

Keystone pipeline ordered shut down after leak of 14,000 barrels of oil | CBC News

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says it ordered a shutdown of the Keystone oil pipeline this week, after a leak of 14,000 barrels of crude oil was discovered in northeastern Kansas."We are monitoring & investigating the Keystone Pipeline leak first detected Weds night," Buttigieg said on Twitter Friday, adding that the administration has issued a Correction Action Order "requiring a shutdown of the affected segment, analysis of the cause, and other safety measures."
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US politics

EPA finalizes rule to cut down on harmful smog and pollution from power plants

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it had finalized its so-called good-neighbor rule, which aims to cut down on harmful smog and nitrogen oxide pollution from coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities.The agency will require 23 states that are currently not meeting the requirements to adhere to the rule, which sets limits on air pollution from smog and ground-level ozone that wafts into other states.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US politics

Biden: At this point I'm not' planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment

President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House Friday he has no plans travel to East Palestine, Ohio, and defended his administration's response to the train derailment there that caused a toxic chemical spill.At this point, I'm not, Biden said, when asked if he has any plans to visit the community, pointing instead to his and his administration's early and consistent response to the disaster.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
US politics

US introduces new rules to protect water systems from hackers

The US Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced new requirements for public water facilities to boost their cybersecurity while expressing concern that many facilities have failed to take basic steps to protect themselves from hackers.The new EPA memo requires state governments to audit the cybersecurity practices of public water systems and then use state regulatory authorities to force water systems to add security measures if existing ones are deemed insufficient.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
US politics

U.S. to Challenge Mexican Ban on Genetically Modified Corn

WASHINGTON The Biden administration said on Monday that it would take initial steps toward challenging a ban that Mexico has placed on shipments of genetically modified corn from the United States, restrictions that have rankled farmers and threatened a profitable export.Mexico has planned to phase out the use of genetically modified corn, as well as an herbicide called glyphosate, by 2024.
time.com
1 year ago
US politics

U.S. Senate Ratifies Climate Deal on Planet-Warming Refrigerants Used in Air Conditioning

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) In a major action to address climate change, the Senate on Wednesday ratified an international agreement that compels the United States and other countries to limit use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning that are far more powerful than carbon dioxide.
www.verifythis.com
1 year ago
Coffee

Claim that coffee pods are better for the environment than other brewing methods needs context

Many people are trying to be more environmentally conscious at home, but it can be hard to know what's actually better for the environment.Recently, headlines popped up claiming that single-use coffee pods, long thought to be worse for the environment than coffee brewed through other means, are actually better for the environment.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
Cars

Lucid Steps Up Production as Supply Chain Problems Ease

Lucid Motors said on Wednesday that it increased production of its luxury electric sedans by more than 50 percent in the fourth quarter, as better supplies of parts and materials allowed the company to slightly exceed its manufacturing target for the full year.The carmaker said it produced 7,200 vehicles in 2022, its first year of manufacturing in significant numbers, including 3,500 in the fourth quarter.
Nytimes
1 year ago
Cars

Tesla Sales Slow as Pandemic Hobbles Production

Tesla said Saturday that vehicle deliveries from April through June fell 18 percent from the first quarter of the year, a rare slowdown for the company caused by production problems in China.
Boston.com
1 year ago
Boston real estate

Are gas fireplaces a health hazard?

Real Estate As the debate about gas stoves rages on and temperatures plummet, experts weigh in on that cozy appliance in your living room.The gas stove debate has broader implications.Referring to a study published in late December 2022 that said gas stoves are associated with an increased risk of asthma in children and are present in 35 percent of American households, a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner told Bloomberg News last month that the stoves are a "hidden hazard" and "products that can't be made safe can be banned."
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Sterigenics settles hundreds of ethylene oxide lawsuits for $408 million after jury hit company with $363 million verdict for Willowbrook cancer survivor

Slapped with the largest jury verdict for an individual in Cook County, Sterigenics agreed Monday to settle scores of other lawsuits accusing the company of poisoning the west suburbs for decades with cancer-causing ethylene oxide.A claims administrator will be appointed to distribute $408 million to as many as 870 people who sued Oak Brook-based Sterigenics, which used the highly toxic gas to sterilize medical equipment, pharmaceutical drugs and spices near Kingery Highway and Interstate 55 in Willowbrook.
www.nytimes.com
1 year ago
Design

Destined for the Dump, Construction Waste Gets New Life in the Garden

Construction waste has long been a bane of ecologically minded architects.So a trio of designers zeroed in on what they felt was a particularly egregious example: the architectural mock-up.Created before construction starts on a large real estate development, a mock-up is a one- to three-story model of a facade, often including windows, part of a roof and other features.
IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law
1 year ago
Intellectual property law

