pfa's
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Climate Reality group in North Carolina to fight PFAS and more
A new Wilmington, NC chapter of the Climate Reality Project aims to teach people on how to engage their neighbors and officials on important environmental issues.
Credit: Josh Austin/Unsplash
PFAS plan sparks backlash over weak protections
A petition opposing North Carolina’s proposed PFAS plan is gaining support. The plan is drawing backlash from advocates who say it lacks enforcement and could shift cleanup costs to communities.
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US Forest Service took years to address PFAS in wildland firefighting gear
As early as 2021, government officials were alerted to the presence of potentially dangerous chemicals known as PFAS in pants used by wildland firefighters, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.
Credit: Louis Velazquez/Unsplash
Environment takeaways from the spending deal
The Senate approved a three-bill spending package for fiscal 2026. Lawmakers also passed a stopgap for the rest of the government.
Credit: İsmail Enes Ayhan/Unsplash
Advocates raise alarm over PFAS pollution from datacenters amid AI boom
Environmental groups are raising alarms that datacenters run by tech giants like Google and Microsoft could be releasing PFAS “forever chemicals” into air and water, compounding their climate and energy impacts as AI demand surges.
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EPA moves to prioritize review of new chemicals for data centers
The agency’s administrator, Lee Zeldin, says he wants to “get out of the way” and stop “gumming up the works” so that fast-track construction of the massive computing facilities will “make America the artificial intelligence capital of the world.”
Newsletter
Opinion: Trump’s new science policy puts politics ahead of public health
Federal agencies can now elevate uncertainty and suppress dissent under a new executive order reshaping how science informs policy decisions.
In short:
- A new executive order allows political appointees to define scientific integrity and control what evidence federal agencies use in policymaking.
- Scientists who publicly dissent from political decisions risk being accused of misconduct, with no clear process for appeal.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is already delaying enforcement of PFAS drinking-water standards and canceling related research, citing uncertainty despite strong evidence of health harms.
Why this matters:
The integrity of science in government decisions is vital for protecting public health and the environment. When officials obscure or downplay evidence — especially on issues like PFAS contamination, climate impacts, or air pollution — it delays action and puts people at risk. PFAS compounds, for example, have been linked to cancer, immune dysfunction, and developmental harm, especially in children. If agencies are forced to treat inconclusive or incomplete data as a reason to do nothing, health protections will erode. Moreover, punishing scientists for speaking out creates a chilling effect that undermines transparency and slows the advancement of knowledge. Regulatory systems built to protect people then become tools for shielding polluters, with lasting consequences for communities and ecosystems.
Learn more: Scientists produce anti-autocracy handbook to protect their work and defend democracy
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