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☆ U.S. proposes limits for cancer-causing chemicals in drinking water
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first-ever national drinking water standard for six cancer-causing chemicals known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Under the new standard, the agency will require public water systems to monitor for six PFAS chemicals, inform the public if PFAS levels exceed proposed standards in the drinking water supply, and take action to reduce PFAS levels. It is the first time since 1996 that drinking water standards have been proposed for a new chemical under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Environmental groups welcomed the new standards but said it was up to retailers and chemical companies to make a difference. "I’m looking forward to hearing from those who will be impacted by this announcement, including local water systems and ratepayers across the country, on how we can provide assistance for implementation," she said.

There are "continued calls for violence directed at U.S. critical infrastructure," the agency warned last February, "as a means to create chaos and advance ideological goals." Law enforcement and utility companies, though, say they're working to resolve the open cases and prevent future attacks. Members of accelerationist groups have been charged with several plots in recent years to attack critical infrastructure. "The critical infrastructure element has become one of the core components of neo-fascist accelerationist movements in the US. "They don't really care who is doing the violence, who's doing the critical infrastructure attacks, Lewis said.

☆ States Attempt to Help Americans Facing Rising Energy Costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Joseph De Avila | Talal Ansari | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New York is among states tapping federal funds to provide enhanced benefits for a state energy-assistance program. State governments are trying to beef up their energy-assistance programs as rising heat costs strain more residents across the U.S. this winter. Minnesota and New York are tapping federal funds to provide enhanced benefits for their states’ programs. New Hampshire passed legislation that gives additional help to lower-income households using funds from its budget surplus. And in Connecticut, utility providers are giving ratepayers $10 monthly credits to help offset rising costs and providing discounts to low-income households.

☆ California to vote on hotly debated change in rooftop solar policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Solar installers from Baker Electric place solar panels on the roof of a residential home in Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California, U.S. October 14, 2016. For decades, Californians with rooftop panels have been credited for excess power at or near the full retail electricity rate. Solar companies counter that the changes would slow new installations and threaten California's clean energy and climate change goals. California's three investor-owned utilities are Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG.N), Southern California Edison (EIX.N) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SRE.N). Customers installing solar with a battery, for example, would save about $136 a month under the plan, compared with $100 a month with just solar.

☆ Salt Lake City’s efforts to fight pollution face a new challenge: Toxic dust
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The EPA in 2021 proposed re-listing the Salt Lake City area as in “attainment” for small particle pollution it had been failing to sufficiently control. But wildfires and dust storms off Great Salt Lake are erasing the progress that has been made. “I’ve received a number of emails from concerned citizens reconsidering living in Salt Lake City,” said Janice Brahney, an assistant professor at Utah State University’s watershed sciences department. Meanwhile, researchers found the highest levels of dust — and metals — in suburbs outside urban Salt Lake City. Researchers suspect suburban communities north of Salt Lake City could be receiving the majority of the dust that blows off the lake.

☆ The climate crisis has world leaders rethinking nuclear power
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-18 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Climate change and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has world leaders looking again at nuclear power. Gavin Newsom's plan to keep a nuclear power plant open points to a trend. Nuclear power doesn't emit greenhouse gases and provides 10% of global electricity. Gavin Newsom wants to extend the life of a nuclear plant that was slated to close by 2025. The race to combat the climate crisis and shore up energy supplies after Russia's invasion of Ukraine is pushing policymakers to reconsider nuclear power.

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