environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-09-30--UPDATE: Seven Months Into Pandemic, Most States Still Don’t Require Farmworker Protections

Seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic , most states still have not issued mandatory protections for farmworkers , even as cases continue to rise , according to an updated EWG analysis of state regulations .
A recent study published by Purdue University estimated that more than 125,000 farmworkers in the U.S. have contracted Covid-19 .
Many lack access to health care , and studies show that working and living conditions make them especially vulnerable to the virus .
Yet despite the gaps left by federal inaction , only 11 states have issued wide-ranging mandatory protections for farmworkers – just two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted our original analysis .
Some states have issued recommendations for farmworker protections , but most have issued no guidance at all .
Colorado , Michigan , New Mexico , New York , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Virginia , Vermont , Washington and Wisconsin are the only states to require produce growers and other farm operations to provide personal protective equipment , or PPE , to farmworkers , and to require physical distancing , workplace disinfection and worker testing .
Other mandatory protections in those states include changes to housing and transportation designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California has also taken additional steps to protect workers , though falling short of issuing mandatory requirements for employers .
Among the states with mandated workplace protections , only California , the nation ’ s leading farm state , requires growers to provide PPE to farmworkers , and the state legislature is considering other protections .
According to Farmworker Justice , California has revised and funded several previously existing programs to help farmworker families , often without regard to immigration status .
The programs include disaster assistance , unemployment benefits , paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensation access and state Medicaid coverage for Covid-19 testing and treatment .
It has also offered additional assistance to expand programs for migrant housing and address social distancing issues .
Only 20 states have issued non-binding guidance for growers , up from 16 in July .
Several large farm states , including Florida and Texas , have failed even to issue recommendations , and 19 states have neglected to take any action at all to protect farmworkers .
In the absence of federal and state oversight , few employers are even providing masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California .
This chart shows the coronavirus protections in the states estimated to have the most farmworkers .
The state ranking is based on farm labor spending reported in the Department of Agriculture ’ s 2017 Census of Agriculture .
To see the complete list of states , click here .
Source : EWG , from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , USDA ’ s 2017 Census of Agriculture and state government websites For farmers already facing labor shortages , replacing those who become sick will not be easy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost farm labor , resulting from Covid-19 , has caused a drop in overall production across the U.S. Florida alone has seen a 3.5 percent drop due to the decrease in workforce .
These labor shortages are only increasing now that the Trump administration has suspended immigration , so fewer farm and food workers will be able to migrate to the U.S .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an interim guidance it calls “ a template of action ” to protect farmworkers from the virus .
But employers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC says the recommendations can be adapted by agricultural employers and state and local health departments , and that work sites should follow them only “ as feasible.
” Many states direct employers to these interim guidelines in place of issuing their own standards or guidances .
Officials at the USDA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have rejected calls to adopt mandatory emergency worker safety standards for farmworkers .
Legislation passed in May by the House of Representatives would require protections , but the Senate has so far failed to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief bill this fall , though it is by no means certain .

This article was updated Oct. 1, after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills that will make the state’s guidance on farmworker protections mandatory and enforceable.
Seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic, most states still have not issued mandatory protections for farmworkers, even as cases continue to rise, according to an updated EWG analysis of state regulations.
A recent study published by Purdue University estimated that more than 125,000 farmworkers in the U.S. have contracted Covid-19. Many lack access to health care, and studies show that working and living conditions make them especially vulnerable to the virus.
Yet despite the gaps left by federal inaction, only 11 states have issued wide-ranging mandatory protections for farmworkers – just two more than in July, when we conduced our original analysis. –Some states have issued recommendations for farmworker protections, but most have issued no guidance at all.
California, Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin are the only states to require produce growers and other farm operations to provide personal protective equipment, or PPE, to farmworkers, and to require physical distancing, workplace disinfection and worker testing. Other mandatory protections in those states include changes to housing and transportation designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
California has also taken additional steps to protect workers,. Among the states with mandated workplace protections, only California, the nation’s leading farm state, requires growers to provide PPE to farmworkers, and agricultural employers have to follow strict Cal/OSHA requirements regarding work place protections, paid sick leave, and symptomatic worker isolation.
California has revised and funded several previously existing programs to help farmworker families, often without regard to immigration status. The programs include disaster assistance, unemployment benefits, paid sick and family leave, workers’ compensation access and state Medicaid coverage for Covid-19 testing and treatment. It has also offered additional assistance to expand programs for migrant housing and address social distancing issues.
Only 20 states have issued non-binding guidance for growers, up from 16 in July. Several large farm states, including Florida and Texas, have failed even to issue recommendations, and 19 states have neglected to take any action at all to protect farmworkers.
In the absence of federal and state oversight, few employers are even providing masks, according to a survey of farmworkers in California.
This chart shows the coronavirus protections in the states estimated to have the most farmworkers. The state ranking is based on farm labor spending reported in the Department of Agriculture’s 2017 Census of Agriculture. To see the complete list of states, click here.
State Covid-19 Protections for Farmworkers
Source: EWG, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture and state government websites
For farmers already facing labor shortages, replacing those who become sick will not be easy. The study from Purdue University calculated that lost farm labor, resulting from Covid-19, has caused a drop in overall production across the US. Florida alone has seen a 3.5 percent drop due to the decrease in workforce. These labor shortages are only increasing now that the Trump administration has suspended immigration, so fewer farm and food workers will be able to migrate to the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an interim guidance it calls “a template of action” to protect farmworkers from the virus. But employers are not required to follow it. The CDC says the recommendations can be adapted by agricultural employers and state and local health departments, and that work sites should follow them only “as feasible.” Many states direct employers to these interim guidelines in place of issuing their own standards or guidances.
Officials at the USDA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have rejected calls to adopt mandatory emergency worker safety standards for farmworkers. Legislation passed in May by the House of Representatives would require protections, but the Senate has so far failed to act. Congress may pass a fourth Covid-19 relief bill this fall, though it is by no means certain.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-09-30--Seven Months Into Pandemic, Most States Still Don’t Require Farmworker Protections

