Water / Public News Service

Montana currently has no law against the use of gestation crates to raise livestock. (Adobe Stock)

Montana feels effects of California 'price gouging'

California joined a dozen other states across the U.S. either banning or regulating the use of gestation crates to raise livestock and a ballot …

Proposed water permit changes in Minnesota to limit harmful runoff from industrial farms would only cover about 1,000 of the state's 17,000 livestock feedlots. However, environmental groups said the affected farms generate about one-third of the manure spread on agricultural fields. (Adobe Stock)

MN regulators unveil tougher water permit requirements for CAFO's

Minnesota will soon hold public hearings on proposed water permit changes as it seeks to get control of nitrate pollution from industrial farms…

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River was one of the first rivers protected as Wild and Scenic by the federal government in 1968. (NorthwestWildImages/Adobe Stock)

As Rivers Month wraps up, action still needed to protect ID rivers

National Rivers Month comes to an end this week and conservation groups said it is a reminder more action is needed to protect Idaho's rivers…

Heavy flooding was seen in Dos Rios in April 2023. (River Partners)

A ranch, rewilded: The transformation of California’s newest state park

By Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

Port Richmond on Staten Island has the highest amount of lead/possible lead service line in all of New York City, 60.67%. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: NYC bill takes wrong approach to lead pipe removal

A New York City bill is a catch-22 for removing lead pipes. The so-called "Rotten Apple Bill" makes city property owners remove their home's lead …

Only 28% of Hispanic people and 37% of Black people have taken swimming lessons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (cabq.gov)

'World's Largest Swimming Lesson' comes to Albuquerque pools

It is the first day of summer and time for a global event called the "World's Largest Swimming Lesson." Albuquerque's West Mesa Aquatic Center will o…

An oil spill from the pipeline in the Great Lakes would threaten the drinking water of 40 million people across the United States and Canada. (Jorge Moro/Adobe Stock)

MI environmental group hails Enbridge suit being ordered back to state court

A Michigan nonprofit dedicated to keeping oil out of the Great Lakes is celebrating a major victory. A federal Appellate Court has ruled that …

An aerial view of biogas production. (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Report says biogas from mega-dairies is more of a problem, not solution

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Service Collab…

A U.S. Water Alliance report finds maintaining Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding in water infrastructure could reduce service disruptions to water-reliant businesses, saving them 46% over 20 years. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, U.S. need more water infrastructure investments

Recent reports are calling on Virginia and the U.S. to invest in water infrastructure. The U.S. Water Alliance's Bridging the Gap report reviews two …

Illinois is bordered by 880 miles of water - the Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Wabash River. according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (Adode Stock)

Tug-of-war for more access to IL streams continues

Federal law and Illinois law are at odds over ownership, access, and use of the state's streams, lakes & rivers - and the Legislature failed to pass …

Iowa family farm advocates are calling on Congress to reduce the subsidies given to large-scale factory operations in the Farm Bill, and invest more in conservation programs that help small ag producers. (Adobe Stock)

Family farmers call for tougher CAFO regulations in Farm Bill

Family farm advocates are calling for cuts in federal subsidies to large animal feeding operations - technically known as Concentrated Animal Feeding …

Around 27% of South Dakotans who applied for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, funded by Inflation Reduction Act dollars in 2023, were accepted. (Marc Braner/Adobe Stock)

House Farm Bill could chop climate-smart programs

The U.S. House of Representatives will likely vote this summer on a version of the Farm Bill, which passed through the committee process last month…

The wells providing water on Santee Tribal lands had manganese levels more than 50 times greater than what is considered safe for adults. Excessively high manganese can cause problems with memory, attention and motor skills. (Adobe Stock)

NE Santee Sioux Tribe hopeful after years of unusable tap water

Members of the Nebraska Santee Sioux Tribe hope a solution to their five-year water ordeal may be on the way. Their tap water has been unusable for …

Port Westward is located on the Columbia River north of the town of Clatskanie, Ore. (Sam Beebe/Wikimedia Commons)

Groups challenge proposed refinery near Columbia River

A lawsuit is challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision not to require a permit for the construction of a new refinery on the Columbia …

On Oct. 5, 1966, Fermi 1 suffered a partial fuel meltdown. Two of the 92 fuel assemblies were partially damaged. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, no abnormal radioactivity was released into the environment. (spiritofamerica/Adobe Stock)

Climate change reignites concerns over nuclear storage on MI shores

Summer temperatures are one more reason for concern by environmental groups about the nuclear waste stored along the Great Lakes. There are three …

