environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-06--EWG News Roundup (8/6): National Pesticide Law Reform, Attacks on Children’s Health and More

This week , Sen. Tom Udall ( D-N.M. ) and Rep. Joe Neguse ( D-Colo. ) released a bill that would significantly strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency ’ s authority under the Federal Insecticide , Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to regulate the distribution , sale and use of pesticides .
The bill , which represents the most sweeping overhaul of the nation ’ s pesticide law in nearly 25 years , would ban some of the most toxic pesticides used in the U.S. One of these would be chlorpyrifos , which can cause brain damage to children .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this bold and much-needed proposal to overhaul the nation ’ s pesticide law that puts the health and safety of children , farmworkers and all Americans first , ” said EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber .
Following up on our release last week of new test results for glyphosate on chickpeas and hummus , we published a piece on how exposure to the weedkiller in chickpeas and hummus , frequently advertised as a healthy snack for kids , affects children .
Studies have shown that children are more susceptible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at key points in their development can cause permanent damage .
On the topic of children ’ s health , EWG published two additional pieces this week .
One explores how ads for sugary drinks target young people of color in particular .
Overconsumption of sugar is a risk factor for heart disease , obesity and diabetes , chronic diseases that disproportionally affect Black and Hispanic lives .
The second discusses a Swedish study on how disinfection byproducts in drinking water affect pregnant women .
These chemicals , specifically trihalomethanes , can cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low birth weight .
The study links this risk to concentrations starting at just 5 parts per billion – the equivalent of about five drops of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool .
On Thursday , we published an analysis that found if Congress provides another $ 20 billion in aid to farmers in the next COVID-19 spending bill , total federal farm spending this year could top $ 50 billion , setting a new record – and once again violating U.S. commitments to international trading partners .
Most pandemic relief funds from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest farms .
And while many of the largest farms have reported coronavirus outbreaks , another new analysis finds that nearly one-third of reported outbreaks have hit U.S. farms that earn less than $ 1 million in annual revenue .
These smaller farms , which supply nearly 60 percent of the nation ’ s agricultural production , need help the most .
Next week , Duke Energy will release its second-quarter financial results in a conference call with investors and analysts .
Our experts suggested questions that journalists , investors and industry analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investor-owned electric utility .
Here ’ s some news you can use going into the weekend .
Business Insider : The best bug sprays and repellents The nonprofit Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) does not recommend using any bug spray on children under six months of age but suggests treating clothes with permethrin .
After a child reaches six months , picaridin is the safest choice .
A report from the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) suggests that food enrichment puts kids at risk of overdosing on some supplementary Vitamins because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually appropriate for kids .
Common Dreams : Democratic Bill Banning Toxic Pesticides in US Applauded as 'Much-Needed ' Step to Protect Kids and the Planet '' The pesticide industry and chemical agriculture have for far too long been able to abuse legal loopholes allowing for the use of toxic pesticides that have not been adequately tested to make sure they are safe for people and the environment , '' said Scott Faber , senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group .
Reprinted by Raw Story ; EcoWatch Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is , eh '' , no , It Is What It Is !
Wednesday Good News Roundup !
`` The pesticide industry and chemical agriculture have for far too long been able to abuse legal loopholes allowing for the use of toxic pesticides that have not been adequately tested to make sure they are safe for people and the environment , '' said Scott Faber , senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group .
Nation of Change : New legislation to ban toxic pesticides helps protect children ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA regulations for pesticides fail to protect children ’ s health , ” Olga Naidenko , Ph.D. , EWG vice president for science investigations , said .
“ The federal pesticide policy is in urgent need of reform.
” Not everyone agrees that Duke is doing all it can .
The Environmental Working Group , an advocacy organization , released a report challenging the company 's stated priority to have affordable energy bills , saying the utility giant does more to hurt low-income residents than help them ( Energywire , June 5 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to answer questions during an earnings call next week about its post-Atlantic Coast Pipeline renewable energy plans .
( Environmental Working Group ) The Environmental Working Group and Waterkeeper Alliance said expanding chicken and turkey operations are concentrated in three counties heavily populated with Black and Latino residents , suggesting the location of big livestock farms is a social justice issue as well as an environmental concern .
Boston Globe : As temperatures rise , a ‘ nightmare ’ of toxic algae plagues the hidden gems of Cape Cod So far this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died after exposure to toxic algae blooms in the United States , twice as many as during the same period last year , according to the Environmental Working Group .
Business Insider : The best bug sprays and repellents The nonprofit Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) does not recommend using any bug spray on children under six months of age but suggests treating clothes with permethrin .
After a child reaches six months , picaridin is the safest choice .
According to the non-profit Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eyes and in very rare cases impair the nervous system , with symptoms including seizures , tremors and slurred speech .
The bill would also require notification for the presence of PFAS in the protective equipment of firefighters .
The measure is co-sponsored by the Environmental Working Group , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners , California Professional Firefighters , Clean Water Action and Natural Resources Defense Council .
Best Life : 30 Things You Had No Idea Could Cause Cancer According to the Environmental Working Group , some laundry detergents contain 1,4-dioxane , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Environmental Working Group has published a list of safe and effective cleaners to fight the coronavirus .
Shape : The 9 Best Natural Cleaning Products , According to Experts She suggests seeking out products that tout the EPA Safer Choice label or relying on a list of healthy cleaning products from the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
Ditch your makeup and personal care products with EDCs in them ( check the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database to get started ) .
NBC News Today : Why I 'll only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) ’ s Skin Deep Database to verify the safety of its products ( ratings scale from one to 10 , the lower the safer .
They also avoided more than 1,300 known toxins commonly used in beauty products , allowing Versed to become one of the few mass-market skincare brands certified by the Environmental Working Group , which verifies product safety .
“ Farm subsidies really are a bipartisan issue , ” said Anne Schechinger , an economic analyst for the Environmental Working Group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things .
“ There are people on both sides of the aisle who are for them and against them.
” Eat This , Not That !
: The 50 Unhealthiest Guilty Pleasure Foods on the Planet Banned in the United Kingdom and Canada , potassium bromate is still lurking in some U.S. foods such as pizza , wraps , rolls , bread crumbs , and bagel chips , according to a 2015 analysis by the non-profit Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
The Fox Magazine : High Levels of Bayer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate , the notorious weedkiller linked to cancer , in more than 80 percent of non-organic hummus and chickpeas samples , and detected at far lower levels in several organic versions .
More than a dozen reforms to reduce and remediate pollution from the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS were included the annual Department of Defense spending bill that passed the House last week , according to the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
The letter was supported by the Environmental Working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the National Resources Defense Council , Healthy Families , the Sierra Club and the Center for Environmental Health .
One Green Planet : New York , Colorado , & Michigan Enact New Protections Against “ Forever Chemicals ” in Drinking Water Still , forever chemicals lurk in water sources across the country .
Check out the Environmental Working Group ’ s interactive map that tracks PFAS contamination across the country .
The Doctor Weighs In : What the “ Organic ” Label on Foods Really Mean If you are interested in lowering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the following foods that have thinner skin and therefore , more pesticide residue .
These foods are called the Dirty Dozen , published each year by the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
Reprinted by Medium Vogue : 7 Trustworthy Lip Balms With SPF That Will Protect Your Pout Shielding the sun ’ s UV rays without any trace of white residue , Shiseido ’ s supercharged SPF 35 balm , which has the EWG seal of approval , enhances softness and luminosity with a boost of antioxidants .
The List @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comstock of MDSkin Lounge shares her top sunscreen choices from the Environmental Working Group list .
The Daily News ( Salisbury , Mass . )
: Groveland responds to reports of discolored water Despite the mineral discoloration , caused by iron and manganese in the ground , the Environmental Working Group of Washington , D.C. , consistently rates Groveland 's water among the cleanest public water supplies in Essex County , according to the town .
EWG 's National Tap Water Quality Database comprises information about drinking water quality from just about 50,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including right here in New Jersey .