Jim Jordan Letter to Vidal on West Virginia v. EPA Could Implicate USPTO's Section 101 Subject Matter Eligibility Guidelines

"In West Virginia ...the Supreme Court wisely rejected an unconstitutional attempt to go around Congress and unilaterally advance progressive goals through the administrative state.This abuse of administrative law is not limited to the EPA." - Rep. Jim Jordan
On November 1, Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent letters to several federal agency heads, including Kathi Vidal, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), asking those officials what their agencies had done to respond to the U.S. Supreme Court's mandate in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency decided this June.
www.cnn.com
1 year ago
Education

EPA recommends Louisiana state agencies consider relocating elementary school students over toxic chemical exposure

The Environmental Protection Agency is recommending that Louisiana health and environmental officials consider relocating students from an elementary school near a chemical plant after the federal agency found the children may be exposed to harmful levels of toxins, according to a letter obtained by CNN.
New York Daily News
1 year ago
Education

School board closes St. Louis grade school after high levels radioactive waste found in building

The local school board voted Tuesday to close a suburban St. Louis elementary school after an investigation found high levels of radioactive waste inside the building.
Los Angeles Times
1 year ago
Los Angeles

Your guide to the California Congressional District 13 race: John Duarte vs. Adam Gray

Duarte, a fourth-generation farmer from Modesto, grows almonds, pistachios and grapes through his family's Duarte Nursery, one of the biggest in the country.He is leaning into his family's history and knowledge of the San Joaquin Valley to promote his candidacy.In addition to protecting the valley's water, Duarte says he wants to lower the cost of living in the area.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Editorial: Lessons from the Sterigenics case. Why allow harmful emissions so close to homes and schools?

For years, everyone who lived around the Sterigenics plant in southwest suburban Willowbrook - children, their parents, the elderly - could not see or smell the toxic danger in the air.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

"Completely Unacceptable": Manchin's Big Oil Giveaway Deal Garners Opposition From Both Sides of the Aisle

Conservative Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) released the text of a permitting proposal containing huge giveaways to the fossil fuel industry on Wednesday night - and senators from both sides of the aisle have expressed their disapproval.
Portland Mercury
1 year ago
Portland

Sidewalk Dog-Walking Hogs

I walk everyday and I am getting tired of entitled dog owner/walkers hogging the sidewalk, making me have to go into the street to get around them.
Boston.com
1 year ago
Boston

New Hampshire agrees to upgrade fish hatchery over pollution fears

"This settlement will lead to significant reductions in phosphorus discharges to the Merrymeeting River and downstream ponds and help reduce risks to anyone fishing or coming into contact with these waters."
Boston.com
1 year ago
Boston

How clean are the Charles, Neponset, and Mystic Rivers?

A new government report dished out grades for most of the waterways in greater Boston.
Is that river next to my house actually as clean as it looks?
Nytimes
1 year ago
World politics

Gina McCarthy, Biden's Top Climate Adviser, to Step Down Sept. 16

Gina McCarthy, President Biden's top climate adviser, will leave her job on Sept. 16, just weeks after the president signed a landmark climate bill to slow the pace of global warming, two people familiar with her plans said Friday.
Nytimes
1 year ago
World politics

Corrections: Aug. 24, 2022

An article on Tuesday about the search for hundreds of sensitive documents at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald J. Trump's home in Florida, misstated the classification of a set of documents recovered in the search.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Steve Chapman: The thought of a third political party has its appeal. But this may not be the moment for it.

A group of former Democrats, former Republicans and former independents has come together to launch a third party.
Gothamist
1 year ago
Health

West Nile virus detected in 2 people in Brooklyn, Queens amid 'record number' of infected mosquitoes

West Nile virus was detected in two people across the five boroughs as a "record number" of mosquitoes were found to be carrying the virus, the city health department said Tuesday.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Editorial: Toxic sludge in Illinois comes with more than the obvious stench

City slickers heading to the countryside are familiar with agricultural odors, so to speak.
Chicago Tribune
1 year ago
Chicago

Forever chemicals: They're in your drinking water and likely your food. Read the Tribune investigation

Something as simple as drinking tap water is exposing millions of Illinoisans to toxic chemicals that build up in human blood, cause cancer and other diseases and take years to leave the body.
Truthout
1 year ago
Left-wing politics

The Supreme Court's Assault Is Far From Over. July 4 Is No Celebration.

I don't believe we have ever experienced a Fourth of July holiday quite like this.
Nytimes
1 year ago
Tech industry

Tesla Sales Slow as Pandemic Hobbles Production

Tesla said Saturday that vehicle deliveries from April through June fell 18 percent from the first quarter of the year, a rare slowdown for the company caused by production problems in China.
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