Toxics / Public News Service

A 2023 study from the University of Nevada, Reno found that Lake Tahoe has the third-highest concentration of microplastics among the 38 lakes studied worldwide. (Carl Mazur Photo/Adobe Stock)

During Plastic-Free July, NV scores just 1.5 of 5 on antipollution efforts

Nevada receives extremely low marks in the fight against plastic pollution. This is Plastic-free July and a report called The United States of …

Just 30% of U.S. solar and 57% of wind projects are expected to survive under the new GOP tax and spending law signed by President Donald Trump. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Cuts to clean energy will cost Colorado $7.3 billion in GDP

More than $7 billion in Colorado's GDP and 9,600 jobs are projected to be lost under President Donald Trump's signature tax and spending bill which cu…

Good news accompanies NM's 80th anniversary of Trinity atomic bomb test

Today's 80th anniversary of the Trinity nuclear bomb test in New Mexico comes weeks after Congress agreed to include the state in the Radiation Exposu…

According to the Trump administration's 2026 fiscal year budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cut 22% of its workforce, in addition to the workforce reductions that have already taken place. (Adobe Stock)

Federal impacts to ag conservation in WI 'complex'

Wisconsin's agriculture industry could see both wins and losses under the new federal budget. Climate change isn't a priority for the Trump …

A poll showed Americans largely support requiring oil and gas companies to pay pollution fees but Congress wants to delay a polluter fee established under the Biden administration. (Heidi/Adobe Stock)

GOP aims to roll back methane rule Americans largely support

New Mexico is a leader in trying to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas industry but Congress wants to prevent implementation of a federal r…

Despite the area's beauty, a decades-old waste disposal site lies underwater around Bonneville Dam, leaching toxic levels of mercury and lead as well as industrial chemicals known as PCBs. (thecolorpixels/Adobe Stock)

Some fish around Bonneville Dam remain unsafe to eat

As outdoor recreation picks up for summer, a clean-water advocacy group reminds people that some fish around Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River are …

Thermal imaging of emissions rising from Total's Bruder drill site in Arlington, Texas. (photo courtesy EARTHWORKS)

'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' could mean big changes for TX environment

As Congress continues to debate specifics of the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," environmental rights …

Methane and other emissions at oil and gas operations, when combined with sunlight, can produce dangerous ground-level ozone pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Moves to delay methane polluter fee could impact Colorado air quality

As Congress debates the GOP's sweeping budget reconciliation bill, some lawmakers are working to include a provision which would delay a methane …

There are about 30 rules to which the EPA is considering repeals or rollbacks. (Adobe Stock)

EPA proposed rollbacks on pollution rules could come at high cost

As federal lawmakers move forward with proposed environmental protection rollbacks, advocates are sounding the alarm and requesting additional time …

The Kickapoo River carries water to the Gulf of Mexico where contaminants like manure contribute to an oxygen-depleted area known as the

8-mile manure spill in Monroe County kills hundreds of fish

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

A single Abercrombie dairy facility will house 12,500 cows. Combined with the planned 25,000-cow Herberg site, these two operations will generate manure equivalent to that of a city of 1.5 million. (Adobe Stock)

ND mega-dairies draw criticism at Winnipeg news conference

North Dakota is facing growing opposition to two massive dairy operations planned near the Red River. Environmental advocates say the projects could …

The E-Wolf is the state's first zero-emission ferry, operating out of San Diego. (Pacific Environment)

During World Oceans Month, California leads the way in clean shipping

June is World Oceans Month and California environmental groups are highlighting advances in zero-emission shipping. International shipping emits …

More than 14% of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth use tobacco, compared to nearly 8% of heterosexual youth. (Adobe Stock)

Tobacco use among those in LGBTQ+ community higher than average

As Pride Month begins, experts are concerned about rates of tobacco use in the LGBTQ+ community and one expert explained policies targeting people in …

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not declared glyphosate itself carcinogenic, some toxicologists have said the components in the pesticide Roundup, a herbicide which includes glyphosate, make it 50 times more toxic than glyphosate alone. (Adobe Stock)

Cancer 'Gag Act' sputters in Iowa, federal push continues

Groups advocating for clean, safe water are pushing back on proposals to revive a pesticide labeling law introduced last year in Congress which would …

Landfill regulations are managed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. In Harris County, 78% of the methane emissions come from three privately owned landfills over which the city has no jurisdiction. (rob245/Adobe Stock)

Houston officials look at options for growing trash problem

By Elena Bruess for Houston Landing.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Houston Landing/MIT Climate Change Engage…

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which allocated $57 million for electric vehicle charging stations in Colorado, aims to build out stations every 50 miles on major corridors across all 50 states. (Adobe Stock)

Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' sets sights on clean energy in Colorado

As the U.S. Senate considers President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" recently passed by the House, clean energy advocates are sounding the …

