Water / Public News Service

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Lake Erie is exposed to the greatest stress from urbanization, industrialization and agriculture, and leads in the amount of liquid waste from sewage treatment and plants. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

OH group wants federal accountability for Lake Erie phosphorus reduction

Legal action continues in efforts at cleaning up a portion of Ohio's waterways. The Ohio EPA has been added as a defendant, along with the U.S. EPA…

The six largest water systems in Tennessee collectively manage more thanb 874,000 service lines, accounting for more than 30% of the state's more than 2.8 million drinking-water lines. (Brian Jackson/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Tennessee accelerating efforts to replace lead pipes

Tennessee is working to eliminate lead pipes under the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which require most lead pipes to be removed within …

The Lower Umatilla Groundwater Management Area was designated in 1990, after nitrate contamination was identified in northern Umatilla and Morrow counties. (Miljan �ivković/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Report: Nitrate levels continue to rise in eastern OR groundwater

A new study by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality found nitrate levels have continued to rise across the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater …

A University of Connecticut study found a growing concentration of certain neonicotinoid pesticides along the state's coast, suggesting potential accumulation and transport of the insecticides. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Report: Harmful pesticides found in CT rivers, groundwater

A new report showed a growing problem of harmful pesticides in Connecticut waterways. The University of Connecticut study analyzed 20 years of data…

In Muskegon's 2023 water report, lead levels in 90% of the tests were at or below 5 parts per billion (ppb), which is far below the action level of 15 ppb. (Dusan Petkovic/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Federal funds key to keeping MI cities' water lead free

Federal funds have ensured Muskegon's water is safe to drink, but city leaders there and in other Michigan communities are concerned the funds may …

Replacing all the lead water pipes in New York State will cost an estimated $2.5 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

NY works to replace lead water pipes, despite funding challenges

Despite sharp national political divisions, states including New York are working to eliminate lead in drinking water pipes. The current challenge …

A recent study found nearly 70% of children under age six in Chicago may be exposed to lead contaminated tap water. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

IL works toward lead-free water pipes

Illinois has been working to replace all its lead water pipes but the task is enormous, as it is estimated the state has the most lead service lines …

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates Indiana has more than 265,000 customer-owned lead water service lines currently in use. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Indiana steps up to get the lead out

Indiana is working to eliminate lead pipes under the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which require most lead …

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Student Leadership Council members gather around an Eastern hellbender at the Pittsburgh Zoo in 2018. The students spearheaded the effort to designate the hellbender as Pennsylvania's official state amphibian. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Eastern hellbender, PA's state amphibian, faces endangered-species protection

The Eastern hellbender, North America's largest salamander and Pennsylvania's state amphibian, is one step closer to receiving federal protection…

Iowa is home to more than 25 million pigs, making it the largest pork producer in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

Watchdog group asks lawmakers for more Iowa CAFO oversight

Environmental advocates in Iowa want state lawmakers to tighten regulations on large livestock feeding facilities, which they say will help protect …

Infrastructure experts say there is a $1 trillion dollar need for drinking water, stormwater and wastewater improvements over the next 20 years in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

MN cities dig deep for safe drinking water, but can they meet goals?

An Environmental Protection Agency rule, finalized near the end of the Biden administration, calls on states and cities to replace all lead pipes in …

We Don't Waste serves more than 100 hunger relief organizations across Denver, and has so far saved 220 million servings of food. (Galatas)

Denver nonprofit tackles food waste, hunger

By Taylor Haelterman for Triple Pundit.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

Experts say potential health impacts from exposure to nitrates from farm runoff include thyroid problems, adverse pregnancy outcomes and certain types of cancer. (Adobe Stock)

New lawsuit says MN needs tougher action on nitrate pollution

The State of Minnesota faces a new lawsuit over the connection between harmful nitrates from farm fields and the threat they pose to natural resources…

Researchers in industries from food production to textiles to technology are using microbes to make products like bioplastics, biofuel, metals and animal feed. (Adobe Stock)

WI researchers use microbes to transform wastewater

By Carolyn Beans for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reportin…

Small streams account for a very small percentage of total surface area, yet a study found they contribute 20% to 30% of total nitrous oxide emissions, making them

IL research shows high greenhouse gas levels in farm streams

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

Water districts in Los Angeles are working to reduce the region's reliance on water imported from Northern California by recycling more wastewater and encouraging greater conservation. (Craig Dietrick/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

