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E&E News: Why Trump’s bid to save coal might raise your water bill

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · 2d

Will allowing coal plants to continue with outdated water pollution controls actually save Americans' money, as the Trump administration has said? Maybe not, according to the agency's own cost-benefit analysis.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...

EPA says delaying wastewater curbs at coal plants will lower electricity prices, but it could spur higher costs for cleaning up drinking water.

An Explosion Left a Black Town Contaminated. Politics Are Stunting the Cleanup.

Reposted by Miranda Willson

adam mahoney (he/him) @adamlmahoney.bsky.social · 7d

For at least two days last month, federal workers could not clean up the black oily goop in this Louisianan town beca of funding issues and a legitimate threat of gun violence.

My latest:

Capital B @capitalb.bsky.social · 7d

For Black Louisianans, health fears mount as federal crews face delays, threats, and funding shortfalls at the oil disaster site.

For Black Louisianans, health fears mount as federal crews face delays, threats, and funding shortfalls at the oil disaster site.

capitalbnews.org

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · 20d

It's not clear how many projects are affected. But it'll be interesting to see how this plays among lawmakers in flood-prone states.

"It’s important that we come to a sensible, commonsense solution & not one that just says, ‘Nonstructural is all done here,’” Sen. Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said yesterday.

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · 20d

Studies on future "nonstructural" flood control projects are paused at the Army Corps of Engineers. Rather than hold back floodwaters through things like levees & seawalls, these projects aim to reduce flood harms, by elevating homes, flood-proofing properties & offering people buyouts.

E&E News: Army Corps halts some large-scale flood studies

The agency intends to reevaluate whether nonstructural projects, such as home elevations, are a good use of its resources.

A pillar of the state's coastal restoration plan is dead. Its backers say it would have offered the most effective, natural storm protection.

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Reposted by Miranda Willson

Politico @politico.com · Aug 29

Katrina inspired a $3B wetlands rebuilding project. Louisiana just killed it.

www.politico.com

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Aug 28

EPA has proposed a regulation under the Clean Water Act that could eliminate protections for many wetlands and small streams. I obtained slides from a presentation given to agency staff yesterday with details on the rule, which is currently being reviewed by the White House.

EPA plans to dramatically reduce wetland protection

A proposal shared with staffers Wednesday would shrink the reach of Clean Water Act permitting and oversight.

www.latimes.com/environment/...

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Reposted by Miranda Willson

Todd Woody @toddwoody.bsky.social · Aug 7

Homeowners say the Army Corps and its contractors mishandled L.A. fire debris cleanup

Complaints by survivors and internal government reports reveal a number of lapses and inconsistencies in Eaton and Palisades wildfire cleanup.

www.latimes.com

GHG booster to Zeldin: Beware ‘public health harms’ of regulations

Reposted by Miranda Willson

Rachel Santarsiero @rsanta.bsky.social · Aug 4

@politico.com’s E&E News first reported on the March EPA meeting back in April, and today, @mirandawrites.bsky.social posted an update about the meeting citing the new @nsarchive.bsky.social docs. Read her piece here:
www.eenews.net/articles/ghg...

Documents show that fossil energy promoter Alex Epstein asked the EPA administrator to stop using a scientific model to project climate impacts.

www.notus.org/climate-envi...

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Reposted by Miranda Willson

Anna Kramer @annackramer.bsky.social · Jul 31

E&E News: Trump 1.0 funded her PFAS study. Trump 2.0 revoked it.

Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jul 30

“If we're not going to see this kind of funding from the EPA, where is it going to show up?” Preisendanz said. “PFAS research is so expensive. You can fund the student, but if that student doesn't have money for sample analysis or sample collection, it's not very helpful."

A research project on "forever chemicals" was abruptly canceled by EPA in April. The agency still wanted the report, though.

E&E News: EPA bars Trump admin critic from expert panel

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jul 28

The council member is Elin Betanzo, a Michigan-based water engineer. The council met today to discuss EPA's plan to rescind its drinking water regulation for 4 types of PFAS and extend compliance deadlines for 2 other PFAS -- a shift that Betanzo said she opposes.

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jul 28

EPA ordered a member of its drinking water advisory council to “cease all work” for the agency after she signed a letter criticizing Administrator Lee Zeldin’s policies. She is now being investigated by EPA.

The move sets a “dangerous precedent,” said the engineer and consultant who is a member of the agency's National Drinking Water Advisory Council.

