11-4: Five quick things for your Saturday

Winter's coming. We all have chores to do. Let's make this simple: Five quick hits to keep you up to date on our environment and health.



Gov't climate report at odds with Trump and his team

Coverage of the federal climate assessment takes Trump to task:

AP's Seth Borenstein:

As President Donald Trump touts new oil pipelines and pledges to revive the nation's struggling coal mines, federal scientists are warning that burning fossil fuels is already driving a steep increase in the United States of heat waves, droughts and floods.

Our new look and feedback

Two weeks into our new look, and we continue to refine and adjust it. Like it? Loathe it? Let us know how we can better serve you.

It's time to be loud: We deliver news that drives the discussion on environmental health and climate change.

Drop us a line at feedback@ehn.org ("Attaboys" always welcome).

Three top stories for Saturday

  1. New Jersey sets new PFOA level below Vermont standard. New Jersey last week set its safe drinking water standard for the chemical PFOA at 14 parts per trillion, 30 percent lower than Vermont's standard. (Vermont Public Radio)
  2. Louisville neighborhoods use trees to fend off heart disease. The poets were right all along: Trees are a drug, in ways marvelous and often misunderstood. We underestimate at our peril the powers of a walk in the woods. (USA Today) (thanks to Univ. of Louisville's Alex Carll for pointing us to that story)
  3. Will the bird that dodged a bullet pay the price of peace? "Armed conflict is good for preventing deforestation." (Mike Shanahan, Under the Banyan)

One must-read opinion

As ice shelves crumble and the Twitter president threatens to pull out of the Paris accord, author Jonathan Franzen reflects on the role of the writer in time of crisis (The Guardian)

One beautiful thing

Those are my kids (and dog), at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Eleven inches of snow fell overnight in Bozeman, Montana.

It's ski swap weekend here, and people are already to find a sweet deal on winter gear. I told my kids we weren't moving the car until the driveway was clear.

Amazing how much energy a motivated kid has.

Today's gift in Bozeman is reminder for us all: Get outside and enjoy the weather. It's beautiful out there.

white egret flying over wetland with trees in background.

From invasive species tracking to water security – what’s lost with federal funding cuts at US Climate Adaptation Science Centers

The people who manage America’s aquifers, wetlands, shorelines and recreation areas rely on federal science as they face new and rising risks in a changing climate.
silhouette of a girl facing sunset, golden sky and water

Who’s ready to think about blocking out the sun?

The idea of artificially lowering the planet’s temperature is gaining supporters and hitting political opposition.
Chest-down person in white protective suit and rubber boots carrying metal case, walking a shoreline.
Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+

From invasive species tracking to water security – what’s lost with federal funding cuts at US Climate Adaptation Science Centers

The people who manage America’s aquifers, wetlands, shorelines and recreation areas rely on federal science as they face new and rising risks in a changing climate.
offshore drilling platform
Photo by Zach Theo on Unsplash

Interior skips NEPA analysis for offshore drilling expansion

All prior five-year drilling plans — dating back to 1980 — reference National Environmental Policy Act analyses.
Workers loading scrap metal onto a truck.

How extreme heat is driving kidney failure in migrant workers

Millions of migrants toil in grueling conditions in the Middle East, where brutal heat contributes to an alarming increase in kidney failure.
solar panel, wind turbines, and nuclear power plant
Credit: jaroslavav/BigStock Photo ID: 83377346

Members of America’s largest power grid can’t agree on how to power data centers

With no consensus among stakeholders, PJM Interconnection’s 10-member board now must craft a policy for surging data-center demand that has already driven up electricity prices for millions.
Large solar field stretching to horizon

Africa's solar power revolution driven by China's investment

Chinese solar equipment has been flooding African markets, partly as a ripple effect of the US-China trade war. It's one of several factors helping the continent gain traction with electrification.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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