A study from Community Partners in Asthma Care analyzed attendance and environmental data from three academic years in Clairton City schools and found within two miles of the school and near the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works, asthma affected 16.6 percent of students, based on nurse records. (Natalie Schorr/AdobeStock)

PA climate advocates criticize possible partnership between U.S. Steel, Nippon

A possible partnership between U.S. Steel and Japan's Nippon Steel is drawing publicity but some environmental groups in Pennsylvania are raising …

A 2022 Colorado law bans the use of PFAS, or forever chemicals, but a new report has raised concerns about their continued use at oil and gas wells. (Adobe Stock)

Oil and gas companies fail to disclose toxic chemicals at Colorado well sites

In 2022, Colorado passed a law requiring oil and gas operators to let the public know what chemicals were being used underground. Chemicals are …

Along Minnesota's Iron Range, taconite mining is one of the heavily scrutinized industries in the push to protect surrounding resources, like Lake Superior. (Adobe Stock)

How will Great Lakes region fare with diminished EPA enforcement?

Minnesota has its own carbon emissions reduction goals in place but under a changing federal Environmental Protection Agency, it is an open question …

As part of 2021's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress allocated $4.7 billion for plugging orphaned oil and gas wells nationwide. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV law changes standards for plugging abandoned oil wells

There are more than 20,000 abandoned oil and gas wells scattered across West Virginia, putting communities at risk for water contamination and …

Researchers found between 2010 and 2018, more than 60% of solar projects faced National Environmental Policy Act-related litigation. (Adobe Stock/AI)<br />

House budget bill would streamline environmental permitting in WI

The budget bill passed by the U.S. House and now under consideration in the Senate would reform environmental permitting in Wisconsin and nationwide…

Proponents of concentrated animal feeding operations said they are good for business and are an economic necessity to keep operating costs down and prices for milk, cheese and meat products affordable. (Adobe Stock)

Pierce County residents say fight against CAFO is a fight for their lives

A group of Pierce County residents is awaiting a response to a petition for a contested case hearing for the expansion of Ridge Breeze Dairy to grow f…

A new report proposes a new oil and gas production fee to fund orphaned well cleanup via an independent authority, stricter enforcement, a fully funded escrow for new wells and an amnesty program for small producers. (AdobeStock)

Report: Appalachian gas production slows, reforms needed to fund well plugging

A new report from the Ohio River Valley Institute argued the oil and gas industry, not taxpayers, should cover the cost of plugging up hundreds of …

Along with bamboo, plastic alternatives are biodegradable and can be made from vegetable fats and oils, cornstarch, straw, woodchips, sawdust and recycled food waste. (Jaimie/Adobe Stock)

Tariffs hit OR plastic alternatives market

Tariffs are disrupting supply chains from China, making it harder for reusable alternatives to compete with single-use plastics. Jeffrey Delkin…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's PFAS action plan focuses on tackling the most pressing compliance issues and responding to concerns from Congress and drinking water systems regarding national primary drinking water regulations for specific PFAS chemicals. (Somphong/AdobeStock)

Will the EPA’s PFAS plan improve Tennessee drinking water?

An environmental group is voicing concern about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to tackle PFAS pollution. The EPA recently …

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed to hold corporations and trade associations accountable for climate damages, including a case in Colorado against ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy. (Adobe Stock)

Study lays out scientific path to recoup climate costs

As Boulder and local governments across the U.S. turn to courts to pay for rebuilding after wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events linked …

The Pesticide Action Network said after acquiring Monsanto in 2018, the company Bayer has faced nearly 100,000 lawsuits and was eventually ordered to pay up to $10.9 billion to settle claims alleging its product Roundup, widely used in farm fields, caused cancer. (Adobe Stock)

New ND law raises bar for pesticide liability lawsuits

North Dakota lawmakers have opted to side with farm chemical manufacturers facing legal challenges about the safety of their products. The state has …

In some parts of Montana's Big Hole River, levels of phosphorus and nitrogen are at two or three times healthy thresholds, according to data from area conservation groups. (Tracy/Adobe Stock)

Montana DEQ denies Big Hole River decision, cites law opposed by EPA

Montana officials have denied a petition asking the state to designate the Big Hole River as "impaired" by pollution. Two conservation groups …

In Cleveland, more than 90% of homes were built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use. (Adobe Stock)

Cleveland Health Dept says cleaner air starts at home

As Cleveland tightens its air quality standards for the first time since 1977, health officials are urging residents to take simple steps at home to …

The Paint Care program is funded by a small fee paid at the point of purchase, which then provides consumers an easy way to recycle their unused paint. (CLShebley/Adobe Stock)

Spring cleaning for Earth Day? What to do with leftover paint

On Earth Day, one easy way to help the environment is to make sure your leftover paint is put to good use. The PaintCare program allows you to …

