Environment
U.S. House Dems want data on impact of Supreme Court ruling on wetlands protection
Top Democrats on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asked federal agencies Monday to track possible negative effects from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited federal authority to regulate clean water. Washington’s Rick Larsen, the ranking Democrat on the committee, and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee ranking member Grace Napolitano of California, […]
Tribal leaders, environmental advocates decry Enbridge appeal of Line 5 ruling
Canadian energy giant Enbridge has appealed a federal court ruling in Wisconsin. In a June 16 ruling, a federal judge in Wisconsin ordered Enbridge to shut down its Line 5 pipeline that runs through Michigan within three years and pay more than $5 million in profits to the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. […]
Thanks to federal tax credits, it’s boom time in the Midwest for carbon dioxide pipelines
Thousands of miles of carbon dioxide pipelines planned in the Midwest have been spurred, in part, by a major expansion of federal tax credits in Democrats’ 2022 climate law. That could lead to billions of dollars per year in federal tax credits benefiting the powerful Midwest ethanol industry, even as the proposals create intense conflicts […]
Summer wildfire threat could imperil unexpected US regions: the Northeast and Midwest
WASHINGTON — In a summer of drought, smoke and haze, wildfires could flare up in unusual locations in the United States over the next few months — including New England and the Midwest, according to federal forecasters. “The predominant threat looks to be the Northeast, which is not normal,” said Jim Karels, the fire director […]
Climate change is killing us. It’s time to act.
Every day last week I woke up dismayed to see the haze from the Canadian wildfire smoke. I am dismayed because as a rural family doctor I know how damaging this smoke is to my community. I am dismayed not just at the harm this summer’s smoke is doing to my community. I am dismayed […]
Wildfire smoke prompts health warnings, calls for climate action and for public health response
With haze from Canadian wildfires blanketing much of Wisconsin this week, state health and environmental agencies issued warnings to the public and advocacy organizations called for stronger measures Tuesday. In a virtual briefing Tuesday, a state health department official said that the general public should stay indoors with windows and doors shut as much as […]
Wisconsin DNR issues multi-day air quality alert
Hazy skies and poor air quality caused by Canadian wildfires will persist across Wisconsin until mid-day Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warns. According to the DNR’s current, multi-day air-quality advisory, the most significant health impacts are anticipated between noon on Tuesday, June 27 and noon on Wednesday, June 28. Conditions may change rapidly […]
System to ‘annihilate’ PFAS chemicals deployed in Michigan
“Forever chemical” has become a widespread nickname for man-made chemicals like per and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS). The same qualities that made them perfect for non-stick food wrappers and firefighting foam also made them unnaturally persistent in the environment. The developers of a new technology say they’ve come up with a way to take the “forever” […]
Drought hits the Midwest, threatening crops and the world’s food supply
City leaders in Storm Lake, a rural community of 11,000 in Northwest Iowa, are asking residents not to wash their cars or water their yards and gardens during the hottest part of the day. The city also has cut back on watering public recreational spaces, such as ballfields and golf courses. These are highly unusual […]
Toxic mercury is a real summer fun buzzkill
Summer fun is underway in Wisconsin. As the outdoor recreation season heats up, the state is fresh off a record-breaking $23.7 billion tourism season in 2022. That means hundreds of thousands of visitors every year are breathing our air, drinking our water, and eating our abundant fish. It’s not all fun and games, of course. […]
Statehouses debate who should build EV charging networks
Though they only make up a fraction of cars and trucks on the road now, many projections — from Wall Street firms, trade groups and automakers themselves — predict an imminent surge in electric vehicles over the next decade. S&P Global estimates that the nearly 2 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads today will grow […]
Tribe has mixed reaction to federal judge’s Line 5 shutdown order
Leaders of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on Monday welcomed a federal judge’s order to Enbridge Energy Co. to shut down its line 5 in Northern Wisconsin, but criticized the order’s three-year timeline. “The Band appreciates the Court putting an end to Enbridge’s flagrant trespass and disregard for our rights,” said Mike […]