This week, Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) released a bill that would significantly strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to regulate the distribution, sale and use of pesticides. The bill, which represents the most sweeping overhaul of the nation’s pesticide law in nearly 25 years, would ban some of the most toxic pesticides used in the U.S. One of these would be chlorpyrifos, which can cause brain damage to children.
“We applaud Sen. Udall and Rep. Neguse for this bold and much-needed proposal to overhaul the nation’s pesticide law that puts the health and safety of children, farmworkers and all Americans first,” said EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber.
Following up on our release last week of new test results for glyphosate on chickpeas and hummus, we published a piece on how exposure to the weedkiller in chickpeas and hummus, frequently advertised as a healthy snack for kids, affects children. Studies have shown that children are more susceptible to harms caused by glyphosate. Exposure at key points in their development can cause permanent damage.
On the topic of children’s health, EWG published two additional pieces this week. One explores how ads for sugary drinks target young people of color in particular. Overconsumption of sugar is a risk factor for heart disease, obesity and diabetes, chronic diseases that disproportionally affect Black and Hispanic lives.
The second discusses a Swedish study on how disinfection byproducts in drinking water affect pregnant women. These chemicals, specifically trihalomethanes, can cause women to give birth to babies with low birth weight. The study links this risk to concentrations starting at just 5 parts per billion – the equivalent of about five drops of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
On Thursday, we published an analysis that found if Congress provides another $20 billion in aid to farmers in the next COVID-19 spending bill, total federal farm spending this year could top $50 billion, setting a new record – and once again violating U.S. commitments to international trading partners.
Most pandemic relief funds from the Department of Agriculture go to the largest farms. And while many of the largest farms have reported coronavirus outbreaks, another new analysis finds that nearly one-third of reported outbreaks have hit U.S. farms that earn less than $1 million in annual revenue. These smaller farms, which supply nearly 60 percent of the nation’s agricultural production, need help the most.
Next week, Duke Energy will release its second-quarter financial results in a conference call with investors and analysts. Our experts suggested questions that journalists, investors and industry analysts can ask the nation’s largest investor-owned electric utility.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
Children’s Health
Business Insider: The best bug sprays and repellents
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) does not recommend using any bug spray on children under six months of age but suggests treating clothes with permethrin. After a child reaches six months, picaridin is the safest choice.
Moms: Are Fortified Breakfast Drinks Healthy For Kids?
A report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) suggests that food enrichment puts kids at risk of overdosing on some supplementary Vitamins because the level of extra vitamins is not usually appropriate for kids.
Protect America's Children from Toxic Pesticide Act of 2020
Common Dreams: Democratic Bill Banning Toxic Pesticides in US Applauded as 'Much-Needed' Step to Protect Kids and the Planet
"The pesticide industry and chemical agriculture have for far too long been able to abuse legal loopholes allowing for the use of toxic pesticides that have not been adequately tested to make sure they are safe for people and the environment," said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group. Reprinted by Raw Story; EcoWatch
Daily Kos: "It Is What It Is, eh", no, It Is What It Is! Wednesday Good News Roundup!
"The pesticide industry and chemical agriculture have for far too long been able to abuse legal loopholes allowing for the use of toxic pesticides that have not been adequately tested to make sure they are safe for people and the environment," said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.
Nation of Change: New legislation to ban toxic pesticides helps protect children’s health
“Numerous studies show that existing EPA regulations for pesticides fail to protect children’s health,” Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., EWG vice president for science investigations, said. “The federal pesticide policy is in urgent need of reform.”
Duke Energy
E&E News -- EnergyWire: How electricity deepens the South's racial divide (subscription)
Not everyone agrees that Duke is doing all it can. The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization, released a report challenging the company's stated priority to have affordable energy bills, saying the utility giant does more to hurt low-income residents than help them (Energywire, June 5).
Energy News Network: Two $80 million solar projects planned for Mississippi
An environmental group says Duke Energy needs to answer questions during an earnings call next week about its post-Atlantic Coast Pipeline renewable energy plans. (Environmental Working Group)
Fields of Filth: North Carolina CAFO Report
E&E News: Report finds lopsided impacts from N.C. poultry pollution (subscription)
The Environmental Working Group and Waterkeeper Alliance said expanding chicken and turkey operations are concentrated in three counties heavily populated with Black and Latino residents, suggesting the location of big livestock farms is a social justice issue as well as an environmental concern.
Algae Blooms
Boston Globe: As temperatures rise, a ‘nightmare’ of toxic algae plagues the hidden gems of Cape Cod
So far this summer, at least six dogs have died after exposure to toxic algae blooms in the United States, twice as many as during the same period last year, according to the Environmental Working Group.
Bug Repellents
Business Insider: The best bug sprays and repellents
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) does not recommend using any bug spray on children under six months of age but suggests treating clothes with permethrin. After a child reaches six months, picaridin is the safest choice.
E, The Environmental Magazine: Is DEET Safe?
According to the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), exposure to high concentrations of DEET can irritate the eyes and in very rare cases impair the nervous system, with symptoms including seizures, tremors and slurred speech.
California: Bill Banning PFAS in Firefighting Foam
Inside EPA: California Lawmaker Relaxes Bill Banning PFAS In Firefighting Foam (subscription)
The bill would also require notification for the presence of PFAS in the protective equipment of firefighters. The measure is co-sponsored by the Environmental Working Group, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, California Professional Firefighters, Clean Water Action and Natural Resources Defense Council.
Cleaners
Best Life: 30 Things You Had No Idea Could Cause Cancer
According to the Environmental Working Group, some laundry detergents contain 1,4-dioxane, a chemical that could potentially be cancerous.
Newsmax Health: Hand Sanitizer Poisoning Calls Jump 70 Percent
The Environmental Working Group has published a list of safe and effective cleaners to fight the coronavirus.
Shape: The 9 Best Natural Cleaning Products, According to Experts
She suggests seeking out products that tout the EPA Safer Choice label or relying on a list of healthy cleaning products from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Cosmetics – Skin Deep
Kiwi: Balancing Your Hormones Naturally
Ditch your makeup and personal care products with EDCs in them (check the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database to get started).
EWG VERIFIED®
NBC News Today: Why I'll only shave with a Billie Razor
The brand uses the Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Skin Deep Database to verify the safety of its products (ratings scale from one to 10, the lower the safer.
Fast Company: How Versed’s Melanie Bender created a high-end skincare line with drugstore prices
They also avoided more than 1,300 known toxins commonly used in beauty products, allowing Versed to become one of the few mass-market skincare brands certified by the Environmental Working Group, which verifies product safety.
Farm Subsidies
Star Tribune (Minneapolis): Sen. Tina Smith attacks challenger Jason Lewis over 1998 stance on farm subsidies
“Farm subsidies really are a bipartisan issue,” said Anne Schechinger, an economic analyst for the Environmental Working Group, which tracks subsidies to farms among other things. “There are people on both sides of the aisle who are for them and against them.”
Food Scores
Eat This, Not That!: The 50 Unhealthiest Guilty Pleasure Foods on the Planet
Banned in the United Kingdom and Canada, potassium bromate is still lurking in some U.S. foods such as pizza, wraps, rolls, bread crumbs, and bagel chips, according to a 2015 analysis by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Glyphosate in Hummus Report
The Fox Magazine: High Levels of Bayer’s Weedkiller Found in Hummus, Chickpeas
Independent laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate, the notorious weedkiller linked to cancer, in more than 80 percent of non-organic hummus and chickpeas samples, and detected at far lower levels in several organic versions.
PFAS Legislation
Iosco County News-Herald (Mich.): PFAS reform provisions included in U.S. House DoD spending bill
More than a dozen reforms to reduce and remediate pollution from the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS were included the annual Department of Defense spending bill that passed the House last week, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
The Livingston Post (Mich.): Slotkin secures historic funding to fight PFAS
The letter was supported by the Environmental Working Group, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Resources Defense Council, Healthy Families, the Sierra Club and the Center for Environmental Health.
One Green Planet: New York, Colorado, & Michigan Enact New Protections Against “Forever Chemicals” in Drinking Water
Still, forever chemicals lurk in water sources across the country. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s interactive map that tracks PFAS contamination across the country.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce
The Doctor Weighs In: What the “Organic” Label on Foods Really Mean
If you are interested in lowering pesticides in your food, choose organic for the following foods that have thinner skin and therefore, more pesticide residue. These foods are called the Dirty Dozen, published each year by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Reprinted by Medium
Sunscreens
Vogue: 7 Trustworthy Lip Balms With SPF That Will Protect Your Pout
Shielding the sun’s UV rays without any trace of white residue, Shiseido’s supercharged SPF 35 balm, which has the EWG seal of approval, enhances softness and luminosity with a boost of antioxidants.
The List: The Best Sunscreens of 2020
Jamie Comstock of MDSkin Lounge shares her top sunscreen choices from the Environmental Working Group list.
Tap Water Database
The Daily News (Salisbury, Mass.): Groveland responds to reports of discolored water
Despite the mineral discoloration, caused by iron and manganese in the ground, the Environmental Working Group of Washington, D.C., consistently rates Groveland's water among the cleanest public water supplies in Essex County, according to the town.
94.3 The Point (N.J.): Cancer-Causing Chemicals Found in Ocean County’s Tap Water
EWG's National Tap Water Quality Database comprises information about drinking water quality from just about 50,000 community water systems throughout the nation, including right here in New Jersey.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-06--Study: Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water May Increase Risk of Low Birth Weight Infants