This article was updated Oct. 1 , after California Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills that will make the state ’ s guidance on farmworker protections mandatory and enforceable .
Seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic , most states still have not issued mandatory protections for farmworkers , even as cases continue to rise , according to an updated EWG analysis of state regulations .
A recent study published by Purdue University estimated that more than 125,000 farmworkers in the U.S. have contracted Covid-19 .
Many lack access to health care , and studies show that working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus .
Yet despite the gaps left by federal inaction , only 11 states have issued wide-ranging mandatory protections for farmworkers – just two more than in July , when we conduced our original analysis .
–Some states have issued recommendations for farmworker protections , but most have issued no guidance at all .
California , Colorado , Michigan , New Mexico , New York , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Virginia , Vermont , Washington and Wisconsin are the only states to require produce growers and other farm operations to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to farmworkers , and to require physical distancing , workplace disinfection and worker testing .
Other mandatory protections in those states include changes to housing and transportation designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus .
California has also taken additional steps to protect workers , .
Among the states with mandated workplace protections , only California , the nation ’ s leading farm state , requires growers to provide PPE to farmworkers , and agricultural employers have to follow strict Cal/OSHA requirements regarding work place protections , paid sick leave , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and funded several previously existing programs to help farmworker families , often without regard to immigration status .
The programs include disaster assistance , unemployment benefits , paid sick and family leave , workers ’ compensation access and state Medicaid coverage for Covid-19 testing and treatment .
It has also offered additional assistance to expand programs for migrant housing and address social distancing issues .
Only 20 states have issued non-binding guidance for growers , up from 16 in July .
Several large farm states , including Florida and Texas , have failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states have neglected to take any action at all to protect farmworkers .
In the absence of federal and state oversight , few employers are even providing masks , according to a survey of farmworkers in California .
This chart shows the coronavirus protections in the states estimated to have the most farmworkers .
The state ranking is based on farm labor spending reported in the Department of Agriculture ’ s 2017 Census of Agriculture .
To see the complete list of states , click here .
Source : EWG , from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USDA ’ s 2017 Census of Agriculture and state government websites For farmers already facing labor shortages , replacing those who become sick will not be easy .
The study from Purdue University calculated that lost farm labor , resulting from Covid-19 , has caused a drop in overall production across the US .
Florida alone has seen a 3.5 percent drop due to the decrease in workforce .
These labor shortages are only increasing now that the Trump administration has suspended immigration , so fewer farm and food workers will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an interim guidance it calls “ a template of action ” to protect farmworkers from the virus .
But employers are not required to follow it .
The CDC says the recommendations can be adapted by agricultural employers and state and local health departments , and that work sites should follow them only “ as feasible.
” Many states direct employers to these interim guidelines in place of issuing their own standards or guidances .
Officials at the USDA and the Occupational Safety and Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency worker safety standards for farmworkers .
Legislation passed in May by the House of Representatives would require protections , but the Senate has so far failed to act .
Congress may pass a fourth Covid-19 relief bill this fall , though it is by no means certain .


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-02--EWG News Roundup (10/2): California Cosmetics Bill Signed Into Law, Algae Beach Closures and More

