Infrastructure

"The US Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected EPA “end result” sewage permits issued under the Clean Water Act that focus on water quality instead of outlining specific requirements to prevent pollution.

In a fractured 5-4 ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court blocked the EPA from issuing permits that make a permittee responsible for surface water quality, or “end result” permits—a term the court coined in the ruling. National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits govern pollution from sewer overflows during storms.

"More than half of the senior executives at a key US government regulatory body responsible for overseeing safety of the US pipeline system will depart the agency in the next three months, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg."

"The Republican-controlled Congress has voted to repeal a federal fee on oil and gas producers who release high levels of methane, undoing a major piece of former President Joe Biden’s climate policy aimed at controlling the planet-warming “super pollutant.” The fee, which had not gone into effect, was expected to bring in billions of dollars."

"An executive order issued in the early days of the Trump administration hit pause on at least $4 billion set aside to protect the flow of the Colorado River. The funds from the Inflation Reduction Act were offered to protect the flow of the water supply for about 40 million people and a massive agricultural economy. With the money on hold, Colorado River users are worried about the future of the dwindling water supply."

"Federal funding to Pennsylvania for climate-related and other programs will be restored, Gov. Josh Shapiro said, reversing a Trump administration freeze after lawsuits by Pennsylvania and almost two dozen other states."

"The Trump administration has withdrawn a slate of proposed carbon dioxide safety regulations inspired by a pipeline failure that sent nearly 50 people to the hospital with “zombie”-like symptoms, and the new regulator overseeing these matters previously worked as a lobbyist for the pipeline industry."

"Utah could become the first state to ban fluoride in its drinking water, alarming public health experts and dentists who note the mineral’s role in reducing tooth decay across the nation. The Republican-controlled statehouse sent the legislation to Gov. Spencer Cox (R) last week after both chambers passed it largely along party lines."

"On Rum, Europe’s newest dark-sky sanctuary, the island’s 40 residents have learned to embrace darkness."

"Congress is scheduled to vote on two bills this week that would roll back climate regulations issued in the final months of the Biden administration. The agencies that implemented the rules, which limit methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and set efficiency standards for water heaters, expected them to prevent tens of millions of tons of climate pollution in coming decades if left in place."

"An EPA investigation confirmed residents’ worst fears about operations at an industrial landfill. What happens next is all too uncertain."