Environment / Public News Service

The Idaho National Laboratory is located near Idaho Falls. (MichaelVi/Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 24, 2023

Comment Period Open for Experimental Nuclear Tech in Eastern ID

The U.S. Department of Energy has opened a short public-comment window on an experimental nuclear technology in Idaho. The agency has released a …

The most recent Farm Bill covered areas such as agricultural conservation, trade and foreign food assistance, farm credit and research. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Ag Research Community Urges Congress to Avoid Farm Bill Delays

The U.S. Farm Bill is up for reauthorization, and Congress faces calls to avoid any delays so certain programs can keep helping farmers and consumers …

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, adopting new standards for soot can help prevent up to 4,200 premature deaths per year and 270,000 lost workdays per year. It can also yield as much as $43 billion in net health benefits in 2032. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

EPA Soot Proposal Not Enough, NY Environmentalists Say

A New York environmental group feels the Environmental Protection Agency's latest regulations on soot in the air do not go far enough. The new …

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has identified several locations across the state as having forever chemicals at their sites. Some are Fentress Air Base, Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, DuPont Spruance Manufacturing in Richmond. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

EPA Issues New Guidance on ‘Forever Chemicals’

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is implementing new rules on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as forever chemicals. The new …

According to a new report, multiple federal agencies collectively manage more than 615 million acres in the Western U.S. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Report: Demand Grows for Native Seed Across West, but Supply Isn't There

New research shows the demand for native seed supply across the Western United States, including Nevada, has increased, but the supply simply is not …

Wildfire experts plan to use unmanned drones to help improve early detection, battle fires more effectively, and to reseed and restore scarred forests. (Windsong/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

As wildfire seasons in Colorado and across the American West become longer, less predictable and increasingly destructive, a new report aims to …

In recent years, Norfolk Southern has kept accidents on a downward trend, according to Federal Railroad Authority data. Since the derailment of freight cars carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio, the company has been under a great deal of scrutiny. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

VA Environmentalists Disagree with DEQ’s Norfolk Southern Fine

Virginia environmentalists are frustrated by the state Department of Environmental Quality's $27,000 fine of Norfolk Southern for a 2020 train derailm…

The Keystone State is a leading East Coast supplier of natural gas, coal, refined petroleum products and electricity to the nation. (vencav/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Report: Fossil Fuels "Unreliable" During Deep Freeze

A new report found forced power outages in this winter's extreme weather only added to "unreliability" in the fossil-fuel sector. The PJM …

During the White House Conservation Summit, President Joe Biden designated Avi Kwa Ame a national monument. (photo courtesy of Will Pregman)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

President Biden Declares Avi Kwa Ame National Monument

President Joe Biden has designated Avi Kwa Ame, known by some as Spirit Mountain, a national monument. The designation preserves about half a million …

Beyond improving soil and farm animal health, agriculture researchers say managed grazing also provides good habitat for pollinators and wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

WI Farmers Hope Grazing Funds Aren't Put Out to Pasture

Congress has been holding hearings on the next Farm Bill, which has major implications for the nation's food system. It also shapes conservation …

Despite climate change, water-rights transfers and development, approximately 750 centuries-old acequias still operate in New Mexico. (MayaPena/lasacequias.org)

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

NM's Historic Acequias Featured in New Documentary Film

The annual cleaning of acequias in northern New Mexico gets underway in earnest next week, just as a filmmaker debuts a documentary about their past…

Garrett Betts inspects his 275-gallon tank and trailer setup. Before Garrett built the trailer, he was hauling water with the tank in the bed of his truck.(Photo by Zachary Shephard)

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Vinton County, Ohio Residents Await Community Water Systems

By Zachary Shepherd and Kelsey Paulus for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Co…

New Mexico has followed Texas' lead by passing preemptive legislation to ban the storage of high-level radioactive waste in the state. (Tiero/AdobeStock)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Spent Nuclear-Fuel Storage Facility Nixed by NM Legislature

Like Nevada, New Mexico has rejected a proposed interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Responding to the Federal Nuclear Regulatory …

The European Union is the world's largest consumer of wood pellets for energy. (Rokas/Adobe Stock)

Energy Market for Wood Pellets Globally Threatens U.S. Forests

Overseas markets could be harming forests in the U.S. Demand for wood pellets for biomass energy has increased dramatically around the world…