Pregnant women exposed to low levels of disinfection byproducts in chlorinated drinking water were more likely to give birth to underweight babies , according to a recent peer-reviewed study based in Sweden .
The risk increased with the levels of disinfection byproducts in the water .
Disinfectants in water systems are necessary to prevent the spread of microbial diseases like dysentery and cholera .
But unintended byproducts form when the disinfectants mix with organic material like plant matter , animal waste and runoff .
These disinfection byproducts are associated with cancer and harm to the developing fetus .
Low birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health problems , such as difficulty breathing , bleeding in the brain , intestinal complications and increased risk of infections because of weak immune systems .
Later in life , people who had low birth weight are more likely to have health problems , including diabetes , heart disease , high blood pressure , intellectual and developmental disabilities , and obesity .
The Swedish study is one of the largest research projects ever to examine the relationship between disinfection byproducts in drinking water and adverse birth outcomes .
It looked at trihalomethanes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both Sweden and the U.S .
The researchers analyzed data from approximately 500,000 births over a 10-year period .
They addressed many limitations common in similar studies .
For example , they excluded mothers exposed to high levels of trihalomethanes from other sources , and took into account monthly fluctuations in the level of disinfection byproducts in drinking water .
The study linked the risk of low birth weight to low trihalomethane concentrations , starting at just 5 parts per billion , or ppb , equivalent to about five drops of water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is worrisome for people in the U.S. , where the legal limit for trihalomethanes is 16 times that amount .
The Environmental Protection Agency has set a national legal limit of 80 ppb for total trihalomethanes , or TTHM .
According to utility test data reported in EWG ’ s Tap Water Database , 292 million people – about 88 percent of Americans – are served by utilities delivering water contaminated with trihalomethanes .
The tap water for more than 850,000 Americans has with trihalomethanes above the legal limit .
Hundreds of disinfection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but only a few , including trihalomethanes , are monitored or regulated .
As in the Swedish study , trihalomethanes are commonly used as a marker for overall exposure to disinfection byproducts , which is an effective strategy for water disinfected with the chemical hypochlorite .
But a change in the disinfectant can change the overall mixture of the byproducts in the water and mask the relationship between byproduct exposure and health outcomes , because the unmonitored byproducts also contribute to health risks .
Alternative chemicals , such as chloramine , chlorine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attractive for drinking water disinfection , because they tend to create lower concentrations of the regulated disinfection byproducts , including trihalomethanes .
However , research shows that the use of these disinfectants actually results in increased concentrations of unregulated disinfection byproducts .
What can parents do ?
• There are a number of disinfection byproducts to watch for .
Find out which have been detected in your water by searching for your water system in the EWG Tap Water Database .
• Granular activated carbon filters are highly effective at reducing disinfection byproduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built-in carbon filtration , too .
Use the EWG Water Filter Guide to choose a water filter type , especially if you ’ re pregnant or planning to become pregnant .
• Safe drinking water should be accessible to all , but that requires action at the community level .
Reducing runoff and source water pollution can keep disinfection byproducts from forming .
Contact your local elected officials to tell them to prioritize public health and source water protection .
• Drinking water isn ’ t the only source of disinfection byproduct exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pool hygiene can result in high levels of byproducts in pool water .
Protect yourself and others by practicing good pool hygiene habits .

Pregnant women exposed to low levels of disinfection byproducts in chlorinated drinking water were more likely to give birth to underweight babies, according to a recent peer-reviewed study based in Sweden. The risk increased with the levels of disinfection byproducts in the water.
Disinfectants in water systems are necessary to prevent the spread of microbial diseases like dysentery and cholera. But unintended byproducts form when the disinfectants mix with organic material like plant matter, animal waste and runoff. These disinfection byproducts are associated with cancer and harm to the developing fetus.
Low birth weight babies are more likely to experience health problems, such as difficulty breathing, bleeding in the brain, intestinal complications and increased risk of infections because of weak immune systems. Later in life, people who had low birth weight are more likely to have health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and obesity.
The Swedish study is one of the largest research projects ever to examine the relationship between disinfection byproducts in drinking water and adverse birth outcomes. It looked at trihalomethanes, a group of four disinfection byproducts regulated in both Sweden and the U.S.
The researchers analyzed data from approximately 500,000 births over a 10-year period. They addressed many limitations common in similar studies. For example, they excluded mothers exposed to high levels of trihalomethanes from other sources, and took into account monthly fluctuations in the level of disinfection byproducts in drinking water.
The study linked the risk of low birth weight to low trihalomethane concentrations, starting at just 5 parts per billion, or ppb, equivalent to about five drops of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. This is worrisome for people in the U.S., where the legal limit for trihalomethanes is 16 times that amount.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set a national legal limit of 80 ppb for total trihalomethanes, or TTHM. According to utility test data reported in EWG’s Tap Water
Database, 292 million people – about 88 percent of Americans – are served by utilities delivering water contaminated with trihalomethanes. The tap water for more than 850,000 Americans has with trihalomethanes above the legal limit.
Hundreds of disinfection byproducts affect the environment and human health, but only a few, including trihalomethanes, are monitored or regulated.
As in the Swedish study, trihalomethanes are commonly used as a marker for overall exposure to disinfection byproducts, which is an effective strategy for water disinfected with the chemical hypochlorite. But a change in the disinfectant can change the overall mixture of the byproducts in the water and mask the relationship between byproduct exposure and health outcomes, because the unmonitored byproducts also contribute to health risks.
Alternative chemicals, such as chloramine, chlorine dioxide and ozone, have become more attractive for drinking water disinfection, because they tend to create lower concentrations of the regulated disinfection byproducts, including trihalomethanes. However, research shows that the use of these disinfectants actually results in increased concentrations of unregulated disinfection byproducts.
What can parents do?


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-06--Even More Billions in U.S. Farm Bailouts Risk Violating Trade Agreements

If Congress provides another $ 20 billion in aid to farmers in the next COVID-19 spending bill , total federal farm spending this year could top $ 50 billion , setting a new record – and once again violating U.S. commitments to international trading partners .
Bailout payments designed to help farmers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and President Trump ’ s trade war likely pushed federal farm spending in 2019 beyond the subsidy caps set by an international trade agreement .
Last year , farm spending for the first time topped the spending limit set by a 1994 trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceed the $ 19.1 billion cap on “ trade distorting ” subsidies as well .
This year , farm spending has been inflated by more than $ 7 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans , including $ 1.8 billion to California farmers .
Adding another $ 20 billion in farm spending , as some legislators have proposed , will further increase the likelihood that the U.S. will exceed the cap – and invite legal challenges from trading partners .
By contrast , providing more financial assistance to protect farmworkers and meatpacking workers from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Taxpayers provided $ 34 billion to farmers during the 2019 crop year – well above the cap set by the 1994 World Trade Organization agreement .
Those payments included $ 14.5 billion from the Market Facilitation Program , or MFP , designed to offset the president ’ s trade war , and $ 6.5 billion to address the impacts of COVID-19 .
Not all farm payments count against the $ 19.1 billion cap in the 1994 agreement .
Only subsidies provided through five programs – Agricultural Risk Coverage , Price Loss Coverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some Coronavirus Food Assistance Program , or CFAP , payments – may potentially count .
Other programs that pay farmers to protect the environment , protect workers from COVID-19 , or provide food assistance do not count .
As crop prices fell and farm subsidy spending increased , the U.S. likely crossed the threshold in 2019 and could do so again this year .
Spending for 2020 is escalating quickly , with the addition of $ 9.5 billion in CFAP funding , and an estimated $ 7.3 billion in Paycheck Protection Program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual price assistance programs and crop insurance premium support .
According to agricultural market reports , nearly a third of total farm income in the U.S. will likely come from direct government aid and subsidized crop insurance .
Whether U.S. spending exceeds the threshold also depends on whether farm spending exceeds 5 percent of total farm sales .
The USDA initially estimated that the value of 2019 farm sales would be $ 378 billion .
If correct , spending on “ trade distorting ” subsidies would probably exceed the 5 percent threshold .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidy spending likely exceeded the $ 19.1 billion cap by $ 11 billion .
For subsidies to remain under the cap , actual farm sales in 2019 must top $ 400 billion , which is unlikely .
In fact , estimates of actual farm sales in 2019 continue to fall .
The U.S. will not have to report these subsidies to our trading partners until at least 2022 , and international legal challenges typically take years to be resolved .
But trading partners could ultimately be allowed to place tariffs on everything from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Brazil did after winning a similar trade dispute over cotton subsidies .
Providing more financial assistance to food processors or farm workers threatened by COVID-19 , as other legislators have proposed , would not increase the risk of a trade war .
Nor would expanding past efforts to address discrimination that has robbed black farmers of millions of acres of land .
Spending to reduce the threat of COVID-19 would also help the U.S. avoid disruptions of food supplies caused by the closing of meatpacking plants and food processing plants .