On Wednesday , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom signed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act , Assembly Bill 2762 , into law .
This is the nation ’ s first state-level ban of 24 toxic ingredients , including mercury and formaldehyde , from the beauty and personal care products Californians use every day .
EWG President Ken Cook announced the signing of this landmark law during EWG ’ s CleanCon™ – EWG ’ s virtual conference that featured some of the biggest names in the clean beauty movement .
“ Californians now have greater assurance of the safety of the consumer products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and body wash , toothpaste , shampoo and conditioner , and makeup , ” said EWG President Ken Cook .
“ This marks a momentous milestone in the history of cosmetics and personal care products regulation .
And for the first time , groups like EWG , along with a diverse group of stakeholders and the industry ’ s trade association , the Personal Care Products Council , support legislation to modernize the rules governing these products.
” In other Californian news , Gov .
Newsom this week also signed EWG-cosponsored bills into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be tested for lead exposure and ban the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS from firefighting foams .
A new EWG analysis shows that toxic algae and bacteria caused the closure of at least 116 U.S. beaches this spring and summer , and triggered health warnings at 162 more .
“ We found a troubling mishmash of public safety measures for toxic algae and bacterial contamination of beaches across the country , ” said Anne Schechinger , EWG senior analyst of economics and a coauthor of the report .
“ Dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warnings with inconsistent wording , unclear direction and insufficient explanations of human health threats.
” Seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic , EWG updated an analysis of state-by-state protections in place for farmworkers .
Currently , only 11 states have issued wide-ranging mandatory protections for farmworkers .
EWG applauded the introduction of the HEROES 2.0 Act , which would further protect food and farm workers and feed hungry Americans .
We also condemned the construction industry ’ s blockage of a bill that would have banned the future use and importation of asbestos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can use going into the weekend .
And even better , Grove Collaborative is sticking to their promise of providing high-quality , healthy products , because the company worked with the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) to ensure that all products in the line are EWG verified .
That means these items are free of any chemicals that EWG lists as concerning .
Acres : Book of the Week : Poisoning Our Children In 2009 , the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) found up to 232 chemicals in the placental cord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Green and Clean Mom : Best Baby Detergent for Sensitive Skin If you are worried about what chemicals might be in your laundry detergent and potentially harming your baby , then this one is for you .
Getting an “ A ” rating on the EWG website ( a website that checks all the nasty chemicals in washing products ) this detergent is one of the best you can get for sensitive skin .
Allure : What California ’ s New Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act means For Your Beauty Products '' A lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) in that they have some studies on risk of cancer , allergy , or reproductive toxicity . ''
Chemical Watch : California becomes first US state to ban cosmetics with harmful substances ( subscription ) Susan Little , senior advocate for California government affairs with EWG , said the law `` received resounding bipartisan support largely because the federal government has failed for so long to pass meaningful cosmetics reform '' .
WWD : California First US State to Ban Harmful Cosmetics Ingredients , Already Forbidden in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Congress has neglected to increase the scope of the Food and Drug Administration ’ s authority over cosmetics , limiting the agency ’ s ability to ensure the safety of cosmetic products , ” noted a statement from the Environmental Working Group , which cosponsored the legislation alongside Black Women for Wellness , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and the California Public Interest Research Group .
Assembly Bill 2762 , the 'Toxic-free Cosmetics ' Act , has been signed into law by State of California Governor Gavin Newsom , according to a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , which joined efforts with the Personal Care Products Council ( PCPC ) in support of the bill .
According to the Environmental Working Group , these ingredients are already prohibited from cosmetics and other personal care products sold in the European Union and some other countries , but are still used in personal care products sold throughout the U.S. MindBodyGreen : Breaking : The First US State Just Banned Harmful Chemicals in Beauty Prodcuts But that 's not all : `` It will also allow the attorney general of California to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as require products to be removed from the shelves , '' Susan Little , senior advocate for California government affairs at the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , has previously told mbg about the co-sponsored bill .
`` That 's why the bill is so helpful . ''
Eco Watch : California Becomes First State to Ban 24 Toxic Chemicals From Cosmetics The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act , or Assembly Bill 2762 , targets 24 toxic chemicals including mercury and formaldehyde that have been linked to cancer , birth defects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts , Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) reported .
`` I really want the clean beauty laws changed so that we as consumers , don ’ t have to worry about how toxic our personal care products are .
It affects everyone , not just makeup-wearing people , '' Kardashian , who spoke at Environmental Working Group 's CleanCon virtual event on Wednesday , says .
People : Miranda Kerr Wakes Up at 5:30AM During Quarantine to Have Time Alone to Do Her Morning Ritual I dim the lights and turn on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few deep belly breaths , '' says the star , who joined the Environmental Working Group 's CleanCon event on Wednesday .
Citizen Petition : FDA Needs to Consider Cumulative Effects of Food Chemicals MEAWW : FDA rules fall short to curb use of 10,000 food chemicals that cause ailments : Petition demands strict action The petitioners include the American Academy of Pediatrics , American Public Health Association , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners … Environmental Defense Fund , Environmental Health Strategy Center , Environmental Working Group , and Healthy Babies Bright Futures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization ( ADAO ) insists the EPA is obligated by the Toxic Substances Control Act to collect any and all information regarding asbestos in order to evaluate its risks .
Other plaintiffs in the case include the American Public Health Association , Center for Environmental Health , Environmental Health Strategy Center and Environmental Working Group .
According to the Environmental Working Group , more than 30 years of studies have linked BPA exposure to brain , behavioral , learning and memory impairment ; cardiovascular abnormalities ; diabetes ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thyroid and sex hormone disruption ; early puberty ; changes to egg and sperm development and fertility ; and genetic alterations that can be passed on to future generations .
Better Nutrition : Protect the Health of Your Breasts To make sure you ’ re maintaining a healthy home , check out the Environmental Working Group ’ s ( EWG ) Guide to Healthy Cleaning .
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group 's Guide to Healthy Cleaning breaks down a range of household and professional cleaners with a focus on their ingredients and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a letter grade .
WBOC ( Delaware/ Maryland ) : Going Green : Tips You Can Use The Environmental Working Group 's guide to healthy cleaning scores thousands of products online so you can pick the best one for you .
MindBodyGreen : All You Need to Deep Clean Your Shower Are These Products And Some Elbow Grease '' Some bathroom cleaners may be more acidic ( low pH ) or basic ( high pH ) with higher concentrations of acids or alkalis compared to some all-purpose cleaners , '' explains Samara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyst for the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
The Cut : How This TikTok Star Gets Her Skin So Good “ During my research , I found that many ingredients that are commonly used in ‘ non-clean ’ skin-care products were classified on Environmental Working Group ’ s Skin Deep database as possible irritants , ” she explains .
`` They both are powerful , skin-soothing antioxidants that even out skin tone and fade dark spots , and have the safest rating on the environmental working group 's skin deep ingredient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 Best Toothpastes to Buy in 2020 One that is missing ?
Titanium dioxide , an inorganic chemical compound added to many kinds of toothpaste to give them a white hue , which the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) notes may be carcinogenic .
This EWG-verified blush in matte bright pink is the perfect addition to any bold Halloween look .
Seeking Alpha : Duke Energy : Come for the 4.7 % Yield , Stay for the Valuation EWG , a watchdog of sorts for environmental issues , issued a scathing report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed investments the company has made .
Farm Progress : 7 ag stories you might have missed this week The bulk of Market Facilitation Program payments went to the top 10 % of farms , according to the Environmental Working Group .
A study of $ 5 billion in payments through June 30 under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program shows the top 1 % of farms receiving 22 % of the money , for an average payment of $ 352,432 .
The smallest 80 % of farms got 23 % of the aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the advocacy group .
“ Right now there aren ’ t any federal requirements in place , so across the country we ’ re looking at a complete patchwork of different laws and regulations , whether it is mandatory or voluntary guidance , ” says Jared Hayes , a policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group , a Washington , D.C. , consultancy .
Craig Cox , senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the Environmental Working Group , says he would like to see a heavy emphasis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regenerative farming practices .
Market Watch : Ireland ’ s Supreme Court rules Subway sandwiches have too much sugar to meet legal definition of bread The chemical is also used in yoga mats and 500 other items , including more than 130 brands of bread , stuffing , pre-made sandwiches and snacks , according to an analysis at the time by the Environmental Working Group , a nonprofit group focused on corporate accountability .
ArcaMax : Commentary : One California water district is trying to make sure agriculture cleans up its own mess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groundwater pollution is nitrate , a key component of farm fertilizer and manure .
In 2017 , water systems serving 10.9 million Californians were contaminated with nitrate at or above legal limits , according to a study published in June by the Environmental Working Group .
The Intercept : Did the White House Stop the EPA From Regulating PFAS ?
“ This administration hasn ’ t taken a single action to reduce the ongoing emissions of PFAS , to clean up legacy PFAS pollution or any take any meaningful action to require water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinking water , ” said Scott Faber , senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group .
The Sun ( Lowell , MA ) : New standards for PFAS in drinking water established The Environmental Working Group , a Washington , D.C.-based nonprofit , claimed in 2019 that the compound traces came from firefighting foam that was used at the former Army base .
Reprinted by Sentinel & Enterprise .
Drinking water sources serving 7.5 million Californians are contaminated with toxic synthetic chemicals , according to a study from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nonprofit organization specializing in environmental research .
Traderszone Network : Daily Digest 9/26- Bezos Breaks His Climate Pledge , How the Pandemic Will Finally End Indeed , PFAS have been detected in the drinking water of more than 1,400 communities in 49 states , according to research by the PFAS Project at Northeastern University in Boston and the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , an advocacy organization that estimates that 110 million people may have tap water contaminated with the chemicals .
Although “ organic ” is not the byword at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenced by sustainability and the Environmental Working Group – a nonprofit group that publishes reports on more naturally grown food , and those that are cultivated with the use of pesticides – among other initiatives , Barone said .
Image : Five ways to improve nutrition in order to help reduce and relieve stress Ideally we choose organic , but there are cost implications to this so check out the clean 15 and dirty dozen from EWG which will help prioritize which ones to buy as organic .
Choose organic and local apples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the fiber-rich fruit rank high on the Environmental Working Group ’ s Dirty Dozen list .
Natural News : Legal doesn ’ t mean safe : Contaminants in tap water may be linked to more than 100,000 cases of cancer in America The concentration of these pollutants in water systems is in the range considered legal , according to researchers from the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , a non-profit research and advocacy organization based in Washington .