Conservation groups slam Trump’s executive order on CA water policy

President Donald Trump's new executive order on California water policy is drawing criticism from many water conservation advocates. The order …

A Dow Chemical plant, one of 200 such facilities, sits on the banks of the Mississippi River in what is called

LA community group wins suit against parish for open meeting violations

A judge has ruled that elected officials in St. James Parish broke Louisiana's open meetings law by conferring secretly with a Chinese company …

The average Colorado feedlot now holds 13,000 cattle. (Adobe Stock)

Map spotlights drinking water risks of CO factory farms

Some one million cattle confined in Colorado factory feedlots produce 24 billion pounds of manure each year. That's four times the amount of feces …

Ohio has nearly 750,000 lead service lines, the third-highest number in the U.S. out of over 6 million such lines still in use nationwide, according to the EPA. (PikePicture/Adobe Stock)

Ohio communities look to update water systems

Lead contamination in drinking water continues to be a significant concern in Ohio. With new federal regulations to tackle the issue, local water …

Factory farms are responsible for between 11% and 20% of global greenhouse emissions, according to the group World Animal Protection. (By Larry Rana-USDA, Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

UN Green Climate Fund invests in KY factory farming, report finds

By Sophie Kevany for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Road deicers, usually a form of salt applied on wintry roads, can eventually be swept away by rain or thaw, forming a bad brew for local waters. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Road salts are hazardous to PA rivers, streams and critters

Just like overindulging in salt is bad for your health, so too is the excessive use of road salt on the environment. Since 2020, PennDOT reported …

Under the Agricultural Water Optimization Program, the maximum grant amount for irrigation/canal companies is $1,000,000, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. (Adobe Stock)

Utah program incentivizes farmers to optimize water use

A Utah grant program is aiming to incentivize farmers to optimize their water use. Historically, Utah agriculture has accounted for up to 80% of the …

Larger livestock operations have become a flashpoint in Midwestern states, with backers saying they are modernized to feed the world at lower costs. But some local communities and environmentalists remain skeptical, with air and water quality concerns. (Adobe Stock)

SD pushes to keep certain CAFO details nearly out of reach

Larger livestock operations can be a thorny issue in rural areas and South Dakota lawmakers are proposing restricting feedlot details with more commun…

The hottest year on record was 2024, as average global temperatures continue to rise due to the use of fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

As President Donald Trump abandons a promise the U.S. made in Paris nearly a decade ago, organized workers across Colorado are joining forces to …

A study found water loss from evaporation at four eastern Washington dam reservoirs will grow by 3.4% over the next three decades. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

Study finds 'hidden cost' of WA lower Snake River dams

Dams on the lower Snake River in Washington state are losing water to evaporation at a rapid rate, according to a new study. The reservoirs created …

Enbridge's Line 5 can transport 540,000 barrels per day of petroleum liquids. (Dean Pennala/Adobe Stock)

New report: Enbridge’s Line 5 plan costly, flawed

ADDITION: Comments by Enbridge, received after deadline, have been added. (10:10 a.m. MST, Jan. 22, 2025) A new report says Enbridge's plan to build …

UMD researchers say Lake Superior's raw wave power tends to run from September to May. But climate change might be extending those conditions, potentially opening the door to more exploration of converting wave energy into electricity. (Adobe Stock)

What's in a big wave? Potential electricity for MN homes, businesses

It's that time of year, when a strong winter storm might produce giant waves along Lake Superior shorelines that aren't frozen over. Minnesota …

The Yellowstone cutthroat trout and the Westslope cutthroat trout are both threatened species. Projects along Wyoming's Hoback River could help. (Neal Herbert/NPS)

Federal funding to help restore WY's Hoback River native fish habitat

Wyoming agencies will receive about $1.25 million in federal funding to help reconnect native fish migration routes on the Hoback River. The money …

President-elect Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is a fan of raw milk, which can contain dangerous pathogens and spread zoonotic diseases, like avian flu. (Adobe Stock)

Cabinet nominees push deregulation of America's food systems

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

Federal funds will help restore Flint Creek and Jefferson River in Western Montana, benefiting wildlife, including trout, bears and migratory birds. (Melnik/Adobe Stock)

