Nearly 30,000 people are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to end the dumping of PFAS chemicals, and thousands more are telling the agency to dramatically reduce pollution from slaughterhouses. Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund submitted comments from these individuals to the EPA Thursday as the agency considers updating pollution control standards, which is required by the Clean Water Act. The groups are also calling on the EPA to strengthen standards for other industrial sources -- including power plants and refineries.
Every year, the average American throws out nearly 1,800 pounds of trash. Together, Americans throw out enough plastic each year to fill up the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium --- the largest NFL football stadium --- 565 times over. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a spiraling epidemic of waste, particularly when it comes to plastic.
With North Carolinians returning to local beaches this summer, a new report warns that more work is needed to ensure that all waters are safe for swimming. In 2020, 87 North Carolina beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day and 7 of those beaches were unsafe on at least 25% of the days they were tested according to Safe for Swimming?, Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center’s annual analysis of bacteria testing. The report comes as Congress considers investments in water infrastructure.
A bill drafted by Duke Energy behind closed doors with legislators was unveiled on Tuesday. The bill would mandate the construction of 3,500 megawatts of new fracked gas plants, locking North Carolina into dirty energy generation for decades. The bill also decreases utility transparency and allows Duke to increase customers’ rates for three consecutive years at a time, requires customers to pay a $50 million subsidy to Duke for a new nuclear reactor permit, and would leave customers paying billions for Duke’s bad investments.
Gov. Roy Cooper Issued Executive Order 218 Advancing North Carolina’s Economic and Clean Energy Future With Offshore Wind on Wednesday, which commits the state to a goal of 2.8 gigawatts of wind energy by 2030 and 8 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2040.
Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.