On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, Assembly Bill 2762, into law. This is the nation’s first state-level ban of 24 toxic ingredients, including mercury and formaldehyde, from the beauty and personal care products Californians use every day. EWG President Ken Cook announced the signing of this landmark law during EWG’s CleanCon™ – EWG’s virtual conference that featured some of the biggest names in the clean beauty movement.
“Californians now have greater assurance of the safety of the consumer products they use every day, like lotion and body wash, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and makeup,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “This marks a momentous milestone in the history of cosmetics and personal care products regulation. And for the first time, groups like EWG, along with a diverse group of stakeholders and the industry’s trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, support legislation to modernize the rules governing these products.”
In other Californian news, Gov. Newsom this week also signed EWG-cosponsored bills into law that will require millions of children to be tested for lead exposure and ban the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS from firefighting foams.
A new EWG analysis shows that toxic algae and bacteria caused the closure of at least 116 U.S. beaches this spring and summer, and triggered health warnings at 162 more.
“We found a troubling mishmash of public safety measures for toxic algae and bacterial contamination of beaches across the country,” said Anne Schechinger, EWG senior analyst of economics and a coauthor of the report. “Dozens of different government agencies and other organizations issued warnings with inconsistent wording, unclear direction and insufficient explanations of human health threats.”
Seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic, EWG updated an analysis of state-by-state protections in place for farmworkers. Currently, only 11 states have issued wide-ranging mandatory protections for farmworkers.
EWG applauded the introduction of the HEROES 2.0 Act, which would further protect food and farm workers and feed hungry Americans. We also condemned the construction industry’s blockage of a bill that would have banned the future use and importation of asbestos.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
Children’s Health
Romper: Grove Collaborative's Face Masks & Hand Sanitizer For Kids Are Safe & Efficient
And even better, Grove Collaborative is sticking to their promise of providing high-quality, healthy products, because the company worked with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to ensure that all products in the line are EWG verified. That means these items are free of any chemicals that EWG lists as concerning.
Acres: Book of the Week: Poisoning Our Children
In 2009, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found up to 232 chemicals in the placental cord blood of newborns in the United States.
Green and Clean Mom: Best Baby Detergent for Sensitive Skin
If you are worried about what chemicals might be in your laundry detergent and potentially harming your baby, then this one is for you. Getting an “A” rating on the EWG website (a website that checks all the nasty chemicals in washing products) this detergent is one of the best you can get for sensitive skin.
California Bill: AB2762 Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act
Allure: What California’s New Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act means For Your Beauty Products
"A lot of these regulations are initiated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in that they have some studies on risk of cancer, allergy, or reproductive toxicity."
Chemical Watch: California becomes first US state to ban cosmetics with harmful substances(subscription)
Susan Little, senior advocate for California government affairs with EWG, said the law "received resounding bipartisan support largely because the federal government has failed for so long to pass meaningful cosmetics reform".
WWD: California First US State to Ban Harmful Cosmetics Ingredients, Already Forbidden in EU
“For more than 80 years, Congress has neglected to increase the scope of the Food and Drug Administration’s authority over cosmetics, limiting the agency’s ability to ensure the safety of cosmetic products,” noted a statement from the Environmental Working Group, which cosponsored the legislation alongside Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and the California Public Interest Research Group.
Global Cosmetic Industry: California’s ‘Toxic-Free Cosmetics’ Act Signed Into Law
Assembly Bill 2762, the 'Toxic-free Cosmetics' Act, has been signed into law by State of California Governor Gavin Newsom, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which joined efforts with the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) in support of the bill.
Beauty Packaging: Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act Signed into Law in California
According to the Environmental Working Group, these ingredients are already prohibited from cosmetics and other personal care products sold in the European Union and some other countries, but are still used in personal care products sold throughout the U.S.
MindBodyGreen: Breaking: The First US State Just Banned Harmful Chemicals in Beauty Prodcuts
But that's not all: "It will also allow the attorney general of California to require the halt of sale of products, as well as require products to be removed from the shelves," Susan Little, senior advocate for California government affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), has previously told mbg about the co-sponsored bill. "That's why the bill is so helpful."
Eco Watch: California Becomes First State to Ban 24 Toxic Chemicals From Cosmetics
The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, or Assembly Bill 2762, targets 24 toxic chemicals including mercury and formaldehyde that have been linked to cancer, birth defects, hormone disruption and other negative health impacts, Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported.
EWG's CleanCon™
People: Kourtney Kardashian Feels Most Beautiful ‘After a Bath’ When She’s Barefaced: ‘Just Natural Me’
"I really want the clean beauty laws changed so that we as consumers, don’t have to worry about how toxic our personal care products are. It affects everyone, not just makeup-wearing people," Kardashian, who spoke at Environmental Working Group's CleanCon virtual event on Wednesday, says.
People: Miranda Kerr Wakes Up at 5:30AM During Quarantine to Have Time Alone to Do Her Morning Ritual
I dim the lights and turn on relaxing music like Snatam Kaur and take a few deep belly breaths," says the star, who joined the Environmental Working Group's CleanCon event on Wednesday.
Citizen Petition: FDA Needs to Consider Cumulative Effects of Food Chemicals
MEAWW: FDA rules fall short to curb use of 10,000 food chemicals that cause ailments: Petition demands strict action
The petitioners include the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners … Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental Health Strategy Center, Environmental Working Group, and Healthy Babies Bright Futures.
Asbestos
Top Class Actions: EPA’s Asbestos Regulations Fail to Protect Americans, Say Advocate Agencies
In a lawsuit filed Sept. 22, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) insists the EPA is obligated by the Toxic Substances Control Act to collect any and all information regarding asbestos in order to evaluate its risks. Other plaintiffs in the case include the American Public Health Association, Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Health Strategy Center and Environmental Working Group.
BPA
Natural Awakenings: Paperless Shopping: BPA Exposure from Store Receipts
According to the Environmental Working Group, more than 30 years of studies have linked BPA exposure to brain, behavioral, learning and memory impairment; cardiovascular abnormalities; diabetes; obesity; breast and prostate cancer; thyroid and sex hormone disruption; early puberty; changes to egg and sperm development and fertility; and genetic alterations that can be passed on to future generations.
Cleaning Products
Better Nutrition: Protect the Health of Your Breasts
To make sure you’re maintaining a healthy home, check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
KPC News (Northeast IN): Basic household products are versatile cleaners
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group's Guide to Healthy Cleaning breaks down a range of household and professional cleaners with a focus on their ingredients and their effects on humans, scoring the cleaners with a letter grade.
WBOC (Delaware/ Maryland): Going Green: Tips You Can Use
The Environmental Working Group's guide to healthy cleaning scores thousands of products online so you can pick the best one for you.
MindBodyGreen: All You Need to Deep Clean Your Shower Are These Products And Some Elbow Grease
"Some bathroom cleaners may be more acidic (low pH) or basic (high pH) with higher concentrations of acids or alkalis compared to some all-purpose cleaners," explains Samara Geller, a senior research and database analyst for the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database
The Cut: How This TikTok Star Gets Her Skin So Good
“During my research, I found that many ingredients that are commonly used in ‘non-clean’ skin-care products were classified on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database as possible irritants,” she explains.
Reader’s Digest: 13 Beauty Trends That Are Downright Dangerous
"They both are powerful, skin-soothing antioxidants that even out skin tone and fade dark spots, and have the safest rating on the environmental working group's skin deep ingredient database.".
General Health: The 8 Best Toothpastes to Buy in 2020
One that is missing? Titanium dioxide, an inorganic chemical compound added to many kinds of toothpaste to give them a white hue, which the Environmental Working Group (EWG) notes may be carcinogenic.
EWG VERIFIED®
Real Simple: 12 Non-Toxic Halloween Makeup Alternatives Your Skin Will Love
This EWG-verified blush in matte bright pink is the perfect addition to any bold Halloween look.
Duke Energy
Seeking Alpha: Duke Energy: Come for the 4.7% Yield, Stay for the Valuation
EWG, a watchdog of sorts for environmental issues, issued a scathing report against Duke a few weeks ago detailing failed investments the company has made.
Farm Subsidies
Farm Progress: 7 ag stories you might have missed this week
The bulk of Market Facilitation Program payments went to the top 10% of farms, according to the Environmental Working Group. A study of $5 billion in payments through June 30 under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program shows the top 1% of farms receiving 22% of the money, for an average payment of $352,432. The smallest 80% of farms got 23% of the aid, with the average payment $4,677, according to the advocacy group.
Food Quality & Safety: Farmworkers Lack Federal Protections During COVID-19
“Right now there aren’t any federal requirements in place, so across the country we’re looking at a complete patchwork of different laws and regulations, whether it is mandatory or voluntary guidance,” says Jared Hayes, a policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C., consultancy.
Farming Practices
Agri Pulse: Biden’s CSP expansion could face Hill resistance, staffing questions
Craig Cox, senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the Environmental Working Group, says he would like to see a heavy emphasis within CSP on promoting soil health and regenerative farming practices.
Food Scores
Market Watch: Ireland’s Supreme Court rules Subway sandwiches have too much sugar to meet legal definition of bread
The chemical is also used in yoga mats and 500 other items, including more than 130 brands of bread, stuffing, pre-made sandwiches and snacks, according to an analysis at the time by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit group focused on corporate accountability.
Nitrate Water Pollution
ArcaMax: Commentary: One California water district is trying to make sure agriculture cleans up its own mess
One of the most pervasive forms of groundwater pollution is nitrate, a key component of farm fertilizer and manure. In 2017, water systems serving 10.9 million Californians were contaminated with nitrate at or above legal limits, according to a study published in June by the Environmental Working Group.
PFAS in Drinking Water
The Intercept: Did the White House Stop the EPA From Regulating PFAS?
“This administration hasn’t taken a single action to reduce the ongoing emissions of PFAS, to clean up legacy PFAS pollution or any take any meaningful action to require water utilities to take PFAS out of the drinking water,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.
The Sun (Lowell, MA): New standards for PFAS in drinking water established
The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, claimed in 2019 that the compound traces came from firefighting foam that was used at the former Army base. Reprinted by Sentinel & Enterprise.
Natural News: A dose of toxic synthetic chemicals: Researcheres detect “forever chemicals” in California’s drinking water
Drinking water sources serving 7.5 million Californians are contaminated with toxic synthetic chemicals, according to a study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization specializing in environmental research.
Traderszone Network: Daily Digest 9/26- Bezos Breaks His Climate Pledge, How the Pandemic Will Finally End
Indeed, PFAS have been detected in the drinking water of more than 1,400 communities in 49 states, according to research by the PFAS Project at Northeastern University in Boston and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an advocacy organization that estimates that 110 million people may have tap water contaminated with the chemicals.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
Columbus Dispatch: True Food Kitchen brings healthy menu to Easton
Although “organic” is not the byword at True Food Kitchen; its menu is influenced by sustainability and the Environmental Working Group – a nonprofit group that publishes reports on more naturally grown food, and those that are cultivated with the use of pesticides – among other initiatives, Barone said.
Image: Five ways to improve nutrition in order to help reduce and relieve stress
Ideally we choose organic, but there are cost implications to this so check out the clean 15 and dirty dozen from EWG which will help prioritize which ones to buy as organic.
Experience Life: How to Make Apple Chips
Choose organic and local apples whenever possible, as conventionally raised versions of the fiber-rich fruit rank high on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list.
Tap Water Database
Natural News: Legal doesn’t mean safe: Contaminants in tap water may be linked to more than 100,000 cases of cancer in America
The concentration of these pollutants in water systems is in the range considered legal, according to researchers from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit research and advocacy organization based in Washington.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-02--Construction Industry Lobby Blocks Bill To Ban Asbestos