If Congress provides another $20 billion in aid to farmers in the next COVID-19 spending bill, total federal farm spending this year could top $50 billion, setting a new record – and once again violating U.S. commitments to international trading partners.
Bailout payments designed to help farmers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and President Trump’s trade war likely pushed federal farm spending in 2019 beyond the subsidy caps set by an international trade agreement.
Last year, farm spending for the first time topped the spending limit set by a 1994 trade agreement. Federal farm spending will likely exceed the $19.1 billion cap on “trade distorting” subsidies in 2020 as well.
This year, farm spending has been inflated by more than $7 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans, including $1.8 billion to California farmers. Adding another $20 billion in farm spending, as some legislators have proposed, will further increase the likelihood that the U.S. will exceed the cap – and invite legal challenges from trading partners.
By contrast, providing more financial assistance to protect farmworkers and meatpacking workers from COVID-19 would not count against the cap.
Taxpayers provided $34 billion to farmers during the 2019 crop year – well above the cap set by the 1994 World Trade Organization agreement. Those payments included $14.5 billion from the Market Facilitation Program, or MFP, designed to offset the president’s trade war, and $6.5 billion to address the impacts of COVID-19.
Federal Farm Payments for the 2019 Crop Year
*Final amount unknown until October 2020
Source: EWG, from Department of Agriculture data
Federal Farm Payments for the 2020 Crop Year (Estimated)
*Final amount unknown until October 2021
**Based on EWG analysis. Amount reflects highest possible current total
†Estimate based on 2019 levels and crop price trends
Source: EWG, from Department of Agriculture data
Not all farm payments count against the $19.1 billion cap in the 1994 agreement. Only subsidies provided through five programs – Agricultural Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, crop insurance premium subsidies, MFP and some Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP, payments – may potentially count. Other programs that pay farmers to protect the environment, protect workers from COVID-19, or provide food assistance do not count.
As crop prices fell and farm subsidy spending increased, the U.S. likely crossed the threshold in 2019 and could do so again this year. Spending for 2020 is escalating quickly, with the addition of $9.5 billion in CFAP funding, and an estimated $7.3 billion in Paycheck Protection Program funding to farmers, in addition to annual price assistance programs and crop insurance premium support. According to agricultural market reports, nearly a third of total farm income in the U.S. will likely come from direct government aid and subsidized crop insurance.
Whether U.S. spending exceeds the threshold also depends on whether farm spending exceeds 5 percent of total farm sales.
The USDA initially estimated that the value of 2019 farm sales would be $378 billion. If correct, spending on “trade distorting” subsidies would probably exceed the 5 percent threshold. If CFAP payments are considered trade-distorting, subsidy spending likely exceeded the $19.1 billion cap by $11 billion. For subsidies to remain under the cap, actual farm sales in 2019 must top $400 billion, which is unlikely. In fact, estimates of actual farm sales in 2019 continue to fall.
The U.S. will not have to report these subsidies to our trading partners until at least 2022, and international legal challenges typically take years to be resolved. But trading partners could ultimately be allowed to place tariffs on everything from cars to prescriptions drugs to electronics – as Brazil did after winning a similar trade dispute over cotton subsidies.
Providing more financial assistance to food processors or farm workers threatened by COVID-19, as other legislators have proposed, would not increase the risk of a trade war. Nor would expanding past efforts to address discrimination that has robbed black farmers of millions of acres of land. Spending to reduce the threat of COVID-19 would also help the U.S. avoid disruptions of food supplies caused by the closing of meatpacking plants and food processing plants.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-06--Smaller Farms Hit Hard by COVID-19 but Get Little Help From USDA

The vast majority of U.S. farms earn less than $ 1 million in annual revenue , and they have suffered a large share of all reported COVID-19 outbreaks on farms .
These smaller farms , which supply nearly 60 percent of the nation ’ s agricultural production , need help the most – yet most pandemic relief funds from the Department of Agriculture will go to the largest farms .
Although many of the largest farms have also reported outbreaks , an EWG analysis finds that nearly one-third of reported outbreaks have hit these smaller farms .
EWG analysis of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the Market Facilitation Program , or MFP , showed that the top one-tenth of recipients received 54 percent of all payments .
The top 1 percent of MFP recipients received , on average , $ 183,331 while the bottom 80 percent received , on average , less than $ 5,000 .
This pattern is likely to continue under the current COVID-19 relief packages being considered by Congress , leaving smaller farms disadvantaged and inadequately supported , even as cases are rising among farmworkers .
Some smaller operators may not even be aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 Outbreaks at Farms With Less Than $ 1 Million in Annual Revenue To date , more than 5,600 farmworkers have tested positive for COVID-19 , and at least six have died .
Farmworkers often live and work in crowded spaces where they lack enough room for social distancing or personal protective equipment , all of which makes them more vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 .
The Trump administration has so far refused to require mandatory farmworker protections and only 10 states have adopted mandatory protections .
More than half of reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections , EWG found .
The Heroes Act passed by the House would compel the Occupational Safety and Health Administration , or OSHA , to issue emergency standards to protect food and farm workers across the country .
By contrast , the COVID-19 relief package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) does not require OSHA to issue national standards or provide any funding for personal protection equipment for farmworkers .
If many farmworkers get sick , food prices could increase , studies show .
Meat shortages have contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 .

The vast majority of U.S. farms earn less than $1 million in annual revenue, and they have suffered a large share of all reported COVID-19 outbreaks on farms. These smaller farms, which supply nearly 60 percent of the nation’s agricultural production, need help the most – yet most pandemic relief funds from the Department of Agriculture will go to the largest farms.
Although many of the largest farms have also reported outbreaks, an EWG analysis finds that nearly one-third of reported outbreaks have hit these smaller farms.
EWG analysis of previous bailout payments made by the USDA under the Market Facilitation Program, or MFP, showed that the top one-tenth of recipients received 54 percent of all payments. The top 1 percent of MFP recipients received, on average, $183,331 while the bottom 80 percent received, on average, less than $5,000.
This pattern is likely to continue under the current COVID-19 relief packages being considered by Congress, leaving smaller farms disadvantaged and inadequately supported, even as cases are rising among farmworkers. Some smaller operators may not even be aware that they qualify for assistance.
Reported COVID-19 Outbreaks at Farms With Less Than $1 Million in Annual Revenue
Source: EWG search of news articles, April 1 – July 31, 2020, and Dun & Bradstreet
To date, more than 5,600 farmworkers have tested positive for COVID-19, and at least six have died. Farmworkers often live and work in crowded spaces where they lack enough room for social distancing or personal protective equipment, all of which makes them more vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19.
The Trump administration has so far refused to require mandatory farmworker protections and only 10 states have adopted mandatory protections. More than half of reported outbreaks have occurred in states without mandatory protections, EWG found.
The Heroes Act passed by the House would compel the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, to issue emergency standards to protect food and farm workers across the country. By contrast, the COVID-19 relief package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) does not require OSHA to issue national standards or provide any funding for personal protection equipment for farmworkers.
If many farmworkers get sick, food prices could increase, studies show. Meat shortages have contributed to the biggest increase in food prices since 2011.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-10--Schools Reopening: Let’s Make This a Catalyst for Change

The topic of school reopening and children ’ s health is the last thing I want to write about , because I don ’ t have the answer .
Every day it seems there ’ s a new email from school with a change of plans , or news reports about studies of COVID-19 , children and schools that are far removed from the reality in the U.S.
It ’ s even unclear what to make of the results in those studies : Reports from Florida , Georgia and other states show in stark relief the risks to children of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who work in the schools .
I am a scientist at EWG , but I don ’ t have the perfect solution for you , or even for my own family .
Every educational approach to this fall – school reopening , all kids online , a hybrid model – entails tradeoffs and risks .
My frustration with these discussions comes from the realization that it ’ s not a problem any individual family can solve .
A much-publicized study from South Korea showed that middle- and high-school-aged children can easily transmit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that , to prevent a new wave of coronavirus infections , school reopening and other relaxations of social distancing requirements “ must be accompanied by large-scale , population-wide testing of symptomatic individuals and effective tracing of their contacts , followed by isolation of diagnosed individuals.
” That ’ s a reasonable idea .
But as Jennifer Kates , Ph.D. , and Josh Michaud , Ph.D. , from the Kaiser Family Foundation , wrote last week , “ Other countries have not reopened schools with the levels of community transmission found in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and limited contact tracing.
” If you ’ re a parent , I understand the consternation and brain power that has gotten sucked into trying to figure out the best path forward .
For me , that ’ s brain power I would prefer to be using for my job and to focus on my children .
I have three kids in elementary school and one starting middle school , and my wife works in a high school .
This spring we struggled to manage online learning and work .
Fall school reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household for weeks .
Like many other parents , I ’ m constantly looking at the numbers for my county and my state – the number of new cases , number of deaths , percent positive detections , number of hospital beds still open , or needed .
The numbers can often feel overwhelming .
Michael Osterholm , Ph.D. , the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota , stated in a recent podcast , “ All these numbers we talk about are people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these numbers are very important indicators of what we are doing or not doing.
” Discussions at my house have frequently centered on educational equity and access , and how school opening decisions affect different students and families very differently .
And although so far the pandemic has only exacerbated unequal access to education , it could also serve as a catalyst for closing the gap .
To send our kids to school and have them interact with others requires a plan and a system for managing this virus , one goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
The coronavirus doesn ’ t respect state or school district boundaries ; ultimately , we have to rely on the local , state and national community to which we are connected .
U.S. public health and school reopening policies are a mess , in large part because of a lack of federal leadership and science illiteracy .
Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have released helpful guidance on the pros and cons of in-person schooling in a pandemic , and many districts around the country have done an incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What ’ s missing is science-based federal guidance that prioritizes the heath of students and teachers .
There are parallels between the push from our president to open schools because it ’ s good for business and what ’ s also occurring in the regulation of toxic chemicals and drinking water pollution .
The regulatory process at the federal level has been coopted by corporate interests at the expense of public health .
Regulations at the federal level are not being set , but in their absence , states and localities are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health protection policies may increasingly be based on where a person lives .
Once my kids are back in school , this is a problem I really want to get back to trying to solve .
Mostly I just want to get through all the logistics of going back to school , whether it ’ s online , hybrid or in-person learning , so my kids – and children across the country – can focus on learning , and learning about science specifically .
What our country needs now more than ever is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educated and science literate .

