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Drone footage showed the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 6, 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

Monday, April 22, 2024

East Palestine concerns linger over vinyl chloride exposure

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they continue to live with health problems, including rashes, nosebleeds and respiratory issues following last …

From 2017 to 2019, Ohio ranked 46th among 50 states for pollution exposure, including exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Researchers link air pollution with dementia risk

Recent data ranks Columbus as the most polluted major city in the U.S., highlighting concerns about common pollutants, like smog and vehicle …

According to the American Lung Association, children face special risks from air pollution because their airways are small and still developing, and because they breathe more rapidly and inhale more air relative to their size than do adults. (Adobe Stock)

Nurses voice support for new EPA light/medium vehicle air pollution rules

The Environmental Protection Agency has set new air pollution standards under the federal Clean Air Act for cars and light/medium vehicle models from …

There are nearly 1 million acres of modern coal mines in 12 states that have not yet been reclaimed, according to analyses by Appalachian Voices and the Western Organization of Resource Councils. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Advocates propose solutions to stop zombie mines in Ohio, other states

Advocates from coal-mining communities are proposing a roadmap to help address and prevent so-called "zombie mines," - abandoned mine lands on hold in…

By 2030, more than 1 in 5 Americans will be at least 65 years old and by 2050, the number of people aged 60 and older globally is expected to double to more than 2 billion. (Cala Serrano/Adobe Stock)

Older adults and climate advocacy

While scientists say extreme climate changes are happening more frequently, a new study aims to link aging adults to its risks and their potential to …

Research shows people living in rural areas and communities of color are more likely to worry about exposure to air pollution. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Cleveland expands local air monitoring program

The City of Cleveland wants new community air advisers to help expand air monitoring in historically redlined neighborhoods. Christina Yoka…

Fracking-related activities release an estimated 450,000 tons of pollutants into the air each year nationwide, which can have immediate public health effects.(Adobe Stock)<br />

Activists rally over pending fracking on Ohio's state lands

A governor-appointed commission could begin approving fracking leases on Ohio's state lands as early as next month. Jenny Morgan a volunteer for the …

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (dvande/Adobe Stock)

Board games help players understand climate change

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing standards to regulate HAP emissions from five unmeasured fugitive and intermittent particulate sources that currently are not regulated. (Clive Winward/Wirestock Creators/Adobe Stock)

EPA's Last Call on Comments About Rules for Blast Furnaces is Today

Emission standards for blast furnaces such as the iron and steel mills in Ohio have not been updated in years. The Environmental Protection Agency …

$By 2025, estimated health damages caused by methane leakage during fracking would cost $13-29 billion each year, according to the consulting firm Seed Scientific. (Adobe Stock)<br />$

Dangers of Fracking Wastewater Put Spotlight on 'Halliburton Loophole'

A law known as the "Halliburton Loophole" is under growing scrutiny. It exempts oil and gas companies from revealing the chemicals they use in the …

Ohio Army National Guard and Ohio State Highway Patrol officers assist with traffic control after the train derailment in East Palestine. (Flickr/Ohio National Guard)<br />

East Palestine Residents Want FEMA to Address Long-Term Needs

Four months after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, residents say they continue to struggle with ongoing health problems, and face an …

Train cars containing hazardous chemicals burned after a Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. (Jamie Cozza)<br /><br />

How Dangerous Was Ohio Chemical Train Derailment?

By Andrew J. Whelton for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Ohio News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

East Palestine, Ohio, resident Kyla Rose Cozza, 3, plays in her backyard just a few steps away from one of the creeks now contaminated with toxic chemicals after a massive train derailment Feb. 3. (Jamie Cozza)<br />

Lacking Answers, East Palestine Residents Plan to Test Soil, Water

East Palestine, Ohio, residents have been given the green light to return home, but many believe it is not safe to do so. They're experiencing skin …

Exposure to polluted sites such as coal-ash ponds can cause cancer, respiratory issues and other health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Civil Cases Against Industrial Polluters at Record Low

The Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement of federal pollution rules has plummeted. In 2022, the agency referred 88 cases to the Justice …

A survey found 70% of voters who are concerned about climate change support a national climate emergency declaration. (Adobe Stock)

Inaction on Climate Change Called an 'Unprecedented Failure'

Calling it a "clear and present danger," President Joe Biden announced new measures last week to make communities more resilient against climate chang…

$A 2019 blowout at an Ohio fracking well released an estimated 60,000 tons of methane gas. <br />(Ohio State Highway Patrol)$

