Skipped showers, paper plates: An Arizona suburb’s water is cut off

RIO VERDE, Ariz. — Joe McCue thought he had found a desert paradise when he bought one of the new stucco houses sprouting in the granite foothills of Rio Verde, Arizona. There were good schools, mountain views and cactus-spangled hiking trails out the back door.

Then the water got cut off. Continue reading Skipped showers, paper plates: An Arizona suburb’s water is cut off

New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater

Amid dramatic ocean swells and drenching atmospheric rivers, a new report lays bare a hidden aspect of sea level rise that has been exacerbating flooding in the Bay Area.

The report, which was released Tuesday, maps areas that could flood from groundwater hovering just a few feet, or even inches below ground. This layer of water gets pushed upward as denser water from the ocean moves inland from rising tides. On its way up, even before the water breaks the surface, it can seep into the cracks of basements, infiltrate plumbing, or, even more insidiously, re-mobilize toxic chemicals buried underground. Continue reading New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater

U.S. military takes important step towards PFAS-free firefighting foams

New rule comes after years of PFAS contamination of water supplies for millions of Americans

Health advocates praise this move while calling for transparency and requirements for the safety of new foams

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) released a revised military specification (“mil spec”) for the purchase and use of firefighting foam free of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Revisions to the mil spec were required by the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The new rule comes after years of PFAS contamination of water supplies for millions of Americans.

This new specification also impacts airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was directed by Congress to allow airports to use fluorine-free foams by October 2021 and issued a new alert today. Continue reading U.S. military takes important step towards PFAS-free firefighting foams

EPA proposes to close ‘loophole’ for reporting ‘forever chemical’ releases

EPA proposes to close ‘loophole’ for reporting ‘forever chemical’ releases | The Hill EPA Proposes Rule to Enhance Reporting of PFAS Data to Toxics Release Inventory | NRWA Changes to TRI Reporting Requirements for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and to … Continue reading EPA proposes to close ‘loophole’ for reporting ‘forever chemical’ releases

Superfund Listing of PFOA and PFOS – Public Comment Period ending November 7!

Proposed Designation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) as CERCLA Hazardous Substances | US EPA Notice about Public Comment Period On August 26, 2022, EPA posted to its website the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Designating Perfluorooctanoic Acid … Continue reading Superfund Listing of PFOA and PFOS – Public Comment Period ending November 7!