The topic of school reopening and children’s health is the last thing I want to write about, because I don’t have the answer.
Every day it seems there’s a new email from school with a change of plans, or news reports about studies of COVID-19, children and schools that are far removed from the reality in the U.S. It’s even unclear what to make of the results in those studies: Reports from Florida, Georgia and other states show in stark relief the risks to children of rushed reopening – and to the adults who work in the schools.
I am a scientist at EWG, but I don’t have the perfect solution for you, or even for my own family. Every educational approach to this fall – school reopening, all kids online, a hybrid model – entails tradeoffs and risks. My frustration with these discussions comes from the realization that it’s not a problem any individual family can solve.
A much-publicized study from South Korea showed that middle- and high-school-aged children can easily transmit the infection to others. A U.K.-based study reported that, to prevent a new wave of coronavirus infections, school reopening and other relaxations of social distancing requirements “must be accompanied by large-scale, population-wide testing of symptomatic individuals and effective tracing of their contacts, followed by isolation of diagnosed individuals.”
That’s a reasonable idea. But as Jennifer Kates, Ph.D., and Josh Michaud, Ph.D., from the Kaiser Family Foundation, wrote last week, “Other countries have not reopened schools with the levels of community transmission found in the U.S., coupled with its insufficient testing and limited contact tracing.”
If you’re a parent, I understand the consternation and brain power that has gotten sucked into trying to figure out the best path forward. For me, that’s brain power I would prefer to be using for my job and to focus on my children.
I have three kids in elementary school and one starting middle school, and my wife works in a high school. This spring we struggled to manage online learning and work. Fall school reopening plans have dominated the conversation in our household for weeks.
Like many other parents, I’m constantly looking at the numbers for my county and my state – the number of new cases, number of deaths, percent positive detections, number of hospital beds still open, or needed. The numbers can often feel overwhelming.
Michael Osterholm, Ph.D., the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, stated in a recent podcast, “All these numbers we talk about are people, they are loved ones….At the same time, these numbers are very important indicators of what we are doing or not doing.”
Discussions at my house have frequently centered on educational equity and access, and how school opening decisions affect different students and families very differently. And although so far the pandemic has only exacerbated unequal access to education, it could also serve as a catalyst for closing the gap.
To send our kids to school and have them interact with others requires a plan and a system for managing this virus, one goes beyond just one home or even one community. The coronavirus doesn’t respect state or school district boundaries; ultimately, we have to rely on the local, state and national community to which we are connected.
U.S. public health and school reopening policies are a mess, in large part because of a lack of federal leadership and science illiteracy. Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have released helpful guidance on the pros and cons of in-person schooling in a pandemic, and many districts around the country have done an incredible job coming up with educational plans. What’s missing is science-based federal guidance that prioritizes the heath of students and teachers.
There are parallels between the push from our president to open schools because it’s good for business and what’s also occurring in the regulation of toxic chemicals and drinking water pollution. The regulatory process at the federal level has been coopted by corporate interests at the expense of public health. Regulations at the federal level are not being set, but in their absence, states and localities are taking action. For that reason, public health protection policies may increasingly be based on where a person lives. Once my kids are back in school, this is a problem I really want to get back to trying to solve.
Mostly I just want to get through all the logistics of going back to school, whether it’s online, hybrid or in-person learning, so my kids – and children across the country – can focus on learning, and learning about science specifically. What our country needs now more than ever is a future generation that’s well educated and science literate.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-10--BP to EWG on Net-Zero Carbon Pledge: ‘No turning back!’ We’ll See.

BP to EWG on Net-Zero Carbon Pledge : ‘ No turning back !
’ We ’ ll See .
In 2000 , British Petroleum launched a rebranding campaign that belongs in the greenwashing hall of shame .
The London-based company , one of the world ’ s fossil fuel “ supermajors , ” shortened its name to BP , unveiled a green and yellow sunflower logo , promised big investments in solar energy and said it henceforth stood for “ Beyond Petroleum.
” • None In 2005 , a BP refinery in Texas City , Texas , exploded , killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shelter in place .
• None In 2006 , a BP pipeline ruptured and went unnoticed for five days , spilling 267,000 gallons of crude oil into Alaska ’ s Prudhoe Bay .
• None In 2010 , BP ’ s “ Deepwater Horizon ” floating drill rig blew out and sank , and over the next 46 days spewed 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico .
Those are just the disasters .
In 2013 , the company “ threw in the towel ” on BP Solar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued investments in fossil fuels , including the Canadian tar sands , the dirtiest oil on Earth .
BP is responsible for more than 400 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year , and after the Paris accords spent more than $ 50 million a year to lobby against efforts to curb the climate crisis .
Last week , The Washington Post reported that BP will slash oil and gas production , make deep cuts to its carbon emissions and invest $ 5 billion a year in low-carbon and renewable energy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledges to be a “ net-zero carbon ” company by 2050 and be well along that path by the end of this decade .
We were .
.
.
skeptical .
On Twitter , we asked : So we looked at BP CEO Bernard Looney ’ s post “ 20 years later.
“ Looney wrote that he was taking “ an honest look in the mirror.
” But it wasn ’ t an apology for the death , devastation and climate destruction BP had caused , but rather for misreading the market in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too soon .
The shift we were anticipating didn ’ t happen quickly or materially enough .
Our renewables businesses achieved a lot but struggled to make profit .
And ultimately we lost money on much of what we had built up .
… And the difference is that now the world really has changed .
Demand for renewables is three-and-half times greater than it was in 2009 , and the cost of solar power alone has fallen by 80 % .
Carbon pricing is much more advanced , and we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This time , we ’ re reinventing bp not in hope of what will happen , but because of what is happening now .
We couldn ’ t let that go .
We weren ’ t the only ones to raise an eyebrow .
• None , economics editor Larry Elliott wrote : “ That ’ s all welcome , even though realistically BP has a simple choice : change or slowly die.
” • None “ Changing the course of a company the size of BP in just 5-10 years is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shoreline , ” analyst Gary Gambino wrote on • None pointed out that “ BP 's ‘ low carbon energy ’ spending goal for the year .
.
.
amounts to 4 percent of its budget , and Looney has so far refused to make any commitments beyond that .
Perhaps the biggest problem [ with BP ’ s pledge ] is that avoiding dangerous warming will require drastic action within one decade , not three.
” We ’ d love to be wrong about BP ’ s plans to transform itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst climate criminals into an agent of the clean energy future .
If this pledge turns into results and BP makes dramatic reductions in oil and gas while increasing investments in renewables , that ’ s good news .
But , as we ’ ve seen before with BP and other fossil fuel companies , promises to reduce pollution and protect the environment too quickly fade away .
For the sake of the planet , let ’ s hope this latest promise is actually kept .

In 2000, British Petroleum launched a rebranding campaign that belongs in the greenwashing hall of shame.
The London-based company, one of the world’s fossil fuel “supermajors,” shortened its name to BP, unveiled a green and yellow sunflower logo, promised big investments in solar energy and said it henceforth stood for “Beyond Petroleum.”
Since then:
Those are just the disasters. In 2013, the company “threw in the towel” on BP Solar, whose budget was puny compared to its continued investments in fossil fuels, including the Canadian tar sands, the dirtiest oil on Earth. BP is responsible for more than 400 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year, and after the Paris accords spent more than $50 million a year to lobby against efforts to curb the climate crisis.
Last week, The Washington Post reported that BP will slash oil and gas production, make deep cuts to its carbon emissions and invest $5 billion a year in low-carbon and renewable energy. Betting on unproven carbon-capture technology, BP pledges to be a “net-zero carbon” company by 2050 and be well along that path by the end of this decade.
We were . . . skeptical. On Twitter, we asked:
@bp_plc, haven't we heard this BS before? In 2000, you rebranded as "Beyond Petroleum." Then came the #Deepwater spill, the #tarsands and gutting of your solar investments. Just shut up. https://t.co/GnYBEi96LP — Bill Walker (@deadlinenow) August 4, 2020
Within minutes, BP replied:
Hi Bill, we believe the world is in a different place now. Have a look at Bernard's recent blog post about this: https://t.co/TZC9XauGOJ But please make no mistake, we're heading for net zero - there's no turning back! — bp (@bp_plc) August 4, 2020
So we looked at BP CEO Bernard Looney’s post “20 years later.“ Looney wrote that he was taking “an honest look in the mirror.” But it wasn’t an apology for the death, devastation and climate destruction BP had caused, but rather for misreading the market in 2000.
In hindsight, we moved too soon. The shift we were anticipating didn’t happen quickly or materially enough. Our renewables businesses achieved a lot but struggled to make profit. And ultimately we lost money on much of what we had built up. … And the difference is that now the world really has changed. Demand for renewables is three-and-half times greater than it was in 2009, and the cost of solar power alone has fallen by 80%. Carbon pricing is much more advanced, and we’re advocating for more progress still. … This time, we’re reinventing bp not in hope of what will happen, but because of what is happening now.
We couldn’t let that go.
Ummm . . . basically, what he's saying is that doing the right thing wasn't profitable enough 20 years ago. — Bill Walker (@deadlinenow) August 4, 2020
We weren’t the only ones to raise an eyebrow.
In The Guardian , economics editor Larry Elliott wrote: “That’s all welcome, even though realistically BP has a simple choice: change or slowly die.”
“Changing the course of a company the size of BP in just 5-10 years is not unlike turning around a tanker headed for the shoreline,” analyst Gary Gambino wrote on Seeking Alpha.
And Nicholas Kusnetz of Inside Climate News pointed out that “BP's ‘low carbon energy’ spending goal for the year . . . amounts to 4 percent of its budget, and Looney has so far refused to make any commitments beyond that. Perhaps the biggest problem [with BP’s pledge] is that avoiding dangerous warming will require drastic action within one decade, not three.”
We’d love to be wrong about BP’s plans to transform itself from one of the world’s worst climate criminals into an agent of the clean energy future.
If this pledge turns into results and BP makes dramatic reductions in oil and gas while increasing investments in renewables, that’s good news. But, as we’ve seen before with BP and other fossil fuel companies, promises to reduce pollution and protect the environment too quickly fade away.
For the sake of the planet, let’s hope this latest promise is actually kept.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-11--Study: Switching to Organic Diet Dramatically Lowers Glyphosate Levels in Adults, Children

