As Iowans wrestle with polluted waters, politics get in the way| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski As the US wrestles with how to deal with widespread PFAS pollution in drinking water supplies, most utilities are lacking advanced filtration systems that could protect public health from not just PFAS but an array of harmful contaminants, according to a new study. The post Small communities left behind as advanced water treatment for PFAS proves broader benefits appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher In a move celebrated by US meat and poultry producers but mourned by environment and health advocates, federal regulators are walking back a proposed rule that would have strengthened water pollution standards for slaughterhouse operators. The post EPA walks back proposal to limit water pollution from meat and poultry plants appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam When a team of scientists embarked two years ago on a $1 million landmark study of Iowa’s persistent water quality problems, they knew that the findings would be important to share. But now, after the completed study pointed to agricultural pollution as a significant source of the key US farm state’s water quality problems, public officials have quietly stripped funding away from plans to promote the study findings. The post As Iowans wrestle with polluted waters, politics...| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Congress is proposing to reverse measures that protect military service members, firefighters and others from harmful PFAS chemicals. The post Congress proposes scrapping PFAS measures that protect public servants and others appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Bill Walker For decades, California has been on the cutting edge of US environmental policy. The state has enacted landmark measures to regulate air and water pollution, protect residents from exposure to toxic chemicals, and combat the climate crisis. Many of its groundbreaking policies have spread to other states. The post Postcard from California: State’s status as clean energy pacesetter threatened by Trump’s attacks appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Air pollution from oil and gas activities is responsible for an estimated 91,000 deaths and over 10,000 premature births in the US each year, according to a new study that examined the impacts of the industry through its lifecycle from extraction to refining to burning fuel in power plants. The post Oil and gas industry linked to thousands of yearly US deaths and preterm births, study finds appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
KENNETT, MO. — Nestled in Missouri’s Bootheel is the small town of Kennett, the Dunklin County seat. With just over 10,000 residents, it’s a close-knit community where good-natured teasing is a common show of affection. Once a sprawling swampland, it has since been transformed into an expanse of flat, fertile fields where agriculture stands as the backbone of the region’s economy. The post The unseen harvest: Pesticides, cancer and rural Missouri’s health crisis appeared first on Th...| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Steel and coke plants in the US are regularly releasing illegal amounts of air pollutants and the Trump administration’s delay on stricter rules at these plants leaves fenceline communities struggling for long-sought federal help, according to a new report. The post EPA delay threatens fenceline communities near steel and coke plants, report warns appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Keith Schneider President Donald Trump’s campaign to carve up federal environmental agencies and paralyze statutes that cleared the air, cleaned US waters, and protected wildlands marks the opening of MAPA, the new era to Make America Polluted Again.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Rick Wawrzeniak is tired of worrying about “forever chemicals.”| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Residents of a Maryland community afflicted with contamination from harmful chemicals are demanding that a local soybean processing plant immediately stop releasing toxic PFAS into their drinking and groundwater, violating a federal law that governs the disposal of hazardous waste.| The New Lede
By Marin Scotten Ryan Dunham heard his eleven-year-old daughter’s scream from his living room. He bolted up the stairs to the bathroom where she was taking a shower and couldn’t believe his eyes. The water flowing from the faucet was brown, and it smelled like “decay, rot and death.” The post “How can this happen?” Fight over sewage sludge on farms intensifies appeared first on The New Lede.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Children highly exposed to an insecticide prior to birth showed signs of impaired brain development and motor function, according to a new study of chlorpyrifos — a pesticide still used on US crops despite decades of warnings about its impact on children’s health.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher A federal judge this week ruled that the Trump administration’s move to terminate several grants to support farmers and underserved communities was likely “arbitrary and capricious,” and ordered the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restore five grants it canceled and cease the cancellation of a sixth grant.| The New Lede
