u. s. environmental protection agency

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.Bees Are Fish Now, I Guess?If there hadn’t been construction planned for the bridge that crosses over Leslie Run, one of the creeks that runs through the middle of East Palestine, Ohio, Rick Tsai and Randy DeHaven might not have noticed the worst contamination they’d seen in the creek in weeks.A backhoe had hoisted a chunk of earth from the bank of the creek, leaving a pool about eight feet across and deep enough to come up to the…

Chevrolet Bolt at EPA's National Fuel and Emissions LabHow far an electric vehicle can drive on a single charge is one of the most closely watched numbers in the automotive world.The official government process used to test and certify those ranges has potential flaws.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been testing vehicles since 1971, but only started testing EVs in 2012. EV technology is still quite new and is changing rapidly. EPA Engineers say these are exciting times, but it can also feel like the "wild…

The U.S. ecosystem is riddled with PFAS. And anew study released this week by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that these toxic chemicals are in almost half of the country’s tap water.Biggest Forest Fire in New Mexico HistoryThis is the first time a government agency has tested for and compared PFAS found in private and public water supplies throughout the country. 45% of the locations tested positive for PFAS chemicals. This stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. They’re also commonly known as…

Chemical manufacturer 3M is set to pay $10.3 billion in settlements over forever chemical contamination of U.S. drinking water, the company announced on Thursday.What Is Carbon Capture? With Gizmodo’s Molly Taft | Techmodo“This is an important step forward for 3M, which builds on our actions that include our announced exit of PFOA and PFOS manufacturing more than 20 years ago,” 3M CEO Mike Roman said via a statement.This deal would compensate water providers throughout the country for the chemical pollution. PFAS, which…

The sky above New York City glows with a menacing orange color akin to the desert wasteland seen in films like Mad Max: Fury Road. With Canadian wildfires bringing a haze down onto the northeast U.S., users have helped the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality app climb to be one of the world’s most-popular iPhone applications.Is This the End of Apple’s Lightning Cable?As of Wednesday afternoon ET, the EPA’s AIRNow app sat at number 13 most downloaded free apps on the App Store for iPhone. This made it more…

A U.S. federal judge allowed a delay yesterday in the water contamination trial against manufacturing giant 3M, Reuters reported. The trial was brought on by the Florida city of Stuart, which is suing the company for $100 million for water filtration and forever chemical remediation. What Is Carbon Capture? With Gizmodo’s Molly Taft | TechmodoHowever, both parties recently informed the federal court that they felt confident they could reach an agreement soon, The Guardian reported. The judge agreed to the delayand said…

Major chemical companies were aware of the dangers forever chemicals posed to the public, years before they were forced to admit it. A new study in Annals of Global Health examined previously secret industry documents and saw exactly how manufacturers DuPont and 3M purposely distorted public knowledge about PFAS in their products.What Is Carbon Capture? With Gizmodo’s Molly Taft | TechmodoPFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, are commonly called ‘forever chemicals’ because they won’t break down in the human body…

Blue Bird, the more than 90-year-oldmanufacturer of the iconic American yellow school bus, is ramping up its production of electric buses. Last week, the company announced the opening of its new Electric Vehicle (EV) Build-up Center in the company’s main U.S. manufacturing plant in Fort Valley, Georgia. Blue Bird hopes to eventually make up to 5,000 electric buses a year in the new center. Cops Pull Over Self-Driving Car“The opening marks an important milestone as the company continues to expand its electric school bus…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a historic climate policy proposal on Thursday. Through a new rule, the Biden Administration intends to set limits on coal- and gas-fueled power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions.California’s Snowpack Gets a Much Needed Boost | Extreme EarthGenerally, the EPA regulates polluting emissions like carbon monoxide and ozone. But the agency has exercised limited authority over planet-warming carbon dioxide in the past. Currently, the sole Clean Air Act provision on the books…

We rarely think about what happens to our garbage after it goes into the nearest waste receptacle. Whether it’s a piece of paper, a worn-out pair of flip flops, or leftovers from the back of your refrigerator, trash usually ends up at the same final destination: a landfill. Landfills are home to wild chemistry that can lead to different types of pollution. They’re also sites for clever engineering that seeks to mitigate that pollution.He Tossed His Bitcoin, Now He Wants It BackWhile the essence of a landfill is a pit full…