WASHINGTON – If people switch to an all-organic diet , the levels of the most widely used weedkiller in the world swiftly and dramatically plummet in their bodies , according to a new study reported on today by Environmental Health News .
Researchers with the Health Research Institute and the national nonprofits Commonweal Institute and Friends of the Earth tested urine samples of seven adults and nine children from various demographic backgrounds and locations in the U.S .
The samples were collected while participants were on a diet of conventional foods and again after each had switched to eating only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of glyphosate , the main ingredient in Bayer ’ s Roundup herbicide , dropped quickly just a few days after the adults and children began their transition to an all-organic diet .
On average , the levels of glyphosate and its breakdown product aminomethyl phosphonic acid fell by more than 70 percent in both children and adults , with reductions seen after just three days of an organic diet .
The study , published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Research , is one of the first that documents the precipitous decline of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change to an organic diet .
The team of researchers collected and tested 158 urine samples and found that the levels of glyphosate in children before they had switched to a diet of organic foods were roughly five times higher than in the adults .
“ The often-repeated claims by chemical agriculture and big food companies that there isn ’ t much difference between conventional and organic foods is wildly inaccurate , and this study is further proof of it , ” said EWG Toxicologist Alexis Temkin , Ph.D. “ The levels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wide swath of conventional foods are a main pathway of exposure for most adults and children .
The only way to dramatically reduce all Americans ’ exposure to this toxic weedkiller is for the Environmental Protection Agency to ban uses of the herbicide that lead to high levels in foods people eat.
” In March 2015 , as the EPA was working on its own risk assessment , the International Agency for Research on Cancer , or IARC – an arm of the World Health Organization – classified glyphosate as “ probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scientists reviewed nearly 1,000 peer-reviewed , published studies on the potential carcinogenicity of the chemical .
The EPA ignored many of those studies .
Not only did the EPA ignore the IARC ’ s findings , and the underlying research that informed the panel ’ s conclusion that the weedkiller probably causes cancer in people , but some EPA officials may have colluded with Monsanto to try to block the release of another federal government risk assessment .
In 2018 , Bayer AG acquired Monsanto for $ 63 billion along with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquisition , Bayer has lost three separate lawsuits , with juries finding for the plaintiffs , who claim glyphosate caused their cancer .
Bayer recently announced a class action settlement for between $ 8 and 10 billion to settle thousands of similar suits .
In April 2019 , the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released an analysis that gave weight to studies connecting glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma , and recommended monitoring children ’ s exposure to this toxic weedkiller .
In July , EWG released an analysis of laboratory testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of non-organic hummus and chickpea samples .
Roundup is sprayed on different crops and during different parts of the growing season .
For consumers , most worrisome is the spraying of glyphosate , shortly before harvest , on many beans and grains as a drying agent .
Previous tests by EWG and other public interest groups have found glyphosate in popular breakfast cereals and other foods American adults and children love to eat .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .
Visit www.ewg.org for more information .

WASHINGTON – If people switch to an all-organic diet, the levels of the most widely used weedkiller in the world swiftly and dramatically plummet in their bodies, according to a new study reported on today by Environmental Health News.
Researchers with the Health Research Institute and the national nonprofits Commonweal Institute and Friends of the Earth tested urine samples of seven adults and nine children from various demographic backgrounds and locations in the U.S.
The samples were collected while participants were on a diet of conventional foods and again after each had switched to eating only foods grown and produced organically.
The levels of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup herbicide, dropped quickly just a few days after the adults and children began their transition to an all-organic diet. On average, the levels of glyphosate and its breakdown product aminomethyl phosphonic acid fell by more than 70 percent in both children and adults, with reductions seen after just three days of an organic diet.
The study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Research, is one of the first that documents the precipitous decline of glyphosate in the human body after a change to an organic diet.
The team of researchers collected and tested 158 urine samples and found that the levels of glyphosate in children before they had switched to a diet of organic foods were roughly five times higher than in the adults.
“The often-repeated claims by chemical agriculture and big food companies that there isn’t much difference between conventional and organic foods is wildly inaccurate, and this study is further proof of it,” said EWG Toxicologist Alexis Temkin, Ph.D. “The levels of toxic crop chemicals like glyphosate that contaminate a wide swath of conventional foods are a main pathway of exposure for most adults and children. The only way to dramatically reduce all Americans’ exposure to this toxic weedkiller is for the Environmental Protection Agency to ban uses of the herbicide that lead to high levels in foods people eat.”
In March 2015, as the EPA was working on its own risk assessment, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or IARC – an arm of the World Health Organization – classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The 17-member panel of scientists reviewed nearly 1,000 peer-reviewed, published studies on the potential carcinogenicity of the chemical. The EPA ignored many of those studies.
Not only did the EPA ignore the IARC’s findings, and the underlying research that informed the panel’s conclusion that the weedkiller probably causes cancer in people, but some EPA officials may have colluded with Monsanto to try to block the release of another federal government risk assessment.
In 2018, Bayer AG acquired Monsanto for $63 billion along with its signature product, Roundup. Since the acquisition, Bayer has lost three separate lawsuits, with juries finding for the plaintiffs, who claim glyphosate caused their cancer. Bayer recently announced a class action settlement for between $8 and 10 billion to settle thousands of similar suits.
In April 2019, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released an analysis that gave weight to studies connecting glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and recommended monitoring children’s exposure to this toxic weedkiller.
In July, EWG released an analysis of laboratory testing that shows glyphosate in more than 90 percent of non-organic hummus and chickpea samples.
Roundup is sprayed on different crops and during different parts of the growing season. For consumers, most worrisome is the spraying of glyphosate, shortly before harvest, on many beans and grains as a drying agent. Previous tests by EWG and other public interest groups have found glyphosate in popular breakfast cereals and other foods American adults and children love to eat.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Visit www.ewg.org for more information.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-11--Duke Energy CEO: Offshore Wind Potential at Least 10 Years Away

WASHINGTON – During a second-quarter earnings call on Monday , Duke Energy executives told Wall Street analysts they don ’ t see offshore wind as a viable source of energy for at least another 10 years or more .
Michael Lapides , an analyst with Goldman Sachs , asked if offshore wind will play a part in Duke ’ s energy mix for the Carolinas going forward , and how it will factor into the utility ’ s investment strategy .
“ I would think about it [ offshore wind ] as something that probably has greater potential toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Duke ’ s President and CEO Lynn Good .
The comments by Good confirm suspicions by clean energy advocates that Duke ’ s decision to put off investments in offshore wind is a scheme to avoid having its nuclear and natural gas plants in the Carolinas become uneconomic stranded assets that will result in billions of squandered ratepayer dollars .
In other words , much of Duke ’ s added natural gas capacity were potential stranded assets as they were being built .
“ Clinging to dirty and dangerous electricity generation when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternatives like wind is a business decision only a monopoly like Duke would make , ” said EWG President Ken Cook .
“ The short-sighted posture by Duke to ignore wind power should anger long-term investors , ratepayers and state regulators , all of whom should insist Duke alter course and embrace renewables as the future of energy electricity.
” There was a brief moratorium for offshore wind development off the coast of North Carolina , but that ended in 2019 , freeing up Duke to pursue wind initiatives throughout the Carolinas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ program more than a decade ago but quickly abandoned the project in favor of investments in natural gas plants and pipelines .
Offshore wind potential in the Carolinas is enormous .
According to the most recent data from the National Renewable Energy Lab , the technical potential for offshore wind in depths less than 100 feet is enough to generate twice the power currently generated by North and South Carolina combined .
Building out just a portion of the states ’ technical potential over the next 10 years would drastically alter Duke ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to begin shuttering nuclear units in the near term .
During the Q & A portion of the earnings call , Good also lamented the possibility that Duke might be required to take responsibility for the entire cleanup cost of its coal ash pollution in North Carolina .
Duke reached a partial settlement with regulatory staff in its current rate case in the Carolinas that doesn ’ t include cost recovery for coal ash cleanup .
Duke ’ s two affiliates , Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress , are requesting more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery , plus profit on those expenditures .
Earlier this year , North Carolina regulators awarded Dominion Energy ’ s subsidiary Dominion Energy North Carolina cost recovery for its coal ash cleanups to date but did not include a profit on the cleanup costs .
And “ … if we were to receive an order consistent with Dominion , ” Good told analysts on the call , “ and absent any other provisions within the order that would be credit supportive , our balance sheet would be weakened.
” Furthermore , investment analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce Duke ’ s cash flow and hurt its credit rating , leading to lower earnings for stockholders and making Duke a riskier investment .
At an August 24 hearing , Duke will attempt to convince regulators that it deserves not only to recover its coal ash cleanup costs but also to earn a return on what should be its environmental liability , not a ratepayer responsibility .
For decades , Duke has dumped coal ash , a byproduct from its coal-fired power plants that contains highly toxic chemicals like mercury , into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under a deal reached in January between Duke and North Carolina , the utility agreed to dig up 80 million tons of coal ash and move it to lined pits away from rivers and lakes .
Left unsettled , though , is whether Duke ’ s shareholders or ratepayers will pay the billions in cleanup costs , as reported by the Charlotte Observer .
“ We teach children to take responsibility for the messes they make , ” said Cook .
“ The same rule should apply to polluters .
Why should ratepayers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the toxic coal ash contamination Duke dumped near drinking water sources in North Carolina ?
” Duke Energy is the nation ’ s largest investor-owned electric utility , serving 7.7 million customers in the Carolinas , Florida , Indiana , Ohio and Kentucky .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .
Visit www.ewg.org for more information .