Ohio's Low-Producing Wells Leave Huge Methane Footprint

They account for a minuscule amount of U.S. oil and gas production, but new research found low-producing oil and gas wells have a large methane …

Acid mine drainage from surface mining in eastern Ohio is just one of the environmental hazards of abandoned mine sites. (Jack Pearce/Flickr)

Mine Reclamation Funding: A 'Game Changer' for Eastern Ohio

Efforts to rectify the lingering environmental legacy of coal mining in Ohio are getting a big financial boost. The new federal infrastructure law …

Nutrient loading in the Ohio River leads to harmful algae blooms that threaten drinking water. In 2019, one bloom occurred that spanned 300 miles; 2015 saw another across 700 miles. (Rick Lohre/Adobe Stock)

Groups Look to New Administration to Clean Up Ohio River

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Groups that advocate for water quality are urging the incoming Biden administration to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act…

State and federal policies that protect Ohio's landscape often start at the ballot box. (Dan Keck/Flickr)

Ohioans Encouraged to Speak Up for Nature

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- From the bluffs of Lake Erie to banks of the Ohio River, Ohioans are encouraged to keep the protection of the Buckeye State's …

Does Senate Bill 33 chill free speech or protect public safety? (Adobe Stock)

Ohio 'Anti-Protest' Bill Could Move to House Floor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio House committee could vote today to approve so-called "anti-protest" legislation. The House Public Utilities …

Within less than two miles in Cuyahoga County, there is a 23-year difference between the neighborhoods with the highest and lowest life expectancies. (The Center for Community Solutions)

In Ohio, the Poorer Your Neighborhood, the Shorter Your Life

COLUMBUS, Ohio ï¿½ While no one is guaranteed a long and healthy life, where a person resides in Ohio could be one determining factor…

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has protected access to places such as Ohio's Wayne National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service)

Veterans Raise Their Voices to Protect Public Lands

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Some U.S. military veterans want Congress to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program …

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative helped restore 2,500 acres of marsh and 600 acres of wetlands in the Mentor Marsh along Lake Erie's shoreline. (Erik Drost/Flickr)

Ohioans on Capitol Hill as a Voice for Lake Erie

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lake Erie can't speak for itself, so dozens of Ohioans will be its voice this week on Capitol Hill. They join hundreds from …

Since 2010, Ohio has received $13M in EPA grants for Cuyahoga River projects. (Tim Evanson/Flickr)

Discussion Highlights Ohio Impacts of Proposed EPA Cuts

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio residents and environmental experts are holding a panel discussion at the Center of Science and Industry Tuesday on the …

As Oklahoma Attorney General, Environmental Protection Agency administrator nominee Scott Pruitt sued the agency more than a dozen times. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia)

Pruitt Opponents Continue Fight Ahead of Vote

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Senate is nearing a vote to confirm Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, but opponents are …

Portions of the Clean Air Act could be eliminated under measures now being considered in Congress. (Pixabay)

Is Congress Working Behind Closed Doors to Gut Clean-Air Laws?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Health and environmental groups are speaking out about what they say are efforts by Congress behind closed doors to gut …

A pledge of resistance is traveling from the RNC to the DNC. (Grassroots Global Justice)

"Pledge of Resistance" Travels from RNC to DNC

CLEVELAND - Grassroots leaders from across the country are taking their own pledge of resistance to racism, misogyny and xenophobic policies in the …

There are 38 nuclear reactors on the Great Lakes, and a watchdog group says more people need to get involved in the effort to protect our water. (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Watchdog Group Urges Vigilance on Great Lakes Nuclear Waste

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Between Canada and the United States there are 38 nuclear reactors on the Great Lakes, and a watchdog group says if something isn't …

$Organic farmer Mardy Townsend of Ashtabula County is worried about the effects of fracking waste on the environment, as well as her crops. Courtesy: Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association.$

Ohioans Join Call to End Waste, Quakes Tied to Fracking

WINDSOR, Ohio – From spills to earthquakes, environmental and agriculture groups say hydraulic fracturing poses serious threats to land…

Taking to Heart Pope’s Message of Environmental Protection

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Pope Francis' whirlwind trip to the United States is over, but some environmental advocates expect his message of …

PHOTO: Most Ohio coal-burning power plants have already installed new pollution control technology, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling is forcing the EPA to take into account compliance costs to utilities. Photo courtesy of EPA.

Mercury Pollution Control Creates Clouds of Confusion

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule is being cheered and jeered in Ohio. The court has …

PHOTO: Dozens of Ohioans are in Pittsburgh this week to testify at EPA public hearings on the agency's plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. Photo credit: A. Shazly/Flickr Creative Commons.