WASHINGTON – Legislation to ban the future use and importation of the notorious and deadly carcinogen asbestos was blocked from passing the House Thursday night after lobbyists representing a powerful sector of the building and construction industry objected .
The National Stone , Sand and Gravel Association , or NSSGA , stopped the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act , or ARBAN ( H.R.1603 , ) from coming up for a vote over complaints that the definition of asbestos in the legislation was too broad , arguing it “ deviates from the longstanding , mineralogically accurate definition.
” However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no widely accepted definition of asbestos , and the way it is defined in the ARBAN bill draws from established and health-protective approaches from federal government agencies , including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health .
NIOSH has publicly stated concerns about the scientific challenges posed by an overly narrow definition of the carcinogen that continues to kill up to 15,000 Americans a year .
“ It ’ s outrageous that instead of passing this critical piece of legislation that would finally ban asbestos , one of the deadliest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caved under pressure from industry , ” said EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber .
“ Banning something as dangerous as asbestos that has killed tens of thousands of Americans should be a layup for Congress .
Sadly , for far too long , our elected and appointed leaders have sided with the narrow interests of industry and ignored the deadly threat asbestos poses to public health.
” “ Some may think the risk of exposure to asbestos is low and the deadly diseases it causes are rare , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth , ” said Faber .
“ Asbestos-related diseases continue to kill thousands of people each year in this country , and time and again , asbestos has contaminated talc-based products , including baby powder , makeup and children ’ s toys .
Today ’ s failure by the House is yet another setback to finally ending all uses of this deadly substance in the U.S. for once and for all.
” Geologically , talc and asbestos can naturally occur alongside each other in rock .
Talc deposits in many regions are contaminated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 15,000 Americans each year , and since its introduction in the 1930s , it has devastated hundreds of thousands of American families .
Fifty-eight nations have banned asbestos , but in 1991 , a federal court overturned the Environmental Protection Agency ’ s ban .
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 .