River restoration funding a 'win-win' for MT wildlife, farmers

During President Joe Biden's final weeks in office, the Interior Department has announced $41 million in support of water resources and ecosystem …

Enbridge's Line 5 runs from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, passing through northern Michigan. (Michael Carni/Adobe Stock)

Tribes, environmental groups challenge Line 5 tunnel in appeals court

This week, four tribal nations and environmental groups urged the Michigan Court of Appeals to overturn the state's approval of Enbridge's Line 5 …

Climate change threatens many New Mexico crops, including chiles, onions, garlic and pecans. (TatianaEvdokimova/Adobe Stock)

Stakes high for New Mexico ag growers awaiting new farm bill

Experts agree climate-smart agriculture will be critical in the fight against climate change. But with a divided Congress and no update to the Farm …

According to ClimateCheck, heat risks are highest in Montgomery and lowest in Florence, while precipitation risks peak in Decatur and are lowest in Dothan. Birmingham faces the highest drought risk; Montgomery the lowest. (Adobe Stock)

How Alabama employees can drive climate action in 2025

By Ethan Brown for The Sweaty Penguin.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Alabama News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

The top cancers diagnosed in Iowa in 2023 were breast, lung, colon and rectal, and skin melanoma, according to research by the University of Iowa's Cancer Registry Report. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates call on Iowa lawmakers to defeat 'Cancer Gag Act'

Advocates for small communities in Iowa are calling on state lawmakers not to pass the so-called "Cancer Gag Act," which they said would give pesticid…

Memphis Light, Gas and Water, Tennessee Valley Authority's largest customer, accounts for 11% of TVA's total load, serving around 431,000 electric customers. (Kevin Ruck/Adobe Stock)

Memphis may not have enough power to accommodate enormous AI facility

An environmental group is sounding the alarm about Elon Musk's xAI Colossus facility in Memphis, which they fear will strain the city's power grid…

Federal incentives are being offered for carbon capture projects, including a multistate pipeline proposal for the Midwest involving ethanol emissions. However, skeptics said the project's designs are too big for unproven technology. (Adobe Stock)

Carbon pipeline and landowner rights take their seat again in SD's capitol

South Dakota lawmakers begin a new legislative session today and are already hearing from worried landowners about their rights as a private company k…

The oysters planted by the foundation will filter more than 5 million gallons of water each day. (Adobe Stock)

Oyster outlook: Thousands grown in Chesapeake Bay this year

Chesapeake Bay has added more than six billion oysters since 2017 through the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance. And last year, the Chesapeake Bay …

High water flows brought young sockeye quickly to the ocean, contributing to the record number of fish passing through the Bonneville Dam last summer, 92,000 more than the previous record. (Jason/Adobe Stock)

Resisting industry on the Columbia in 2025

Oregon salmon populations had some significant wins in 2024, including a record number of sockeye salmon passing through the Columbia River's …

Petitioners for the Delevan Lake Watershed Agricultural Enterprise Area hope to promote water quality to protect local surface water and build relationships between agricultural producers and watershed stakeholders. (Adobe Stock)

Wisconsin adds more protected ag lands to its count

Wisconsin has just added more than 30,000 acres across two counties to its protected agricultural lands, advancing its commitment to preserve the …

At least 75 tree species, more than 225 bird species and eight federally listed, threatened or endangered bird, bat, salamander and plant species call the Monongahela National Forest home, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Wikimedia Commons)<br />

WV groups urge shutdown of Monongahela coal haul road

Advocates want federal regulators to shut down what they say is an illegal coal haul road in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. South Fork …

More than 30 million people live in the Ohio River Basin, according to the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio River Basin would get federal protection under new legislation

The Environmental Protection Agency would be in charge of protecting and restoring the Ohio River Basin under recently proposed legislation by Reps…

The Stibnite Gold Project is located in the Payette National Forest near the town of Yellow Pine. (David Farnsworth/Adobe Stock)

Forest Service approves ID gold mine despite threats to water, public health

The U.S. Forest Service has given the go-ahead for a gold-mining project in central Idaho. If it receives state permits, the Stibnite Gold Project …

Ohio ranks among the top 10 states in U.S. natural gas production, contributing about 5% of the nation's output and reserves, which is integral to the state's hydrogen hub project. (Calin Tatu/Adobe Stock)

