AUGUSTA, Maine - Do your job, protect our kids. That's the message dozens of mothers from 15 states took to Washington, D.C., this week.

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed rolling back the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, or MATS, that limit hazardous pollution emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Shauna Watt with Moms Clean Air Force, and her 12-year-old son, Donovan, traveled from South Portland to testify at the only public hearing on the proposal. She said wind-borne pollution from power plants in other states has turned Maine into the "tailpipe of the nation," and the MATS rule is vital to the health of the state.

"About $170 million in health benefits are being saved by Mainers each year that they would otherwise be spending on asthma and other treatments from the adverse effects of mercury poisoning and toxic air," she said.

The EPA has claimed the cost of implementing MATS outweighs the benefits, but experts have pointed out that most of the industry already has implemented the rules at lower cost than expected.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that affects brain development, especially in infants and children. Watt said breathing contaminated air isn't the only problem. The mercury ends up in rivers, streams and lakes, where it enters the food chain.

"There's 14 bodies of water in Maine that have fish advisories against mercury contamination," she said, "so we really want to make sure that that doesn't increase."

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is co-sponsoring legislation that would establish a national mercury-monitoring network to protect human health and safeguard fisheries.

Watt said her son testified at the hearing Monday. She noted that young people are acutely aware that they will inherit the environmental legacy left by mercury and other pollutants.

"They're experiencing firsthand the effects of climate change," she said, "and are making their voice heard right now to try to get everyone else to pay attention and care about this thing that we should all be taking action against."

The EPA will accept public comments on the proposed changes to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards until April 17 online at epa.gov.


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Missouri may, at one time, have had a reputation as the "meth-lab capital of the country" - but a five-part podcast uncovers its true history.

"Home Cooked: A Fifty-Year History of Meth in America" delves into the relationship of methamphetamine use with broader drug policies and social and cultural ramifications.

Reporter Olivia Weeks with The Daily Yonder, who produced and hosts the podcast, said meth use was once associated with rural areas, but that assumption is inaccurate. Weeks said Missouri fought back against its meth-lab reputation.

"They policed their meth-lab problem really strongly, and had really high lab bust numbers and then those have basically disappeared," she said. "But now, the rest of the country is dealing with this problem that was associated with Missouri."

In the podcast, she explains that most of the methamphetamine entering the United States comes through commercial points of entry, hidden in legal shipping containers, rather than being smuggled across the border by individuals.

Weeks said the real dangers of meth result in part from it being outlawed. She explained that even when it was a prescription drug in the 1950s and '60s, there was illegal use - but at least it was made by pharmaceutical companies. Once methamphetamine became illegal, she said, the lack of control over its production has led to environmental damage and dangerous chemical processes being attempted in home labs.

"The main problem, main danger of using methamphetamine is that you don't know what's in it," she said, "and you don't know what dose you're taking."

She acknowledged the pharmaceutical industry's history of exploiting addictive drugs, and cautioned against a simple solution such as decriminalizing or legalizing meth use. Instead, she said, her research has prompted her to support harm-reduction strategies that keep users safe.

This story was produced with original reporting by Olivia Weeks for The Daily Yonder.

Minnesota is the site of a high-profile drinking-water contamination case linked with so-called forever chemicals and advocates are hopeful residents will be protected in the future by a new national standard announced Wednesday.

The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a final rule which, for the first time, sets a legally enforceable drinking-water benchmark for PFAS chemicals all states will have to follow. Scientists have been highlighting health risks with more detection of PFAS in everyday products and water sources.

Avonna Starck, state director for Clean Water Action, said requiring near-zero levels sends a strong message.

"We've been hearing from polluters that it's too hard, it's too expensive, it's not feasible to stop using these chemicals," Starck pointed out. "This standard really said, 'No, actually this is something that we're gonna do, this is something that we can do.'"

There is some concern from operators of public water systems, who fret about costs to update facilities. However, officials noted there is federal funding to help with the transition. Minnesota recently adopted its own PFAS law, which emphasizes product bans, following a 2018 settlement with manufacturer 3M over claims its production of PFAS chemicals damaged drinking water and natural resources.

The subsequent state law was named in honor of Amara Strande, who died last year from cancer her family believes is linked to the toxic chemical waste from 3M. Her sister Nora said the new federal standard for drinking water is welcome news.

"PFAS is in the air, it's in the water, it's in our products, it's in our land," Strande outlined. "We need to work on this on multiple levels."

Under the new rule, the EPA estimated between 6% and 10% of 66,000 public drinking water systems around the U.S. may have to take action to reduce PFAS. All of them have three years to complete initial monitoring. If levels exceed the new standards, the systems must take corrective action within five years.


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Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

Alexa Friedman, senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, explained food is the primary way most people in Wyoming and across the nation are exposed to pesticides, which have been linked to a number of negative health outcomes.

"Things like cardio metabolic disorders, different types of diabetes, as well as some cancers," Friedman outlined. "If you are exposed to multiple pesticides over the course of a lifetime they might lead to a greater risk in any of these health outcomes."

Conventionally-grown strawberries top this year's Dirty Dozen list, followed by spinach, kale and collard and mustard greens, grapes, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries and green beans.

Fungicides, which can be endocrine disrupters and harm human hormone systems, are often applied after harvest to keep produce mold-free on its way to market. Most of the produce tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture fell within the legal allowance for pesticide residue but Friedman argued "legal" does not necessarily mean "safe."

"Even if the amount of pesticides are within legal limits on these produce, it doesn't mean it's safe for everyone, particularly susceptible populations like children," Friedman stressed.

The shopper's guide also includes the Clean Fifteen, a list of fruits and vegetables with very low or no pesticide residues. Organic avocados, sweet corn and pineapple top the list.

Friedman encouraged people to continue to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, organic or conventional, due to their nutritional value compared with highly processed foods.

"We always recommend continuing to consume fruits and vegetables, and to up your fruit and vegetable intake," Friedman pointed out. "If you are interested in purchasing organic versions of the produce that's on the Dirty Dozen, there are also some more budget friendly options in the frozen aisles."


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