South Dakota loses up to 100,000 acres of grasslands annually, according to the South Dakota Grassland Coalition. Grassland bird species are declining faster than any other group on the continent. (Gregory Johnston/Adobe Stock)

Support grows for threatened SD grasslands

About 1.6 million acres of Great Plains grasslands were destroyed in 2021 alone, according to a recent report, an area the size of Delaware. One …

Clapper rails find food, shelter and a place to raise their young in the highly productive South Carolina salt marsh habitat. (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources)

Salt Marsh Initiative aims to protect SC lowcountry from storm surges

With hurricane season underway, South Carolina's 344,000 acres of salt marshes are the first line of defense for the state's lowcountry against storm …

Two South Dakota drought resiliency projects will supply about 130 homes with high-quality drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

New federal funds earmarked for SD rural water projects

Some rural South Dakotans struggle to get good drinking water but the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded two local communities with grants to …

The Washington County Water Conservancy District's Quail Creek water treatment plant is currently capable of treating 60 million gallons of water per day. (Adobe Stock)

One UT county receives federal funds for water reuse project

As water scarcity affects states across the West, a Utah community is getting funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help support its water …

LNG is created when gas is cooled into a liquid that can be stored and shipped to destinations around the world. (Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)

Decreased demand for liquefied natural gas could impact TX economy

Workers in the oil and gas industry are warily monitoring the supply and demand of liquefied natural gas, or LNG. Texas is one of the largest …

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has proposed issuing water withdrawal permits, which would allow several local water utilities to increase the amount of water they pull from the Duck River by about 16 million gallons daily. (RobertMiller/Adobe Stock)<br />

Middle TN's Duck River on list of 'nation's most endangered' waterways

The Duck River, which flows through seven Middle Tennessee counties, has made a national list of "most endangered" rivers. The group American Rivers …

If dairies in Willcox continue to grow, annual water use is projected to increase from an estimated 2,953 acre-feet to 5,085 acre-feet by 2038, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. (Adobe Stock)

AZ town grapples with drying wells, unregulated water use, large ag ops

Wells in the Willcox Basin in southeastern Arizona are drying up, and many are pointing the finger at massive agriculture and cattle operations…

The white-nosed coatimundi, classified as an endangered species in New Mexico, roams and hunts during daytime hours in the Gila Wilderness. (National Park Service)

New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Gila Wilderness preservation

New Mexico's Gila Wilderness is special - not only for its natural beauty, but also because it received the world's first-ever "wilderness" …

The five states included in the Gulf Coast Resilience Network are Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Child care centers along the TX coast prep for hurricane season

The advocacy group Save the Children is working with child care providers along the Texas coast ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. The …

The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy says a law change, which includes updating the state's public waters list, could provide protections for at least 640 miles of additional waterways across the state. (Adobe Stock)

To shield public waterways from runoff, MN takes an inventory dive

What might seem like an under-the-radar administrative task could end up being a lifesaver for Minnesota waterways in need of safeguards against agric…

At least half of the $32.8 million to replace lead pipes will be prioritized for areas overburdened by pollution and decades of underinvestment, including communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Infrastructure Law brings $32.8 million to Colorado to replace lead pipes

Nearly $33 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Colorado to help locate and remove hazardous lead pipes from …

Iowa's hunters and anglers are advocating to increase wildlife habitat and ecosystem funding in the next Farm Bill, which the U.S. House Agriculture Committee is set to discuss for the first time this week. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa hunters, anglers push for Farm Bill support

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to take up the first version of the new Farm Bill tomorrow morning. Outdoor enthusiasts in Iowa …

Fungal decay and fire both break down hydrogen and carbon bonds, a process that releases energy. But while fire releases heat, mushrooms absorb that energy like people do when digesting food. (Adobe Stock)

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

By Stephen Robert Miller for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for t…

Since 2023, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has completed more than 5,300 excavations to determine if households have lead water lines. (Rick Beauregard)

MI leaders mark progress in removing lead water lines

It has been a decade since the massive fallout from the Flint water crisis. Now, Michigan leaders are highlighting their progress in removing lead …

According to the EPA, Georgia has warmed less than most of the nation in the last century but in the next few decades, the changing climate is likely to harm livestock and increase the number of unpleasantly hot days and heat-related illnesses. (Laura Ballard/Adobe Stock)

Scientists call on moms to help fight climate change

Mothers from a nonpartisan climate science group are gearing up for summer, getting the word out to Georgia families on how more frequent and extreme …