WASHINGTON – During a second-quarter earnings call on Monday, Duke Energy executives told Wall Street analysts they don’t see offshore wind as a viable source of energy for at least another 10 years or more.
Michael Lapides, an analyst with Goldman Sachs, asked if offshore wind will play a part in Duke’s energy mix for the Carolinas going forward, and how it will factor into the utility’s investment strategy.
“I would think about it [offshore wind] as something that probably has greater potential toward the end of the next decade,” said Duke’s President and CEO Lynn Good.
The comments by Good confirm suspicions by clean energy advocates that Duke’s decision to put off investments in offshore wind is a scheme to avoid having its nuclear and natural gas plants in the Carolinas become uneconomic stranded assets that will result in billions of squandered ratepayer dollars. In other words, much of Duke’s added natural gas capacity were potential stranded assets as they were being built.
“Clinging to dirty and dangerous electricity generation when there are safe, cheap and renewable alternatives like wind is a business decision only a monopoly like Duke would make,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “The short-sighted posture by Duke to ignore wind power should anger long-term investors, ratepayers and state regulators, all of whom should insist Duke alter course and embrace renewables as the future of energy electricity.”
There was a brief moratorium for offshore wind development off the coast of North Carolina, but that ended in 2019, freeing up Duke to pursue wind initiatives throughout the Carolinas. Duke announced an offshore wind power pilot program more than a decade ago but quickly abandoned the project in favor of investments in natural gas plants and pipelines.
Offshore wind potential in the Carolinas is enormous. According to the most recent data from the National Renewable Energy Lab, the technical potential for offshore wind in depths less than 100 feet is enough to generate twice the power currently generated by North and South Carolina combined. Building out just a portion of the states’ technical potential over the next 10 years would drastically alter Duke’s business plan, including the ability to begin shuttering nuclear units in the near term.
During the Q&A portion of the earnings call, Good also lamented the possibility that Duke might be required to take responsibility for the entire cleanup cost of its coal ash pollution in North Carolina.
Duke reached a partial settlement with regulatory staff in its current rate case in the Carolinas that doesn’t include cost recovery for coal ash cleanup. Duke’s two affiliates, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, are requesting more than $600 million in cleanup cost recovery, plus profit on those expenditures.
Earlier this year, North Carolina regulators awarded Dominion Energy’s subsidiary Dominion Energy North Carolina cost recovery for its coal ash cleanups to date but did not include a profit on the cleanup costs. And “… if we were to receive an order consistent with Dominion,” Good told analysts on the call, “and absent any other provisions within the order that would be credit supportive, our balance sheet would be weakened.”
Furthermore, investment analysts at Moody’s said this would reduce Duke’s cash flow and hurt its credit rating, leading to lower earnings for stockholders and making Duke a riskier investment.
At an August 24 hearing, Duke will attempt to convince regulators that it deserves not only to recover its coal ash cleanup costs but also to earn a return on what should be its environmental liability, not a ratepayer responsibility.
For decades, Duke has dumped coal ash, a byproduct from its coal-fired power plants that contains highly toxic chemicals like mercury, into unlined pits near drinking water sources. Under a deal reached in January between Duke and North Carolina, the utility agreed to dig up 80 million tons of coal ash and move it to lined pits away from rivers and lakes. Left unsettled, though, is whether Duke’s shareholders or ratepayers will pay the billions in cleanup costs, as reported by the Charlotte Observer.
“We teach children to take responsibility for the messes they make,” said Cook. “The same rule should apply to polluters. Why should ratepayers be forced to pay the cleanup cost for the toxic coal ash contamination Duke dumped near drinking water sources in North Carolina?”
Duke Energy is the nation’s largest investor-owned electric utility, serving 7.7 million customers in the Carolinas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Visit www.ewg.org for more information.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-11--California Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act Clears Another Legislative Hurdle

Bill would ban 12 toxic chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive harm from personal care products .
SACRAMENTO , Calif. – Today the California Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act , A.B .
2762 , passed out of the State Senate Environmental Quality Committee .
If enacted , the law would be the first in the nation to ban 12 toxic ingredients , including mercury and formaldehyde , from the beauty and personal care products Californians use every day .
The following is the statement of EWG President Ken Cook on the magnitude of this landmark legislation : Today the California Toxic-Free Cosmetics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislative process .
California is acting to fix the law regulating personal care products to make it closer to the regulations of the European Union .
This crucial legislation brings Californians one step closer to access of the safer personal care products available to European consumers .
It ’ s a shame that the U.S. has done little to ensure consumers are not exposed to unsafe ingredients in personal care products .
It ’ s been more than 80 years since the federal government last passed a law to regulate the safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s heartening that state legislators are working to prevent cosmetics manufacturers from adding some of the most toxic chemicals to cosmetics sold in California and to help bridge the gap between the health and safety standards for personal care products on the U.S. market and those sold in Europe .
The EU has banned more than 1,300 chemicals from personal care products .
The U.S. prohibits or restricts just 11 .
A diverse group of public health organizations like EWG , Black Women for Wellness , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade association , the Personal Care Products Council , to acknowledge that ingredients like formaldehyde and mercury have no place in the cosmetics and other personal care products Californians use every day .
More than 40 nations , including the European Union ’ s member states , have enacted strong prohibitions on the use of the 12 ingredients that would be banned by this legislation .
Californians deserve this law , which will provide them with confidence that the shampoos and body washes , makeup and lotions , and other essential products they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the most toxic chemicals that are already banned from cosmetics sold in other countries .
This bill will next be heard by senators on the California State Senate Appropriations Committee .
EWG , CALPIRG , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and Black Women for Wellness are co-sponsors of the bill .
The bill is authored by California State Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi ( D-Torrance ) , Buffy Wicks ( D-Oakland ) and Bill Quirk ( D-Hayward ) .
To learn more about A.B .
2762 , visit https : //www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics .
The Environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .
https : //www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics

Bill would ban 12 toxic chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive harm from personal care products.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today the California Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, A.B. 2762, passed out of the State Senate Environmental Quality Committee. If enacted, the law would be the first in the nation to ban 12 toxic ingredients, including mercury and formaldehyde, from the beauty and personal care products Californians use every day.
The following is the statement of EWG President Ken Cook on the magnitude of this landmark legislation:
Today the California Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act cleared yet another hurdle in the legislative process. California is acting to fix the law regulating personal care products to make it closer to the regulations of the European Union. This crucial legislation brings Californians one step closer to access of the safer personal care products available to European consumers. It’s a shame that the U.S. has done little to ensure consumers are not exposed to unsafe ingredients in personal care products. It’s been more than 80 years since the federal government last passed a law to regulate the safety of our cosmetics. That’s why it’s heartening that state legislators are working to prevent cosmetics manufacturers from adding some of the most toxic chemicals to cosmetics sold in California and to help bridge the gap between the health and safety standards for personal care products on the U.S. market and those sold in Europe. The EU has banned more than 1,300 chemicals from personal care products. The U.S. prohibits or restricts just 11. A diverse group of public health organizations like EWG, Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and CALPIRG has joined the industry’s trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, to acknowledge that ingredients like formaldehyde and mercury have no place in the cosmetics and other personal care products Californians use every day. More than 40 nations, including the European Union’s member states, have enacted strong prohibitions on the use of the 12 ingredients that would be banned by this legislation. Californians deserve this law, which will provide them with confidence that the shampoos and body washes, makeup and lotions, and other essential products they use each day won’t contain some of the most toxic chemicals that are already banned from cosmetics sold in other countries.
This bill will next be heard by senators on the California State Senate Appropriations Committee.
EWG, CALPIRG, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and Black Women for Wellness are co-sponsors of the bill.
The bill is authored by California State Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Bill Quirk (D-Hayward).
To learn more about A.B. 2762, visit https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-11--A Neighbor’s Plea to Potato Giant: ‘You’re going to have casualties’

