RICHMOND, Va. — Environmental groups plan to speak out against the Trump administration's rollback of regulations that have cut mercury emissions at coal-fired power plants by 85 percent in the last decade.
The Environmental Protection Agency's daylong public hearing tackles proposed changes to an Obama administration rule, known as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. Utility companies say the rule has cost them $18 billion so far to reduce emissions from coal-plant smokestacks.
Despite those cleanup efforts, Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf said more work is necessary at chemical plants like the former DuPont facility - now known as Invista - in Waynesboro, which stopped its mercury contamination in the 1950s.
"Sixty-nine years later, we still have fish consumption advisories in the Shenandoah River, we have fish consumption advisories in the South River, and it's impacted the environment,” Frondorf said.
The Trump administration argues it is "providing regulatory certainty" by accurately estimating the costs of the rule. Frondorf will testify against the rule changes during today's public hearing at EPA headquarters in Washington. The hearing will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mercury causes brain damage, learning disabilities and other birth defects in children, among other problems. Frondorf said the mercury levels are so high in the South River, government officials have issued warnings saying no fish, with the exception of trout, should be consumed from the river.
"If you have an 8-year-old boy that you want to take fishing, are you really going to take them to the South River and let him eat trout, or let her eat trout, just because they say they're the only fish safe to eat?” Frondorf questioned. “So, it’s also impacted not just the environment, but also the economy of that area down there."
Frondorf added changing the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards now would also affect all the plants that have already invested in upgrades over the years to reduce their pollution output.
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Missouri may, at one time, have had a reputation as the "meth-lab capital of the country" - but a five-part podcast uncovers its true history.
"Home Cooked: A Fifty-Year History of Meth in America" delves into the relationship of methamphetamine use with broader drug policies and social and cultural ramifications.
Reporter Olivia Weeks with The Daily Yonder, who produced and hosts the podcast, said meth use was once associated with rural areas, but that assumption is inaccurate. Weeks said Missouri fought back against its meth-lab reputation.
"They policed their meth-lab problem really strongly, and had really high lab bust numbers and then those have basically disappeared," she said. "But now, the rest of the country is dealing with this problem that was associated with Missouri."
In the podcast, she explains that most of the methamphetamine entering the United States comes through commercial points of entry, hidden in legal shipping containers, rather than being smuggled across the border by individuals.
Weeks said the real dangers of meth result in part from it being outlawed. She explained that even when it was a prescription drug in the 1950s and '60s, there was illegal use - but at least it was made by pharmaceutical companies. Once methamphetamine became illegal, she said, the lack of control over its production has led to environmental damage and dangerous chemical processes being attempted in home labs.
"The main problem, main danger of using methamphetamine is that you don't know what's in it," she said, "and you don't know what dose you're taking."
She acknowledged the pharmaceutical industry's history of exploiting addictive drugs, and cautioned against a simple solution such as decriminalizing or legalizing meth use. Instead, she said, her research has prompted her to support harm-reduction strategies that keep users safe.
This story was produced with original reporting by Olivia Weeks for The Daily Yonder.
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Minnesota is the site of a high-profile drinking-water contamination case linked with so-called forever chemicals and advocates are hopeful residents will be protected in the future by a new national standard announced Wednesday.
The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a final rule which, for the first time, sets a legally enforceable drinking-water benchmark for PFAS chemicals all states will have to follow. Scientists have been highlighting health risks with more detection of PFAS in everyday products and water sources.
Avonna Starck, state director for Clean Water Action, said requiring near-zero levels sends a strong message.
"We've been hearing from polluters that it's too hard, it's too expensive, it's not feasible to stop using these chemicals," Starck pointed out. "This standard really said, 'No, actually this is something that we're gonna do, this is something that we can do.'"
There is some concern from operators of public water systems, who fret about costs to update facilities. However, officials noted there is federal funding to help with the transition. Minnesota recently adopted its own PFAS law, which emphasizes product bans, following a 2018 settlement with manufacturer 3M over claims its production of PFAS chemicals damaged drinking water and natural resources.
The subsequent state law was named in honor of Amara Strande, who died last year from cancer her family believes is linked to the toxic chemical waste from 3M. Her sister Nora said the new federal standard for drinking water is welcome news.
"PFAS is in the air, it's in the water, it's in our products, it's in our land," Strande outlined. "We need to work on this on multiple levels."
Under the new rule, the EPA estimated between 6% and 10% of 66,000 public drinking water systems around the U.S. may have to take action to reduce PFAS. All of them have three years to complete initial monitoring. If levels exceed the new standards, the systems must take corrective action within five years.
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Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
Alexa Friedman, senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, explained food is the primary way most people in Wyoming and across the nation are exposed to pesticides, which have been linked to a number of negative health outcomes.
"Things like cardio metabolic disorders, different types of diabetes, as well as some cancers," Friedman outlined. "If you are exposed to multiple pesticides over the course of a lifetime they might lead to a greater risk in any of these health outcomes."
Conventionally-grown strawberries top this year's Dirty Dozen list, followed by spinach, kale and collard and mustard greens, grapes, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries and green beans.
Fungicides, which can be endocrine disrupters and harm human hormone systems, are often applied after harvest to keep produce mold-free on its way to market. Most of the produce tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture fell within the legal allowance for pesticide residue but Friedman argued "legal" does not necessarily mean "safe."
"Even if the amount of pesticides are within legal limits on these produce, it doesn't mean it's safe for everyone, particularly susceptible populations like children," Friedman stressed.
The shopper's guide also includes the Clean Fifteen, a list of fruits and vegetables with very low or no pesticide residues. Organic avocados, sweet corn and pineapple top the list.
Friedman encouraged people to continue to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, organic or conventional, due to their nutritional value compared with highly processed foods.
"We always recommend continuing to consume fruits and vegetables, and to up your fruit and vegetable intake," Friedman pointed out. "If you are interested in purchasing organic versions of the produce that's on the Dirty Dozen, there are also some more budget friendly options in the frozen aisles."
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