Correction: Idaho DEQ says no algae was found near Rexburg where a dog died after swimming last week. A previous version of this story stated algae caused the death. The dog's cause of death still is unknown. (9:15 am, 7/23/2018)

BOISE, Idaho - An environmental group is warning that toxic algae blooms are threatening public health in Idaho this summer.

The Idaho Conversation League wants the state to act, after two ponds in a Boise park were closed last week because of blue-green algae.

Austin Hopkins, a conservation associate with the Idaho Conservation League, says the state's Department of Environmental Quality monitors algae activity, but faces a longtime challenge of under-funding.

"This is a serious thing," Hopkins stresses. "We want to see DEQ receive the funding they need to have a staff person, dedicated either full-time or an existing staff member, more of their time. They have the funding to collect data, to work with communities."

At high levels, algae can be toxic to people and pets that drink contaminated water. Hopkins says another concern is that algae blooms could develop in drinking water sources.

Hopkins also notes that pollution is exacerbating this issue. He says runoff known as "non-point source pollution" typically comes from roads, farms and feedlots and can cause algae blooms, and this type of pollution isn't regulated by the Clean Water Act, unlike runoff from the end of a pipe.

Hopkins points out algae blooms can hurt recreation in small towns.

"We're hoping that, as these become more prevalent, people take some initiative and say, 'It's not legally required of me - the Clean Water Act doesn't say I have to do this - but I care about my community, and I want to make sure that our local reservoir is a prime spot for fishing,'" he relates. "'So, I'm going to do my part to limit my contributions of pollution.'"

Algae breaks out when temperatures are warm. Hopkins says as temperatures rise from the effects of climate change, these toxic blooms could become more common in Idaho.


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A new report questions the feasibility of power plants transitioning to hydrogen gas to run their turbines.

Despite claims that hydrogen is a "clean energy" solution for reducing carbon emissions in North Carolina, the research details significant challenges and uncertainties.

Report author Dennis Wamsted, an energy analyst for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said they found that hydrogen isn't a readily available option, because there isn't much infrastructure in terms of pipelines or storage, as well as a lack of supply.

"So, you have these three different parts of the infrastructure that would take an incredible amount of time to build," he said, "and would cost an incredible amount of money to construct."

He said energy companies would have to continue to use methane gas until they could make the transition.

In North Carolina, Duke Energy is among the companies proposing a hydrogen-capable gas plant in Person County. The proposal has faced pushback from environmental groups, who have said the move could expose customers to large financial risks and fossil fuel pollution.

Wamsted said hydrogen use also has environmental concerns because of the marginal benefits it provides in cutting emissions.

"So, if you were to substitute hydrogen into a gas turbine, and you say, you started out at 5% of hydrogen and 95% traditional methane gas," he said. "you essentially get no environmental benefit from that, because you get very little CO2 reduction."

Wamsted also warned that hydrogen-related power projects not only come with a high price tag, but may also burden ratepayers without a guarantee of success. He said this could get in the way of cheaper and more prevalent renewable energy alternatives - such as wind, solar and battery storage.

"We have the alternatives now, that we know the cost of and that are available," he said, "that we can use in the next five years or 10 years to build out as much green energy, renewable energy, as we possibly can."

The report calls on utilities to be more transparent with their data and asks state regulators to consider the true impact hydrogen would have, long-term.

Ohio lawmakers are asking Congress to address longstanding safety failures of class-one freight railroads, to prevent disasters like last year's massive train derailment in East Palestine.

House Resolution 8996 would require that rail companies employ a second crewman and implement a confidential reporting system, among other reforms.

At a recent hearing, U.S. Ohio Rep. Michael Rulli - R-Youngstown - said the East Palestine derailment has caused irreparable environmental and economic damage.

He said the legislation would require companies like Norfolk Southern to ensure hazmat expertise on board is shared with on-scene responders - which one of the chemical companies, Oxy Vinyl LP, did not do.

"Oxy Vinyl manufactured the chemicals on board the train in East Palestine," said Rulli. "They recommended not to vent and burn the contents of the train, but this recommendation wasn't shared with first responders until after the fact."

After the Norfolk Southern train derailed and exploded, known carcinogens - including vinyl chloride - were released into the air, soil and water.

East Palestine residents immediately reported experiencing nosebleeds, rashes, throat and eye irritation, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.

Many report lingering health problems, more than a year after the accident.

Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose said the agency has been supportive of the legislation, in addition to conducting inspections on high-hazard, flammable train routes.

"For over a year, the Department of Transportation has continued those calls," said Bose, "while concurrently taking important actions to make freight rail safer."

According to Federal data, there were 952 class-one train derailments in 2022, with about 77% occurring in railyards and 23% on mainline tracks.




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Only one in five Arizona voters said they have heard about President Joe Biden's effort to address climate change and expand clean energy.

One organization contends Arizona seniors have won big with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, especially as the state continues to battle relentless heat and the effects of climate change.

Dora Vazques, executive director of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, said older Arizonans experience greater risk when exposed to extreme temperatures, which has led to an increased demand for energy and price hikes.

"It is a crisis in that 'are we able to pay for those electricity bills?'" Vazques noted. "With this plan, there are a lot of incentives to weatherize your home. Weatherize meaning that you can have funding to put in new windows, to put in insulation; things that will help to protect you."

The Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency is expected to take advantage of about $150 million in rebates to benefit Arizona homes.

Vazques pointed out older adults, who rely on Social Security to cover their expenses, are less likely to combat rising energy costs and are less able to afford repairs on dated equipment. Information on incentives is at homes.rewiringamerica.org.

While upfront costs for going electric tend to be higher than fossil-fuel dependent counterparts, Vazques noted the investments will save money in the long-term. He emphasized one of the biggest challenges is the lack of awareness among Arizona homeowners and renters about the help available to them.

"They need those upgrades to move away from gas appliances to electric appliances, to upgrade that cooler to an air conditioner," Vazques outlined. "This is a godsend for all of Arizona."

Vazques added clean energy investments will also help Arizona's economy. Biden's clean energy plan will bring more than $4 billion in clean energy investments to Arizona by 2030, according to Climate Power.


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