Local concerns rise over Ohio’s hydrogen project

Ohioans are raising questions about the future of fracking and its environmental and community impacts, following the ARCH2 hydrogen hub open house …

A strong majority of Arizonans believe groundwater is essential for communities, farming, industry and way of life and support more protections to secure long-term water supplies in the state, according to the Center for the Future of Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

AZ environmental advocates say water regulation is their top priority in 2025

Arizona environmental advocates and organizers have laid out their 2025 priorities for Gov. Katie Hobbs and the state legislature, which is set to …

A crew helped Jim Hoffman build beaver dam analogs on his cranberry farm in central Wisconsin. (Jim Hoffman)

WI farmer uses 'mock beaver dams' to restore wetlands

By Bennet Goldstein for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public New…

Toxic PFAS chemicals have been detected in the blood of 99% of Americans, including infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Rising risks of toxic PFAS chemicals in CO drinking water

More than 143 million Americans are at risk of toxic PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, in their drinking water, according to new test results …

U.S. Steel has had a presence in the Mon Valley since 1901 and currently employs about 4,000 workers.<br />(Jeffrey Bowser/Adobe)

Blocked sale of U.S. Steel does not allay fears of effects on workers, health, community

A Pennsylvania environmental justice group is voicing concerns about the blocked sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel, citing its effect on the …

After realizing their limited capacity to implement statutory state conservation programs, Wisconsin replaced the district model in 1982 with a county-based model, which joined overlapping issues like parks and planning with conservation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WI’s conservation model an 'untapped' resource

Wisconsin is the first state in the country to run its conservation programs by county rather than by district. One conservation advocate said …

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PNS Daily Newscast - February 6, 2025

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Water

OH group wants federal accountability for Lake Erie phosphorus reduction

Tennessee accelerating efforts to replace lead pipes

Report: Nitrate levels continue to rise in eastern OR groundwater

Report: Harmful pesticides found in CT rivers, groundwater

Federal funds key to keeping MI cities' water lead free

NY works to replace lead water pipes, despite funding challenges

IL works toward lead-free water pipes

Indiana steps up to get the lead out

Eastern hellbender, PA's state amphibian, faces endangered-species protection

Watchdog group asks lawmakers for more Iowa CAFO oversight

MN cities dig deep for safe drinking water, but can they meet goals?

Denver nonprofit tackles food waste, hunger

New lawsuit says MN needs tougher action on nitrate pollution

WI researchers use microbes to transform wastewater

IL research shows high greenhouse gas levels in farm streams

Conservation groups slam Trump’s executive order on CA water policy

LA community group wins suit against parish for open meeting violations

Map spotlights drinking water risks of CO factory farms

Ohio communities look to update water systems

UN Green Climate Fund invests in KY factory farming, report finds

Road salts are hazardous to PA rivers, streams and critters

Utah program incentivizes farmers to optimize water use

SD pushes to keep certain CAFO details nearly out of reach

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

Study finds 'hidden cost' of WA lower Snake River dams

New report: Enbridge’s Line 5 plan costly, flawed

What's in a big wave? Potential electricity for MN homes, businesses

Federal funding to help restore WY's Hoback River native fish habitat

Cabinet nominees push deregulation of America's food systems

River restoration funding a 'win-win' for MT wildlife, farmers

Tribes, environmental groups challenge Line 5 tunnel in appeals court

Stakes high for New Mexico ag growers awaiting new farm bill

How Alabama employees can drive climate action in 2025

Advocates call on Iowa lawmakers to defeat 'Cancer Gag Act'

Memphis may not have enough power to accommodate enormous AI facility

Carbon pipeline and landowner rights take their seat again in SD's capitol

Oyster outlook: Thousands grown in Chesapeake Bay this year

Resisting industry on the Columbia in 2025

Wisconsin adds more protected ag lands to its count

WV groups urge shutdown of Monongahela coal haul road

Ohio River Basin would get federal protection under new legislation

Forest Service approves ID gold mine despite threats to water, public health

Local concerns rise over Ohio’s hydrogen project

AZ environmental advocates say water regulation is their top priority in 2025

WI farmer uses 'mock beaver dams' to restore wetlands

Rising risks of toxic PFAS chemicals in CO drinking water

Blocked sale of U.S. Steel does not allay fears of effects on workers, health, community

WI’s conservation model an 'untapped' resource