A project to reclaim empty and abandoned lots across Detroit has brought a host of native plants and animals to communities across the city. (amphiphan/Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Detroit Arboretum, Zoo Lead Connected-Habitat Restoration Project

By Tom Perkins for Planet Detroit.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection with support from the Solutions Journalism Network…

In 2020 alone, U.S. Bureau of Land Management field offices purchased nearly 1.5 million pounds of seed to use in areas affected by wildfires. (Julia/Adobe Stock)

Report: National Native Seed Supply Not Up to Climate Challenges

Researchers with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine spent two years studying the nation's supply of native seeds, and …

The U.S. Interior Department manages 400 national parks, 560 national wildlife refuges and nearly 250 million acres of other public lands in America. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Bill Could End IA Public Land Acquisition

A bill passed by the Iowa Senate would repeal programs currently in place for maintaining open space and trails, and require state agencies to submit …

Just 18% of premature deaths from air pollution from coal-fired power plants occur in the states where facilities are located. (Tomas/Adobe Stock)

Report Counts Deadly Impacts of Coal-Fired Power Plants

Thousands of lives are cut short every year because of air pollution from coal-fired power plants in Wyoming and across the United States, according …

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA has the authority to set enforceable regulations for drinking water contaminants and require monitoring of public water systems. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Group: EPA's Limit on PFAS Chemicals 'Crucial'

Groups advocating for clean water in Arizona are applauding an Environmental Protection Agency plan to limit toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances…

An increase in hunting has pushed some elk off public lands and onto private lands. (prochym/Adobe Stock)

MT Bills Could Improve Elk Management, Increase Hunting Opportunities

A package of bills in Helena is aimed at improving elk management in Montana. The six bills are bipartisan efforts from lawmakers, hunters and …

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present at or near the surface of the soil, all year or for varying periods of time, including during the growing season, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

ND Shares in Wetland Restoration Funds for 'Prairie Pothole' Region

Funding priorities under the federal Inflation Reduction Act continue to roll out, and they include a new effort for North Dakota and surrounding …

'Prairie Pothole' Region, Including SD, Gets Wetland Funding Boost

Through the federal Inflation Reduction Act, South Dakota and surrounding states will receive funds to restore wetland areas. The Interior …

MN Included in Wetland Restoration Funding

Funding priorities under the federal Inflation Reduction Act continue to roll out, including a new effort for Minnesota and some surrounding states …

Some products to come under the purview of a new bill to create transparency with companies contracting with New York State include timber, pulp, paper, palm oil, soy and livestock. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed NYS Legislation Creates Supply-Chain Transparency

New York's State Legislature is considering a bill to ensure that companies contracting with the state don't contribute to tropical deforestation…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other national agencies will host a webinar focusing on past and current drought conditions and the impact on rainfall, temperature and precipitation in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Drought Plan Uses History to Predict Future

Iowa has developed its first-ever plan to predict drought before it happens. Officials said it is designed to mitigate the effects of the drought by …

The Gila National Forest and Wilderness boasts more than 100 bird species including seasonal, year-round and migratory birds. (JuanCarlosGonz�lez/AdobeStock)

NM Supporters of Gila River Protections Make 3rd Pitch in Nation's Capital

A decadelong effort to secure protections for New Mexico's last remaining free-flowing rivers and tributary systems has been introduced in Congress fo…

Environmental experts say a single teaspoon of sidewalk salt is enough to contaminate five gallons of water. (Adobe Stock)

WI Eyes Deicer Training to Curb Salt Pollution

Spring is almost here, but Wisconsin can't rule out the occasional snowstorm over the next few weeks, potentially resulting in more ice-melting …

The Prairie Potholes region is considered some of the most important waterfowl habitat in North America. (DeVane/Adobe Stock)

Federal Funds to Conserve, Restore America's 'Duck Factory'

The Interior Department is investing funds in protecting what some call America's 'duck factory.' The Prairie Potholes are marshes and wetlands that…

According to real estate consulting firm CBRE, Northern Virginia's total data center load in 2021 was 1,688 megawatts, which is equivalent needed to power 1.6 million homes. (Adobe Stock)<br />

VA Carbon Emissions Drop Despite Data Center Growth

By Elizabeth McGowan for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Virginia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Department of Transportation studies have shown a 90% reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions when there is a crossing structure or fence in an area. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Approves $20 Million for Wildlife Crossings