The Environmental Protection Agency said exemptions to clean air regulations will

Pollution exemptions granted to AR coal plants

Two coal plants in Arkansas have received an exemption from the Trump administration and will have two additional years to comply with updated clean a…

Last year in Colorado, 841,412 gallons of paint were collected for recycling at 212 year-round drop-off sites located across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Recycling paint to celebrate Earth Day, reclaim storage space

Today is Earth Day, a time when many people are also tackling their spring cleaning, and PaintCare Colorado is encouraging people to recycle old cans …

Nearly 10,000 West Virginia children per year will suffer asthma attacks because of ozone from the oil and gas industry, according to a report from the Clean Air Task Force. (Adobe Stock)

WV facilities seek exemptions from limits on toxic pollution

West Virginia communities will see increased air pollution with little oversight under a new Trump administration proposal offering presidential exemp…

The U.S. has seen dozens of coal plants come offline in recent years and researchers noted the ones still in use operate less frequently because of declining demand. They said it should deter policymakers from trying to spend money to increase coal production. (Adobe Stock)

Researchers: U.S. wouldn't see 'bang for its buck' in reviving coal

Minnesota is cited in a new research brief outlining the obstacles America would face in trying to reopen coal plants, an idea prioritized by the …

The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization has become as much as a landmark to the community as the Little Village Arch and was awarded the national Food Sovereignty Prize in 2024. (City of Chicago 2021)

Chicago nonprofit transforms former toxic site to feed community

By Angela Burke for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

Iowa factory farms dump approximately 109 billion pounds of manure each year, much of which winds up in nearby groundwater, according to Food and Water Watch. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa's cancer rate is an 'outlier,' but why?

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration In …

The Trump administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a ruling ordering the rehiring of thousands of federal workers, including in the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

EPA workers in Chicago protest cuts to agency

Nearly 100 probationary workers for the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago have had their jobs cut and then reinstated in the last month…

Colorado is the nation's fourth-largest oil and gas producer and there are currently more than 46,000 active wells. (Adobe Stock)

New camera reveals, documents toxic oil and gas emissions

As oil and gas well sites pop up next to more Colorado neighborhoods, residents are gathering evidence to hold operators accountable for toxic …

In January 2014, approximately 10,000 gallons of chemicals used to process coal spilled from a storage tank into the Elk River in West Virginia, a water source which serving 300-thousand people in the Charleston area.(Adobe Stock)

Bill aims to weaken WV coal and gas industry chemical tank regulations

Lawmakers in the West Virginia Senate have passed a bill to remove mandated inspections for chemical storage tanks in the oil, coal and gas …

The Trump administration is working to lower air-quality standards, which could allow easier permitting for the oil and gas industry. (Travelview/Adobe Stock)

CA local leaders protest massive rollback of federal environmental protections

Local leaders in California are slamming the Trump administration's moves to gut dozens of environmental policies on climate change and pollution in l…

The 2023 Ohio Annual Cancer Report shows Lawrence, Washington, Adams and Jackson counties had the highest rates of cancer per 100,000 residents between 2016 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

OH cancer rates linked to processed food, low physical activity

Cancer rates are on the rise, and doctors are noticing specific types in younger age groups. There are more than 100 different types of cancer with …

Some 36% of S&P 500 companies participate in carbon offsetting, according to the website CarbonNeutral.com. (Adobe Stock/generated with AI)<br />

Why carbon offsets often don’t work, explained

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabo…

Texas is already experiencing the effects of climate change, with rising temperatures creating intensified heat waves across the state. In 2023, Texas recorded its second-hottest summer on record. (Kasper/Adobe Stock AI)

Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change

School districts and county governments across Texas are being encouraged to consider building decarbonization to combat climate change. The process …

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

Drones are among the many new tools now used to detect methane leaks at drilling sites. (tostphoto/Adobe Stock)

New Mexico's methane mitigation jobs beat national average

A study commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund showed the industries developed to find and repair methane leaks have grown by 88% over the pas…

Median wages for methane mitigation jobs are $127,000 a year in manufacturing, and as high as $145,000 in service-sector jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

An industry that got its start in Colorado finding and fixing methane leaks at oil and gas sites is on the rise. There are now some 74 sites where …

There are currently 23 oil and gas facilities in federal waters off the coast of California, including one near Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

A coalition of environmental groups is suing the Trump administration to reinstate protections against new offshore drilling. President Donald Trump …

Energy site NationalGrid.com reported storage sites for CO2 emissions should be 0.62 miles or more underground. (Adobe Stock)

OH residents watching bills proposing carbon-dioxide storage under homes

A bill which could approve the injection of large amounts of carbon emissions or industrial carbon dioxide into underground Ohio wells is raising conc…

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