A study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health found lead pipes were used, and often required, before being banned in the U.S. in 1986. Many cities still use lead water pipes installed prior to the ban. (Adobe Stock)

A spigot of federal money opens, clean water one goal

The Environmental Protection Agency said the country's aging systems of water pipes are hotbeds for chemical and lead contamination. More lead …

Local oyster harvesters help deploy limestone rock, a restoration material, for the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative oyster reef restoration experiments. (Courtesy FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory)

Community effort aims to restore Apalachicola Bay oyster harvests, livelihoods

Since the 2020 collapse of the famed Apalachicola Bay oyster fishery, people who made their livelihoods on the bay have been counting on local …

The Tennessee Lead and Copper Rule tests taps at risk of lead contamination. If more than 10% exceeds the limit, water systems must take action. (GDM photo and video/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

EDF maps show progress on Tennessee lead service line replacement

Tennessee has fallen behind on lead service line replacement, with the Environmental Defense Fund's new maps showing only one utility with a public …

Revenues from oil and gas extraction in New Mexico are higher than ever, having grown by about 10% over the past year. (Adwo/AdobeStock)

NM agency considers new rule on fracked wastewater

What the extraction industry calls "produced water" is the subject of hearings this week in New Mexico. The term applies to water coming out of the …

Maine's aquaculture harvest more than doubled in volume and in value over the past decade. It creates more than $100 million in annual revenue for the state, according to the Maine International Trade Center. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New England groups warn against 'factory' fish farming in federal waters

New England fishermen and environmental groups are working to prevent the growth of industrial-size fish farms in U.S. open waters. They said …

A well-designed riparian buffer can prevent 80% of excess nutrients from entering rivers and streams. (Adobe Stock)

Most SD surface waters fall below state quality standards

There are nearly 150,000 miles of rivers and streams in South Dakota, but new data show many of those don't meet state standards for safe water …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported ammonia is often found in surface waters surrounding concentrated animal feeding operations. The ammonia causes oxygen depletion from water, which itself can kill aquatic life. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental lawyer: CAFOs not just a NIMBY issue

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a month to respond in court to a new lawsuit concerning a factory farm in the central part of the st…

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 9.2 million lead pipes are currently used across the nation. (Adobe Stock)

New maps show progress on NY lead service line replacement

New maps show the extent of New York State's lead pipe replacement program. They demonstrate progress in replacing lead service lines, although the …

More than 80 national park units, including Rocky Mountain National Park, sit next to public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks

As critics work to roll back new Bureau of Land Management rules, public lands advocates are defending the agency's move to put conservation uses on …

Among U.S. grain exports, 60% is shipped on the Mississippi River through the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana. (Daniel Thornberg/Adobe)

Group: Nature-based solutions help solve Mississippi River Delta problems

As part of an effort to restore the Mississippi River delta, an organization is collaborating with nature to address environmental challenges…

Earthjustice data show 94% of coal ash ponds in the United States are unlined. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA rules target Georgia legacy coal-ash ponds

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule to close a significant loophole in coal ash disposal regulations. The Coal Combustion …

Karst, or extremely loose and porous soil, is a well-known determinant in how much nitrate can leach into nearby ground and well water supplies, eventually making its way into drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa leaps state regulators, calls on EPA for emergency water help

The Iowa Environmental Council has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to invoke emergency powers to protect sensitive soil and groundwater…

Birds are attracted to the Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove, Ore., where wastewater is treated naturally. (Bryn Nelson)

Wastewater wetlands in OR, US provide natural filtration option

By Bryn Nelson for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Blackwater Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park attracts visitors who spend more than $25 million in the region yearly, according to West Virginia State Parks. (Adobe Stock).<br />

Report: WV’s Blackwater River among America’s most endangered

The Blackwater River, which flows more than 30 miles through West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, ranks among the top 10 most endangered rivers in …

A flooded site at the Austin Master Services toxic-waste storage facility in Martin's Ferry, Ohio. (Jill Hunkler)

Court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility

Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …

The United Nations experts also expressed concern over a Chemours application to expand PFAS production in North Carolina. (Adobe Stock)

United Nations: Chemical giants 'ignored human rights' in NC

United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…

Despite a multiyear dredging effort, studies showed forever chemicals are still present in the Hudson River. (Adobe Stock)

NY takes action to remove PFAS from water, products

The state of New York is removing forever chemicals from various places, just as the Environmental Protection Agency issued limits on PFAS in …

Drone footage showed the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

East Palestine concerns linger over vinyl chloride exposure

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they continue to live with health problems, including rashes, nosebleeds and respiratory issues following last …

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