Ohio Caravan Travels to Pittsburgh to Speak Out on Clean Air

CLEVELAND - Buses are leaving from Toledo, Columbus, Cleveland and Akron as dozens of Ohioans travel east to Pittsburgh to speak out on the …

$PHOTO: 2014 accident involving a truck carrying freshwater for fracking occurred adjacent to Seneca Lake, Ohio. CREDIT: FracTracker/Leatra Harper.$

More Crashes and Arrests? Report Examines Social Costs of Fracking in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The rapid growth of the oil and gas industry is changing the faces of many of Ohio's small towns. A new analysis finds a correlation …

Ohio Shows Improvement in "State of the Air" Report

COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's a story of good news and bad news in the new "State of the Air" report, released today by the American Lung Association…

Michael Greenman of Columbus, Ohio, national moderator of the Move to Amend Interfaith Caucus

The Faith Community Says Corporations Are Not People

COLUMBUS, Ohio - One group that disagrees with the 2010 "Citizen United" Supreme Court decision, which ruled that corporations are people and money …

$PHOTO:The recent West Virginia chemical spill is heightening concerns about a U.S. Coast Guard proposal to allow the waste from hydraulic fracturing or �fracking� to be shipped on waterways, including the Ohio River. Photo courtesy of noaa.gov.$

Concerns Continue over Fracking Waste on the Ohio River

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the wake of the recent chemical spill in West Virginia that tainted the water supply for 300,000 people, there's a call to …

PHOTO: Ohio environmentalists say West Virginia's recent chemical spill has heightened concerns about turbulence at the Ohio EPA. Photo of Ohio River courtesy Ohio Sierra Club.

WV Spill Heightens Concerns about Ohio EPA

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the wake of West Virginia's big chemical spill, environmentalists are questioning whether the Ohio Environmental Protection …

IMAGE: Scientists will join with clergy from across the state this weekend to discuss ways in which climate change can be a matter of faith. Photo courtesy Ohio Interfaith Power and Light.

Climate Change as a Matter of Faith in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scientists and clergy members from across the state get together this weekend to discuss the ways in which climate change is a …

PHOTO: Carroll County, just southwest of Canton, is at the center of Ohio�s shale gas boom. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are examining methane and other components in groundwater wells that could be linked to the process. Photo courtesy of Paul Feezel.

Water Quality Impact Study in Ohio’s Fracking Hotbed

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Oil shale gas development has taken parts of Ohio by storm, and researchers are going to a hotbed of hydraulic fracturing …

Workers in Ohio’s Fields Seek Better Pesticide Protections

COLUMBUS, Ohio - More needs to be done to protect those working Ohio's and the country's fields from exposure to hazardous pesticides: That's the …

$GRAPHIC: Experts from across the country are meeting in Ohio today to discuss the impacts of hydraulic fracturing in the state. Map of Utica & Marcellus permits in Ohio. Courtesy of FracTracker.$

A Meeting of the Minds Over Fracking in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It's a first-of-its-kind meeting of the minds when it comes to fracking in the Buckeye State. Today and Saturday, scientists…

$Violators of fracking waste laws may soon face tougher penalties in the Buckeye State. Photo courtesy of Western Resource Advocates$

Ohio Bills Steps Up Punishment for Fracking Waste Law Violators

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Violators of fracking waste laws may soon face tougher penalties in the Buckeye State. Just a few weeks after an incident involving …

$PHOTO: Investigation continues into a fracking waste spill into storm drains leading into the Mahoning River near Youngstown.$

Questions Linger in Ohio Fracking Waste Spill

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The unlawful disposal of thousands of gallons of fracking waste in Ohio is drawing the ire of residents and environmental groups…

PHOTO: Picture of Seneca Lake. Courtesy Southeast Ohio Alliance to Save Our Water.

Will Fracking Dry Up Ohio’s Water Resources?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Residents and conservationists in Ohio are expressing concerns that the thirst for fracking in their state will dry up water …

Ohio Kids with Asthma: The Real Face of Climate Change?

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Thousands of Ohio children with asthma struggle to breathe each day, and some experts say a major culprit is smog caused by …

Lake Erie Power Plant Targeted in Fish Kill Case

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Conservationists want a Lake Erie power plant near Toledo to change its ways, and now they're taking the battle to court. …

Report: BP Can’t Be Singled Out

As the costs of Gulf Coast cleanup efforts from the BP oil spill continue to rise, a new report examines the industry as a whole, in terms of safety …

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

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OH: Environmental Justice