Some $20 million of Utah's whopping $29 billion state budget will be spent on building wildlife crossings and fences across the state in an effort to …

Beekeepers are positioning hives adjacent to fields planted in clover and grasses, which grow better in the shadow of solar panels than traditional row crops. (Photo courtesy Joel Fassbinder)

Dual-Use Solar Means Healthier IA Honeybees

Farmers, ranchers and livestock producers are working with solar companies in Iowa to find multiple uses for land once used only to plant corn and …

Since 2011, Ohio has allowed companies to lease state land for oil and gas drilling. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Scientists Sound Alarm on Fracking Near Muskingum, OH Watershed

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is drawing ire for its continued leasing of land for fracking. Last year, the district, which stewards …

Environmental groups say accidents such as the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment and toxic chemical spill in East Palestine jeopardize Ohioans' ability to live safe and healthy lives. (Adobe Stock)

How East Palestine Rail Disaster Could Impact Ohio’s Soil, Drinking Water

Last month's train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine could have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on the state's soil and drinking w…

If the new Railway Safety Act of 2023 rail is passed, carriers would face heightened fines for wrongdoing, and it would substantially increase the maximum fine USDOT can issue for safety violations. (Brian Dunn/Wirestock Creators/AdobeStock)

PA: New Legislation To Prevent Future Train Derailments

Hoping to avoid future train disasters like Norfolk Southern's derailment in East Palestine, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers has …

Soot standards were last updated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2012. In December 2020, the Trump administration declined to tighten standards. (Adobe Stock)

EPA 'Soot Standard' Receives Pressure from UT Clean-Air Advocates

The danger of soot pollution is real, and clean-air advocates in Utah say it is a top-of-mind issue for many in the state. Lindsay Beebe, senior …

The Nature Conservancy says the most extensive study to date assessed regeneration of eight major tree conifer species after 334 wildfires across the West, using information from more than 10,000 field plots. (Adobe Stock)

Research: Hotter, Drier Conditions Limit AZ Forest Recovery from Wildfires

New research has found hotter and drier climate conditions are making it less likely for forests in Arizona and across the Western United States to re…

According to Extinction Rebellion, at least eight activists have been arrested at the construction site of the East Boston substation since Eversource began work on January 11. (Extinction Rebellion)

Protests, Construction Continue at East Boston Substation

Environmental activists are calling on Gov. Maura Healy to end construction of the Eversource electrical substation in East Boston, and move it to …

Country Natural Beef ranchers are in nine western states covering more than 6.5 million acres of land. (Patrick Jennings/Adobe Stock)

Collaboration Grows 'Regenerative Ranching' Program in Northwest

By Caroline Tracey for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Missouri News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

It is estimated that as many as 300,000 to 760,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled in the Keystone State, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (Perytskyy/Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Urge State To Address Abandoned Well Problem

Groups in the Keystone State are urging the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to move forward quickly and implement some of the sugg…

The Trojan Nuclear Plant in Oregon was connected to the grid in 1975 and shut down in 1992. (David Falconer/Wikimedia Commons)

'Atomic Bamboozle' Documents 'False Promises' of New Nuclear Tech

A film premiering this week tackles the potential harms of the nuclear industry. Portland State University professor emeritus Jan Haaken directed …

In September 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found pygmy rabbits were not warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act because the agency said there was not enough data to show the threat level had risen leading to possible extinction. (Adobe Stock)

Petition Seeks Protection for Pygmy Rabbits Across West

Conservation groups in Utah and across the western United States are requesting protection for the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered Species Act…

The Gallatin River in southwest Montana is a tributary of the Missouri River. (melissadoar/Adobe Stock)

Montanans in DC Urging Protections for Iconic MT Rivers

Montanans are in Washington, D.C., to call for greater protections of some of the state's most iconic rivers. Anglers, business owners and river …

Norfolk Southern freight trains are common sights along Indiana highways. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Pauses Moving Train Derailment Material to Indiana Landfill

Putnam County residents are closely watching developments after learning multiple truckloads of waste from the train derailment site in East Palestine…

Kelp beds in Puget Sound are important habitat for marine life. (knelson20/Adobe Stock)

WA DNR Seeks Input on Kelp, Eelgrass Conservation

Kelp and eelgrass are in trouble, and Washington state wants help from the public identifying where these marine plant species should be saved…