WASHINGTON – Legislation to ban the future use and importation of the notorious and deadly carcinogen asbestos was blocked from passing the House Thursday night after lobbyists representing a powerful sector of the building and construction industry objected.
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, or NSSGA, stopped the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, or ARBAN (H.R.1603,) from coming up for a vote over complaints that the definition of asbestos in the legislation was too broad, arguing it “deviates from the longstanding, mineralogically accurate definition.”
However, contrary to NSSGA’s claims, there is no widely accepted definition of asbestos, and the way it is defined in the ARBAN bill draws from established and health-protective approaches from federal government agencies, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSH has publicly stated concerns about the scientific challenges posed by an overly narrow definition of the carcinogen that continues to kill up to 15,000 Americans a year.
“Some may think the risk of exposure to asbestos is low and the deadly diseases it causes are rare, but that is the furthest thing from the truth,” said EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber. “Asbestos-related diseases continue to kill thousands of people each year in this country, and time and again, asbestos has contaminated talc-based products, including baby powder, makeup and children’s toys. It’s ridiculous that companies are throwing sand in the gears of the legislative process.”
Geologically, talc and asbestos can naturally occur alongside each other in rock. Talc deposits in many regions are contaminated with asbestos fibers.
Asbestos-triggered diseases kill up to 15,000 Americans each year, and since its introduction in the 1930s, it has devastated hundreds of thousands of American families. Fifty-eight nations have banned asbestos, but in 1991, a federal court overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban.
###
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.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-07--EWG Investigation: In California’s Majority-Latino Communities, 5.25 Million Drink Tap Water With Ni

EWG Investigation: In California’s Majority-Latino Communities, 5.25 Million Drink Tap Water With Nitrate Above Federal Limit

WASHINGTON – In California ’ s majority-Latino communities , 5.25 million people drink tap water contaminated with nitrate at levels at or above the federal limit , according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of state and federal data .
Nitrate contamination is widespread throughout California ’ s drinking water supplies , but EWG ’ s analysis found that as nitrate levels rises , the likelihood that a community is majority-Latino also goes up – especially in the eight-county San Joaquin Valley , the nation ’ s leading agricultural region .
“ The more nitrate that contaminates a California tap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the system is located in a majority-Latino census block group , particularly in the San Joaquin Valley , ” said Anne Schechinger , EWG senior economic analyst and author of the report .
“ Because the vast majority of the Valley ’ s essential farmworkers are also Latino , this means that in the nation ’ s food basket , many people are drinking water contaminated by the very farms that employ them.
” Nitrate is a potentially toxic chemical that primarily enters drinking water supplies from farm runoff polluted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit for nitrate in tap water is 10 milligrams per liter , or mg/L , but recent studies have found that drinking tap water with nitrate at half the legal limit – 5 mg/L – or even less can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases .
For its analysis , EWG compared demographic information , by census block groups , from the 2018 American Community Survey with nitrate tests from the public water systems that serve the communities located in those block groups .
Tests were conducted by the utilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act , between 2003 and 2017 .
Utility tests detected elevated levels of nitrate in the finished water of hundreds of communities located in census block groups where the population is 50 percent Latino or higher : • 140 systems serving 5.25 million people tested at or above 10 mg/L .
• 318 systems serving 8.1 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L .
• 415 majority-Latino community water systems serving more than 9 million people tested at or above 3 mg/L , the level the Environmental Protection Agency says indicates that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of all California communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L are majority-Latino .
That went up to 38 percent for communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L , and 42 percent at or above 10 mg/L .
In the Valley , elevated nitrate was also found in numerous communities that were in majority-Latino census block groups : • 69 systems serving close to 1.5 million people tested at or above the federal limit of 10 mg/L .
• 157 systems serving 2.2 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.3 million people , tested at or above 3 mg/L .
Fifty percent of communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more in the Valley are majority-Latino .
That goes up to 53 percent of communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L , and 56 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L .
Of all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate , 65 percent – 130 communities serving almost 956,000 people – had contamination that got worse between 2003 and 2017 .
“ Farmworkers and their family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure and , as this report shows , are poisoned by agricultural chemicals in their water supply , ” said Bruce Goldstein , president of Farmworker Justice , a nonprofit that advocates for migrant and seasonal farmworkers .
“ Farmworkers confront occupational hazards from pesticide exposure , Covid-19 and wildfires , as well as low wages and labor abuses.
” “ As essential workers in our food system and as human beings contributing to our communities , farmworkers and their children should not have to drink water polluted with farm chemicals , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities struggling with nitrate are also low-income , with a 2018 average household income of about $ 49,000 across census block groups , less than half the state ’ s average income of about $ 101,000 .
Cleaning up California ’ s nitrate-polluted tap water will require tougher farm regulations and a lot of money .
In 2019 , the state established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund , which was intended to provide $ 130 million a year for the next decade to communities to help rebuild or improve drinking water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has put the money on hold .
“ California needs real regulations on farm pollution and dedicated funding for water systems that won ’ t disappear in an economic downturn , ” EWG ’ s Schechinger said .
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 – In California’s majority-Latino communities, 5.25 million people drink tap water contaminated with nitrate at levels at or above the federal limit, according to an Environmental Working Group analysis of state and federal data.
Nitrate contamination is widespread throughout California’s drinking water supplies, but EWG’s analysis found that as nitrate levels rise, the likelihood that a community is majority-Latino also goes up – especially in the eight-county San Joaquin Valley, the nation’s leading agricultural region.
“The more nitrate that contaminates a California tap water system, the more likely it is that the system is located in a majority-Latino census block group, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley,” said Anne Schechinger, EWG senior economic analyst and author of the report. “Because the vast majority of the Valley’s essential farmworkers are also Latino, this means that in the nation’s food basket, many people are drinking water contaminated by the very farms that employ them.”
Nitrate is a potentially toxic chemical that primarily enters drinking water supplies from farm runoff polluted with fertilizer and animal manure. The legal limit for nitrate in tap water is 10 milligrams per liter, or mg/L, but recent studies have found that drinking tap water with nitrate at half the legal limit – 5 mg/L – or even less can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases.
For its analysis, EWG compared demographic information, by census block groups, from the 2018 American Community Survey with nitrate tests from the public water systems that serve the communities located in those block groups. Tests were conducted by the utilities, as required under the Safe Drinking Water Act, between 2003 and 2017.
California Contamination
Utility tests detected elevated levels of nitrate in the finished water of hundreds of communities located in census block groups where the population is 50 percent Latino or higher:
140 systems serving 5.25 million people tested at or above 10 mg/L.
318 systems serving 8.1 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L.
415 majority-Latino community water systems serving more than 9 million people tested at or above 3 mg/L, the level the Environmental Protection Agency says indicates that contamination may be getting worse.
Thirty-five percent of all California communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L are majority-Latino. That went up to 38 percent for communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L, and 42 percent at or above 10 mg/L.
San Joaquin Valley Contamination
In the Valley, elevated nitrate was also found in numerous communities that were in majority-Latino census block groups:
69 systems serving close to 1.5 million people tested at or above the federal limit of 10 mg/L.
157 systems serving 2.2 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L.
199 majority-Latino systems, serving almost 2.3 million people, tested at or above 3 mg/L.
Fifty percent of communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more in the Valley are majority-Latino. That goes up to 53 percent of communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L, and 56 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L.
Of all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate, 65 percent – 130 communities serving almost 956,000 people – had contamination that got worse between 2003 and 2017.
“Farmworkers and their family members often live in communities that lack adequate infrastructure and, as this report shows, are poisoned by agricultural chemicals in their water supply,” said Bruce Goldstein, president of Farmworker Justice, a nonprofit that advocates for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. “Farmworkers confront occupational hazards from pesticide exposure, Covid-19 and wildfires, as well as low wages and labor abuses.”
“As essential workers in our food system and as human beings contributing to our communities, farmworkers and their children should not have to drink water polluted with farm chemicals,” Goldstein added.
Most of the majority-Latino communities struggling with nitrate are also low-income, with a 2018 average household income of about $49,000 across census block groups, less than half the state’s average income of about $101,000.
Cleaning up California’s nitrate-polluted tap water will require tougher farm regulations and a lot of money. In 2019, the state established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, which was intended to provide $130 million a year for the next decade to communities to help rebuild or improve drinking water infrastructure. But the pandemic-triggered economic crisis has put the money on hold.
“California needs real regulations on farm pollution and dedicated funding for water systems that won’t disappear in an economic downturn,” EWG’s Schechinger said.
###
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--2020-10-08--Members of Congress Got Nearly $16 Million in Farm Subsidies and Trade War Bailout