The Trump administration’s new AI action plan aims to make the US a leader in developing and deploying the technology. This sweeping proposal would fast-track AI development by exempting data centers from environmental protections. It may also increase reliance on fossil fuels. Experts warn it could strain US water and power supplies, deepen pollution in vulnerable communities and sideline clean energy.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher With the looming possibility that the Trump administration could reduce federal limits on toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water, public health advocates are warning that people across the country would suffer.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher The Trump administration’s plan to eliminate the entire research arm of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have devastating impacts on toxic chemical research, destabilizing infrastructure that forms the scientific backbone of regulations that protect people and the environment, according to former agency leaders.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Amid a flurry of actions curtailing Biden’s environmental policies, the administration of newly inaugurated President Donald Trump this week withdrew a plan to set limits on toxic PFAS chemicals in industrial wastewater.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Representatives of US water and waste systems told US lawmakers this week that hundreds of such operations across the nation could face unintended and overwhelming liabilities unless they are exempted from a proposal that would designate two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher A Trump administration move to axe key food safety advisory committees could leave the public more vulnerable to food-borne illnesses, critics fear, particularly alongside current legislative efforts to undermine proposed safety regulations on food processors.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illnesses more than doubled in 2024 over the prior year, with most people sickened in a small number of high-profile outbreaks involving lunch meat, eggs, cucumbers and other commonly consumed foods, according to a report published Thursday.| The New Lede
May 28, 2025| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Call it a MAHA moment. At least a dozen US states – from traditionally conservative Oklahoma to liberal-leaning New York – are rushing to pass laws outlawing commonly used dyes and other chemical additives in foods, citing a need to protect public health.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam US regulators on Wednesday said a food additive long linked to cancer will no longer be allowed in food and drugs that are ingested, a regulatory decision health advocates have demanded for years.| The New Lede
April 30, 2025| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Besieged by thousands of lawsuits alleging that its paraquat weedkiller causes Parkinson’s disease, Syngenta has entered into an agreement aimed at settling large swaths of those claims.| The New Lede
July 31, 2025| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Scientists and public health advocates are warning of dire consequences amid a worsening climate crisis following the Trump administration’s announcement this week that regulators plan to rescind the “endangerment finding” that forms the basis for limits on greenhouse gas emissions.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Boosting US solar power by 15% could reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s electricity sector by more than 8.5 million metric tons, the equivalent of removing the emissions of nearly two million gas-powered cars annually, according to a new study.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher In the latest move to combat contamination of a Maryland community’s drinking water, two Salisbury residents allege Perdue Agribusiness is violating federal law by failing to properly dispose of waste that contains toxic PFAS chemicals, according to a lawsuit filed July 25.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Crude oil production on federal lands in the US is at a record high, increasing sixfold over the past 15 years, according to a new report from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher The Trump administration this week released a plan to fast-track the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in the US, delighting tech groups while alarming environmental advocates who point to the industry’s toxic emissions, high water usage and heavy reliance on fossil fuels.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam In the latest reversal of American environmental protections, US regulators said this week that they plan to approve a trio of new herbicide products made with dicamba, a controversial chemical that has wreaked havoc across farm country and sparked years of litigation, and twice drawn court-ordered bans.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam A group of US lawmakers failed on Tuesday to beat back a provision in a congressional appropriations bill that would help protect pesticide makers from being sued and could hinder state efforts to warn about risks of pesticide products.| The New Lede
A controversial Iowa water safety report has confirmed what many people in the state have long feared to be true: Dangerously high levels of farm chemicals, including nitrates and pesticides are polluting waterways with potentially dire health consequences for hundreds of thousands of residents.| The New Lede
By Meg Wilcox The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed on Friday a plan to eliminate its science research arm in a move critics say will| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Over 73 million people in the US are being exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals in their tap water, according to an analysis of data from a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water monitoring program.| The New Lede