“Staggering” Water Loss Driven by Groundwater Mining Poses Global Threat

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Reposted by Miranda Willson

Abrahm @abrahm.bsky.social · Jul 25

A looming global water crisis may be under appreciated as climate change takes hold. Today I report on a new study that finds the planet is quickly drying, with mega-regions of water loss now stretching across continents. www.propublica.org/article/wate...

A new study finds that freshwater resources are rapidly disappearing, creating arid “mega” regions and causing sea levels to rise.

www.propublica.org

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jul 25

A coalition of North Carolina fishing guides, wildlife biologists & environmentalists say the colossal FEMA-funded cleanup after Hurricane Helene has left rural stretches of rivers less healthy than they were after the storm and caused more damage to endangered species than the storm itself.

E&E News: Critics blast damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene cleanup

“We’re scratching our heads and thinking the recovery activities were actually more damaging than the storm itself," said a North Carolina official.

E&E News: Trump admin inks deal with Mexico over sewage crisis

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jul 25

The Trump administration reached an agreement with Mexico to work toward resolving a sewage pollution crisis at the San Diego-Tijuana border. Experts welcomed the news, while noting that there's no silver bullet & that the Mexican Congress still needs to agree to fund infrastructure improvements.

Experts described it as a first step toward cleaning up the Tijuana River Valley, if both countries uphold their ends of the pact.

E&E News: Florida proposes Everglades tract for migrant detention

Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jun 24

A 24,960-acre site in the Everglades teeming with wildlife will soon house a "temporary" migrant jail. Gov. DeSantis is citing an emergency order on immigration to move forward quickly. Unclear if environmental permits are needed, but 96% of the site is covered in wetlands, one group says.

"If people get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons," state Attorney General James Uthmeier said.

‘Forever chemicals’ industry aims to capitalize on AI boom

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Jun 11

PFAS manufacturers are making the case that they’re essential to winning the AI race & making semiconductors in the U.S. — a priority under both Trump and Biden. Now, two major chemical plants are seeking to ramp up production, spurring fresh concerns about pollution from the man-made substances.

Semiconductor production is impossible without PFAS, spurring fresh concerns about increased contamination tied to the toxic substances.

Infamous PFAS polluter still spewing ‘forever chemicals’

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · May 19

When EPA announced a crackdown on a West Virginia chemical plant in 2023, it was hailed as the first federal action to hold PFAS manufacturers accountable for polluting water. But the plant continues to violate its permit limits for PFAS, which experts say are not very protective to begin with.

Water utilities far down the Ohio River from Chemours’ West Virginia plant are alarmed by its PFAS discharges. Will EPA step up?

E&E News: EPA restructuring spurs questions on ‘forever chemicals’ plans

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · May 7

EPA is dissolving its dedicated research & science team in the Office of Water and dispersing its staff across different departments. The change affects the team that develops standards for industrial pollutants, including toxic PFAS, to prevent them from getting into rivers, lakes and streams.

The agency says limits on PFAS pollution are coming. But it's also eliminating the office that works on them.

E&E News: State environmental agencies slam Trump’s EPA funding cuts

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · May 5

Environmental regulators from red & blue states say proposed EPA budget cuts could force them to give up their federal permitting authorities.

Republicans have long argued that states, not EPA, should carry out programs under laws like the Clean Water Act. But they need funding to do so.

In rare bipartisan pushback, state regulators say they might need to give up federal permitting authority if the White House proposal is enacted.

Rachel Frazin — Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America - with Miranda Willson — at The Wharf

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Reposted by Miranda Willson

Rachel Frazin @rachelfrazin.bsky.social · May 1

Tomorrow, @mirandawrites.bsky.social and I will be at Politics and Prose at The Wharf

politics-prose.com/rachel-frazin

politics-prose.com

Rachel Frazin — Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America - with Miranda Willson — at The Wharf

Reposted by Miranda Willson

Rachel Frazin @rachelfrazin.bsky.social · Apr 30

DC friends, in two days you can join me and @mirandawrites.bsky.social for a discussion on PFAS and my new book! See ya soon!!

#BookSky

politics-prose.com/rachel-frazin

politics-prose.com

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Miranda Willson @mirandawrites.bsky.social · Apr 24

A member of Sen. Capito's staff tried to intervene last month after EPA froze a $1 million grant to help West Virginia address toxic chemical pollution.

The agency still terminated the grant, which focuses on PFAS contamination, because it "no longer supports Administration priorities," EPA said.

E&E News: Capito pushed back after EPA froze toxic pollution grant

The agency terminated a grant to address "forever chemicals" in West Virginia due to its connection to environmental justice.