Thirty-three members of Congress and their immediate family members collected a total of nearly $ 16 million in federal farm subsidies between 1995 and 2020 , according to updated data from EWG ’ s Farm Subsidy Database .
The total includes $ 1.3 million that went to 11 members from the Trump administration ’ s Market Facilitation Program , or MFP , launched in 2019 to help farmers hurt by the administration ’ s trade war with China .
No lawmakers received funds from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program , created to help farmers through the Covid-19 pandemic .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recipients , click here .
The data are drawn from Department of Agriculture subsidy records , MFP records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and additional information from the members ’ public financial disclosures .
Some members ’ disclosures say how much of their family ’ s farm operation they control , but in other cases that information was not available .
The biggest windfall from taxpayers ’ pocketbooks went to the family of Rep. Doug LaMalfa ( R-Calif. ) , who received nearly $ 5.5 million in commodity subsidies for rice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the family ’ s farm partnership , making his share almost $ 1.8 million .
Rep. LaMalfa is one of 13 congressional recipients who sit on the House or Senate Agriculture Committee , which determine the amount and distribution of farm subsidies .
The LaMalfa farm partnership also received more than $ 54,000 in MFP payments .
The second-largest congressional recipient was the family of Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee .
Her father , mother , brother and sister-in-law received more than $ 3.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wheat and oats , and her brother and sister-in-law received a total of $ 750,000 in MFP payments .
According to her publicly disclosed financial records , Sen. Loeffler has financial interests in her family ’ s farm operation , and she has received thousands of dollars in income in land rental from the farm .
The records do not say what share of the farm she holds .
Other congressional recipients whose families or the member received nearly or more than $ 1 million in commodity subsidies , disaster payments and/or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Braun ( R-Ind . )
, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee , who individually and through his businesses received more than $ 1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments , and $ 116,041 in MFP payments .
Sen. Braun ’ s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was more than $ 726,373 .
• Rep. Vicky Hartzler ( R-Mo . )
, a member of the House Agriculture Committee , whose family received more than $ 1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments , and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hartzler ’ s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was almost $ 987,000 .
Six other lawmakers – Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) , Sen. Jon Tester ( D-Mont . )
, Rep. Ralph Abraham ( R-La . )
, Rep. Devin Nunes ( R.-Calif. ) , Rep. Sam Graves ( R-Mo . )
and Sen. Deb Fischer ( R-Neb . )
– or their families received between $ 100,000 and about $ 400,000 in subsidies and/or MFP payments .
Sens .
Grassley and Fischer and Rep. Abraham are members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Sen. Grassley is chair of the Senate Finance Committee .
All but one of the lawmakers who received commodity subsidies are also eligible for crop insurance subsidies and a host of other farm welfare programs .
But because those other subsidies are not disclosed to the public , it ’ s not possible to determine whether some legislators are “ double dipping.
” The total includes $ 1.3 million that went to 11 members from the Trump administration ’ s Market Facilitation Program , or MFP , launched in 2019 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s trade war with China .
No lawmakers received funds from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program , created to help farmers through the Covid-19 pandemic .
For the complete list of subsidy and MFP recipients , click .
[ link to PDF ] The data are drawn from Department of Agriculture subsidy records , MFP records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and additional information from the members ’ public financial disclosures .
Some members ’ disclosures say how much of their family ’ s farm operation they control , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The biggest windfall from taxpayers ’ pocketbooks went to the family of Rep. Doug LaMalfa ( R-Calif. ) , who received nearly $ 5.5 million in commodity subsidies for rice and wheat .
LaMalfa holds a third of the family ’ s farm partnership , making his share almost $ 1.8 million .
Rep. LaMalfa is one of 13 congressional recipients who sit on the House or Senate Agriculture Committee , which determine the amount and distribution of farm subsidies .
The LaMalfa farm partnership also received more than $ 54,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the family of Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee .
Her father , mother , brother and sister-in-law received more than $ 3.4 million in subsidies for corn , soybeans , wheat and oats , and her brother and sister-in-law received a total of $ 750,000 in MFP payments .
According to her publicly disclosed financial records , Sen. Loeffler has financial interests in her family ’ s farm operation , and she has received thousands of dollars in income in land rental from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what share of the farm she holds .
Other congressional recipients whose families or the member received nearly or more than $ 1 million in commodity subsidies , disaster payments and/or MFP payments were : • Sen. Mike Braun ( R-Ind . )
, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee , who individually and through his businesses received more than $ 1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments , and $ 116,041 in MFP payments .
Sen. Braun ’ s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-Mo . )
, a member of the House Agriculture Committee , whose family received more than $ 1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments , and more than $ 228,000 in MFP payments .
Rep. Hartzler ’ s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was almost $ 987,000 .
Six other lawmakers – Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) , Sen. Jon Tester ( D-Mont . )
, Rep. Ralph Abraham ( R-La . )
, Rep. Devin Nunes ( R.-Calif. ) , Rep. Sam Graves ( R-Mo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Neb . )
– or their families received between $ 100,000 and about $ 400,000 in subsidies and/or MFP payments .
Sens .
Grassley and Fischer and Rep. Abraham are members of their respective chambers ’ agriculture committees , and Sen. Grassley is chair of the Senate Finance Committee .
All but one of the lawmakers who received commodity subsidies are also eligible for crop insurance subsidies and a host of other farm welfare programs .
But because those other subsidies are not disclosed to the public , it ’ s not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double dipping .
”