July 17, 2025| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Adding to evidence about the pervasiveness of pesticides that endanger human and environmental health, new research has found widely used insecticides in Colorado waterways at levels 100 times higher than what researchers say is needed to protect aquatic life.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Taking specific aim at the global agrochemical companies Bayer and Syngenta, US Sen. Cory Booker on Thursday introduced legislation that would create a federal “right of action” allowing people to sue those pesticide makers and others for allegedly causing health harms such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Republicans are proposing deep cuts to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill, which additionally would provide new protections for pesticide makers and would limit federal help for farmers dealing with “forever chemical” contamination.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Detroit suffers from some of the worst air quality in the nation. But last year the startup JustAir partnered with Wayne County to put up 100 air monitors, shining a light on the worst sources of pollution and empowering residents and local officials.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another naturally derived food dye on Monday, making good on one of its key promises in the effort to rid the US food system of petroleum-based synthetic dyes.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Major food corporations are failing to effectively support farming practices that protect human and environmental health, according to an assessment of 20 companies released Thursday by a corporate watchdog group.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Pesticide applicators in North Carolina and Iowa who sprayed the insecticide carbaryl often during their career have a higher risk of getting stomach, esophageal, tongue and prostate cancers, according to new research led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Less than a month ahead of what would have been the first US trial over allegations that a popular weedkiller made by agrochemical giant Syngenta causes Parkinson’s disease, the parties have agreed to settle the case. With a looming Aug. 4 Philadelphia trial date, the case of Douglas Nemeth v. Syngenta, which previously was delayed multiple times, was being closely watched as the two sides battled over evidence to be presented and expert witnesses.| The New Lede
By Bill Walker Last year California shipped more than 156 million pounds of plastic waste to poor countries, with almost three-fourths sent to Mexico and another 44 million pounds sent to developing nations in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. That’s the reality behind the blue recycling bins Californians fill with plastic waste for curbside pickup. We may think we’re recycling, but we’re really sending much of our waste out of sight, out of mind.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Agricultural operations across Iowa are a leading cause of significant water pollution problems in the state, posing dire risks to public and environmental health, according to a new scientific report that is sparking heated debate in the key US farm state.| The New Lede
Bayer executives have been warning in recent weeks that after losing billions of dollars to Roundup case settlements and jury awards, they may be ready to give up the fight.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Consumers looking for healthy foods grown without the use of chemicals have long been able to shop grocery aisle for products carrying an “organic” label, a designation associated with natural processes that focus on soil health, animal well-being, and protections of delicate ecosystems.| The New Lede
By Dana Drugmand Heat-trapping emissions released over more than a century and a half by the world’s largest fossil fuel and cement producers are projected to cause global sea levels to rise about one to two feet through the year 2300, even if future emissions are drastically cut, according to new peer-reviewed research.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski US regulators are poised to approve a pesticide made with a controversial class of toxic chemicals, stoking concerns of new risks for farms across the country.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Moves by the Trump administration to draw up a new regulatory framework for types of toxic chemicals has sparked suspicion among health advocates who fear the changes will protect polluters but not public health.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Billed as a type of food system that works in harmony with nature, “regenerative” agriculture is gaining popularity in US farm country, garnering praise in books and films and as one of the goals of the Make America Healthy Again movement associated with new Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Chemicals used to make plastics more flexible are linked to more than 356,000 deaths annually across the globe, creating what researchers called a “substantial global health burden,” according to a new peer-reviewed study.| The New Lede
By Shannon Kelleher Federal regulators on Thursday withdrew a proposed framework for raw poultry products that was introduced under the Biden administration to reduce the spread of Salmonella bacteria, one of the leading pathogens involved in foodborne illness outbreaks.| The New Lede
By Dana Drugmand Carbon dioxide and methane emissions from the world’s biggest fossil fuel producers have likely caused trillions of dollars in economic damages due to intensifying heatwaves over the last 30 years, according to new peer-reviewed research.| The New Lede
By Brian Bienkowski Federal health officials announced plans Tuesday to phase out synthetic food dyes made from petroleum, marking a significant shift in how the U.S. regulates chemical additives in food.| The New Lede
By Carey Gillam Several types of fruits and vegetables generally considered to be healthy can contain levels of pesticide residues potentially unsafe for consumption, according to an analysis conducted by Consumer Reports (CR) released on Thursday. The report, which is based on seven years of data gathered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of its annual pesticide residue reporting program, concluded that 20% of 59 different fruit and vegetable categories included in the analy...| The New Lede