Kris Swartz, a farmer in Wood County, Ohio, says he's seeing more rain and hotter temperatures than he did 30 years ago when he started farming. (NewsLab photo by Baylee Sweitzer)

Climate Change Challenges Ohio Farmers

By Baylee Sweitzer for Kent State News Lab.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration…

The most iconic species that resides in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge may be the American alligator. An estimated 15,000 alligators live in the refuge area. (Wildspaces/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Georgia DEP to Nix Mine Permit Near Okefenokee

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division wants the public to weigh in on whether a titanium mine will be allowed to operate near the Okefenokee N…

Over the past 50 years, the population of pygmy rabbits in Wyoming has declined by 69% (Serikbaib AdobeStock)

Groups Call on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to Prevent Pigmy Rabbit Extinction

On Monday, conservation groups submitted a petition calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered …

The Bonneville Power Administration is a key partner for building and modernizing Washington state's transmission lines. (Nadia/Adobe Stock)

In DC, Focus on Fish, NW Energy Grid

Northwest energy experts and conservation leaders are in Washington, D.C. to urge policymakers to invest in modernizing the region's grid. Updating …

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Environment

Comment Period Open for Experimental Nuclear Tech in Eastern ID

Ag Research Community Urges Congress to Avoid Farm Bill Delays

EPA Soot Proposal Not Enough, NY Environmentalists Say

EPA Issues New Guidance on ‘Forever Chemicals’

Report: Demand Grows for Native Seed Across West, but Supply Isn't There

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

VA Environmentalists Disagree with DEQ’s Norfolk Southern Fine

Report: Fossil Fuels "Unreliable" During Deep Freeze

President Biden Declares Avi Kwa Ame National Monument

WI Farmers Hope Grazing Funds Aren't Put Out to Pasture

NM's Historic Acequias Featured in New Documentary Film

Vinton County, Ohio Residents Await Community Water Systems

Spent Nuclear-Fuel Storage Facility Nixed by NM Legislature

Energy Market for Wood Pellets Globally Threatens U.S. Forests

Detroit Arboretum, Zoo Lead Connected-Habitat Restoration Project

Report: National Native Seed Supply Not Up to Climate Challenges

Bill Could End IA Public Land Acquisition

Report Counts Deadly Impacts of Coal-Fired Power Plants

AZ Group: EPA's Limit on PFAS Chemicals 'Crucial'

MT Bills Could Improve Elk Management, Increase Hunting Opportunities

ND Shares in Wetland Restoration Funds for 'Prairie Pothole' Region

'Prairie Pothole' Region, Including SD, Gets Wetland Funding Boost

MN Included in Wetland Restoration Funding

Proposed NYS Legislation Creates Supply-Chain Transparency

Iowa Drought Plan Uses History to Predict Future

NM Supporters of Gila River Protections Make 3rd Pitch in Nation's Capital

WI Eyes Deicer Training to Curb Salt Pollution

Federal Funds to Conserve, Restore America's 'Duck Factory'

VA Carbon Emissions Drop Despite Data Center Growth

Utah Approves $20 Million for Wildlife Crossings

Dual-Use Solar Means Healthier IA Honeybees

Scientists Sound Alarm on Fracking Near Muskingum, OH Watershed

How East Palestine Rail Disaster Could Impact Ohio’s Soil, Drinking Water

PA: New Legislation To Prevent Future Train Derailments

EPA 'Soot Standard' Receives Pressure from UT Clean-Air Advocates

Research: Hotter, Drier Conditions Limit AZ Forest Recovery from Wildfires

Protests, Construction Continue at East Boston Substation

Collaboration Grows 'Regenerative Ranching' Program in Northwest

PA Groups Urge State To Address Abandoned Well Problem

'Atomic Bamboozle' Documents 'False Promises' of New Nuclear Tech

Petition Seeks Protection for Pygmy Rabbits Across West

Montanans in DC Urging Protections for Iconic MT Rivers

EPA Pauses Moving Train Derailment Material to Indiana Landfill

WA DNR Seeks Input on Kelp, Eelgrass Conservation

Climate Change Challenges Ohio Farmers

Groups Urge Georgia DEP to Nix Mine Permit Near Okefenokee

Groups Call on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to Prevent Pigmy Rabbit Extinction

In DC, Focus on Fish, NW Energy Grid