Mike Tauber , a plumber by trade , grew up and now lives on the outskirts of Hackensack , a town of 300 located within 10 miles of 127 lakes in north central Minnesota ’ s Cass County .
Hackensack is also on the eastern boundary of the Pineland Sands region , where for 30 years the RD Offutt company has been clear-cutting the area ’ s namesake trees – jack pines – to expand its massive , industrial-scale potato-growing empire .
RDO is the nation ’ s largest potato grower and a McDonald ’ s supplier , farming 190,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has annual profits projected at $ 2.5 billion .
Its impact can be felt closer to home , too .
When the Taubers moved from east to west Hackensack , they saw firsthand how RDO ’ s chemically intensive potato-growing operation poisons drinking water .
“ We watched our neighbors lose their well water to chemical contamination , ” Tauber said .
“ Their nitrate levels are really high and have been for a while – one is now at 29 and another at 34 ” milligrams per liter , or mg/L .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this giant chemical experiment.
” The nitrates in the Tauber ’ s community ’ s water come from chemical fertilizer applied to crops like potatoes and corn .
When nitrate fertilizer runs off farm fields or seeps into groundwater , it contaminates lakes , rivers , streams and drinking water wells .
The tap water of 500,000 Minnesotans is now contaminated with elevated nitrates , and the state has long recognized that agriculture is by far the biggest source of this pollution .
Under the federal Clean Water Act , the legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 mg/L , far below the sky-high contamination levels in the wells of Tauber ’ s neighbors .
And newer research indicates that drinking water with 5 mg/L or even lower is associated with higher risks of colorectal cancer and adverse birth outcomes , such as neural tube birth defects .
It ’ s not just nitrate fertilizer pollution in water that threatens the environment and health of the Taubers and their neighbors .
Helicopters regularly spray chemicals over RDO potato fields to kill weeds and insects – sometimes in midflight inadvertently dousing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chemicals sprayed aerially or through irrigation equipment also drift onto surrounding properties and potentially into the open windows of homes and cars .
“ You check to see which way the wind is blowing before stepping outside .
You can smell it , ” Tauber said .
“ I ’ ve called the RDO farm manager about the spraying before and told him , ‘ You ’ re going to have casualties.
’ ” Brenda Davis lives 15 miles to the west of the Taubers , in Hubbard County , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fargo 30 years ago .
She works for the county .
“ It ’ s a small lake .
If you see five boats at a time , that ’ s a miracle .
[ It ’ s ] always been a combination of country and farm living .
And it has been amazing … until … , ” she said , her voice trailing off .
She ’ s referring to 2016 , when Davis took out the trash and noticed something strange about her neighbor ’ s cows .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then they fell over dead.
” “ They had extra spray , ” Davis continued , “ and RDO had decided to spray it onto the pasture and then the rancher turned his cattle out sooner than expected.
” The same year Davis walked out of her front door and into a mass cow casualty incident , she and her husband decided to split their property to build a new house .
“ We had to get a water test done , and I was shocked when it came back with 22 mg/L @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She alerted her neighbors , and each of the 12 other homes on her road came back with similarly high results – levels that coincided with the recent conversion of neighbors ’ property to irrigated potatoes .
As a result , Davis says , “ We ’ ve all had to put in reverse osmosis systems or buy bottled water.
” In a state like Minnesota , where people take great pride in pristine lakes and streams , it is shocking that RDO has been able to clear-cut the forest and pollute the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental review .
The company has accomplished its expansion goals by playing a shell game of land swapping with small farmers .
Using small famers as a shield is not RDO ’ s only tactic , according to Tauber .
He suspects RDO also has several longtime allies ensconced in state regulatory agencies .
“ This is the seventh petition for environmental review that we ’ ve worked on , ” he said .
“ As you go back and read previous petitions , you start seeing the same names , maybe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency , Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture .
You start to realize there has to be some level of complicity here .
You can ’ t go 30 years at DNR or other agencies and come from these regions and not know what ’ s going on.
” RDO also uses intimidation tactics to silence concerned community members .
Tauber explained : “ I ’ ve heard people to the west say that if they called and complained about helicopter spraying , they would come earlier , at 5 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the west , Brenda Davis says she isn ’ t against farming .
“ But the agriculture they do here doesn ’ t belong on these sandy soils , ” she said .
“ I feel sorry for the farmers up in this neck of the woods .
They want to make a living , too , but I know as soon as they lease to RDO , there ’ s going to be another irrigation well drilled , more land cleared.
” When asked what she thinks is the most critical message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could make a difference in the Pineland Sands , Davis sighed and said , “ This morning before I got out of bed , all I could hear was the sound of RDO ’ s irrigation system running .
You get used to it after a while , just like the helicopters that fly overhead to spray .
The state needs to quit issuing irrigation well permits .
We know what they ’ re going to be doing is going to contaminate drinking water , especially up in the sand country .
”

Mike Tauber, a plumber by trade, grew up and now lives on the outskirts of Hackensack, a town of 300 located within 10 miles of 127 lakes in north central Minnesota’s Cass County.
Hackensack is also on the eastern boundary of the Pineland Sands region, where for 30 years the RD Offutt company has been clear-cutting the area’s namesake trees – jack pines – to expand its massive, industrial-scale potato-growing empire. RDO is the nation’s largest potato grower and a McDonald’s supplier, farming 190,000 acres across several states. It also has annual profits projected at $2.5 billion.
Its impact can be felt closer to home, too. When the Taubers moved from east to west Hackensack, they saw firsthand how RDO’s chemically intensive potato-growing operation poisons drinking water.
“We watched our neighbors lose their well water to chemical contamination,” Tauber said. “Their nitrate levels are really high and have been for a while – one is now at 29 and another at 34” milligrams per liter, or mg/L. “We’re in the middle of this giant chemical experiment.”
The nitrates in the Tauber’s community’s water come from chemical fertilizer applied to crops like potatoes and corn. When nitrate fertilizer runs off farm fields or seeps into groundwater, it contaminates lakes, rivers, streams and drinking water wells. The tap water of 500,000 Minnesotans is now contaminated with elevated nitrates, and the state has long recognized that agriculture is by far the biggest source of this pollution.
Under the federal Clean Water Act, the legal limit for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L, far below the sky-high contamination levels in the wells of Tauber’s neighbors. And newer research indicates that drinking water with 5 mg/L or even lower is associated with higher risks of colorectal cancer and adverse birth outcomes, such as neural tube birth defects.
It’s not just nitrate fertilizer pollution in water that threatens the environment and health of the Taubers and their neighbors. Helicopters regularly spray chemicals over RDO potato fields to kill weeds and insects – sometimes in midflight inadvertently dousing families out for walks. After application, chemicals sprayed aerially or through irrigation equipment also drift onto surrounding properties and potentially into the open windows of homes and cars.
Photo by Jamie Konopacky
“You check to see which way the wind is blowing before stepping outside. You can smell it,” Tauber said. “I’ve called the RDO farm manager about the spraying before and told him, ‘You’re going to have casualties.’”
Brenda Davis lives 15 miles to the west of the Taubers, in Hubbard County, and has lived on Mow Lake since moving from Fargo 30 years ago. She works for the county.
“It’s a small lake. If you see five boats at a time, that’s a miracle. [It’s] always been a combination of country and farm living. And it has been amazing … until …,” she said, her voice trailing off. She’s referring to 2016, when Davis took out the trash and noticed something strange about her neighbor’s cows. “They were just swaying in the wind and then they fell over dead.”
“They had extra spray,” Davis continued, “and RDO had decided to spray it onto the pasture and then the rancher turned his cattle out sooner than expected.”
The same year Davis walked out of her front door and into a mass cow casualty incident, she and her husband decided to split their property to build a new house. “We had to get a water test done, and I was shocked when it came back with 22 mg/L nitrate contamination,” she said. She alerted her neighbors, and each of the 12 other homes on her road came back with similarly high results – levels that coincided with the recent conversion of neighbors’ property to irrigated potatoes. As a result, Davis says, “We’ve all had to put in reverse osmosis systems or buy bottled water.”
In a state like Minnesota, where people take great pride in pristine lakes and streams, it is shocking that RDO has been able to clear-cut the forest and pollute the water with reckless abandon and no meaningful environmental review. The company has accomplished its expansion goals by playing a shell game of land swapping with small farmers.
Using small famers as a shield is not RDO’s only tactic, according to Tauber. He suspects RDO also has several longtime allies ensconced in state regulatory agencies. “This is the seventh petition for environmental review that we’ve worked on,” he said. “As you go back and read previous petitions, you start seeing the same names, maybe in different roles, at the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture. You start to realize there has to be some level of complicity here. You can’t go 30 years at DNR or other agencies and come from these regions and not know what’s going on.”
RDO also uses intimidation tactics to silence concerned community members. Tauber explained: “I’ve heard people to the west say that if they called and complained about helicopter spraying, they would come earlier, at 5 a.m. On a Saturday.”
Fifteen miles to the west, Brenda Davis says she isn’t against farming. “But the agriculture they do here doesn’t belong on these sandy soils,” she said. “I feel sorry for the farmers up in this neck of the woods. They want to make a living, too, but I know as soon as they lease to RDO, there’s going to be another irrigation well drilled, more land cleared.”
Photo by Jamie Konopacky
When asked what she thinks is the most critical message to pass along to policy makers who could make a difference in the Pineland Sands, Davis sighed and said, “This morning before I got out of bed, all I could hear was the sound of RDO’s irrigation system running. You get used to it after a while, just like the helicopters that fly overhead to spray. The state needs to quit issuing irrigation well permits. We know what they’re going to be doing is going to contaminate drinking water, especially up in the sand country.”