Thirty-three members of Congress and their immediate family members collected a total of nearly $16 million in federal farm subsidies between 1995 and 2020, according to updated data from EWG’s Farm Subsidy Database.
The total includes $1.3 million that went to 11 members from the Trump administration’s Market Facilitation Program, or MFP, launched in 2019 to help farmers hurt by the administration’s trade war with China.
No lawmakers received funds from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, created to help farmers through the Covid-19 pandemic. For the complete list of subsidy and MFP recipients, click here.
The data are drawn from Department of Agriculture subsidy records, MFP records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and additional information from the members’ public financial disclosures, and are through June 30, 2020. Some members’ disclosures say how much of their family’s farm operation they control, but in other cases that information was not available.
The biggest windfall from taxpayers’ pocketbooks went to the family of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), who received nearly $5.5 million in commodity subsidies for rice and wheat. LaMalfa holds a third of the family’s farm partnership, making his share almost $1.8 million.
Rep. LaMalfa is one of 13 congressional recipients who sit on the House or Senate Agriculture Committee, which determine the amount and distribution of farm subsidies. The LaMalfa farm partnership also received more than $54,000 in MFP payments.
The second-largest congressional recipient was the family of Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Her father, mother, brother and sister-in-law received more than $3.4 million in subsidies for corn, soybeans, wheat and oats, and her brother and sister-in-law received a total of $750,000 in MFP payments.
According to her publicly disclosed financial records, Sen. Loeffler has financial interests in her family’s farm operation, and she has received thousands of dollars in income in land rental from the farm. The records do not say what share of the farm she holds.
Other congressional recipients whose families or the member received nearly or more than $1 million in commodity subsidies, disaster payments and/or MFP payments were:
Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, who individually and through his businesses received more than $1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments, and $116,041 in MFP payments. Sen. Braun’s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was more than $726,373.
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, whose family received more than $1.1 million in commodity subsidies and disaster payments, and more than $228,000 in MFP payments. Rep. Hartzler’s share of the commodity subsidies and disaster payments was almost $987,000.
Six other lawmakers – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), Rep. Devin Nunes (R.-Calif.), Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) – or their families received between $100,000 and about $400,000 in subsidies and/or MFP payments. Sens. Grassley and Fischer and Rep. Abraham are members of their respective chambers’ agriculture committees, and Sen. Grassley is chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
All but one of the lawmakers who received commodity subsidies are also eligible for crop insurance subsidies and a host of other farm welfare programs. But because those other subsidies are not disclosed to the public, it’s not possible to determine whether some legislators are “double dipping.”


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-07--Former CDC Director, Hero of Smallpox Fight, Joins EWG’s Call for Redfield To Resign Over Trump Admi

Former CDC Director, Hero of Smallpox Fight, Joins EWG’s Call for Redfield To Resign Over Trump Administration’s Botched Covid-19 Response

WASHINGTON – The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , who led the successful effort to stamp out smallpox , has joined EWG in calling on the current CDC director to resign over the government ’ s disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In a private letter sent September 23 and obtained by USA Today , Dr. William Foege , who served presidents of both parties and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama , urged CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield to resign and make public how the White House interfered , manipulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risks of Covid-19 .
“ Don ’ t shy away from the fact this has been an unacceptable toll on our country .
It is a slaughter and not just a political dispute , ” wrote Foege .
“ You don ’ t want to be seen , in the future , as forsaking your role as servant to the public in order to become a servant to a corrupt president.
” On September 21 , two days before Foege sent his letter , EWG President Ken Cook sent his own letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign , highlighting press reports , internal documents and emails showing that Redfield had willfully allowed his agency ’ s communications with the public to be corrupted in order to assist President Trump ’ s repeated efforts to shield the deadly risks of Covid-19 from the American people .
“ Your continued service as director threatens irreparable , long-term damage to the agency ’ s service and credibility , ” Cook wrote .
“ The American people simply can no longer trust the CDC to live up to its motto of ‘ saving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as its leader .
Dr. Redfield , it is time for you to go.
” Here is Cook ’ s letter to Redfield .

WASHINGTON – The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who led the successful effort to stamp out smallpox, has joined EWG in calling on the current CDC director to resign over the government’s disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a private letter sent September 23 and obtained by USA Today, Dr. William Foege, who served presidents of both parties and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, urged CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield to resign and make public how the White House interfered, manipulated the agency’s guidance and downplayed the risks of Covid-19.
“Don’t shy away from the fact this has been an unacceptable toll on our country. It is a slaughter and not just a political dispute,” wrote Foege. “You don’t want to be seen, in the future, as forsaking your role as servant to the public in order to become a servant to a corrupt president.”
On September 21, two days before Foege sent his letter, EWG President Ken Cook sent his own letter to Redfield, calling on him to resign, highlighting press reports, internal documents and emails showing that Redfield had willfully allowed his agency’s communications with the public to be corrupted in order to assist President Trump’s repeated efforts to shield the deadly risks of Covid-19 from the American people.
“Your continued service as director threatens irreparable, long-term damage to the agency’s service and credibility,” Cook wrote. “The American people simply can no longer trust the CDC to live up to its motto of ‘saving lives, protecting people’ with you as its leader. Dr. Redfield, it is time for you to go.”
Here is Cook’s letter to Redfield.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-07--More New Hunger Than Hoover? Trump’s Catastrophic Response to Covid-19 Fuels Hunger Crisis

More than 22 million American households now qualify for federal food assistance , according to the Department of Agriculture ’ s Food and Nutrition Service – an increase of almost 3.4 million households since last year .
From April 2019 through July of this year , that ’ s an 18 percent increase in the number of households struggling with hunger .
The economic catastrophe triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic , and President Trump ’ s disastrous response to it , may have done more to increase hunger than any crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have produced more hungry Americans than Herbert Hoover .
• Next year , nearly 50 million people are projected to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , or SNAP , commonly called food stamps – about 40 percent more than the 35 million that the Congressional Budget Office projected in March .
• From April 2019 to April 2020 , SNAP participation more than doubled in Massachusetts and increased by 83 percent in Michigan , 70 percent in Wisconsin , 69 percent in Rhode Island , 33 percent in Arizona , 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York and 17 percent in Florida .
• About 23 million adults – more than 10 percent of all Americans over 18 – reported not having enough food in the week ending Sept. 14 , according to a survey by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities .
• The risk of hunger is even greater for children and people of color .
One in five children are going hungry , and roughly the same is true of Black people and Latinos .
If the Trump administration had its way , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even greater .
Before the Covid-19 pandemic , the administration proposed a rule that would have kicked 700,000 people out of SNAP .
The administration also proposed changes that would force poor people to submit heating and electric bills to receive their benefits and made it harder for elderly people to receive food .
Because of the administration ’ s tighter `` public charge '' rule , the National Immigration Law Center estimates 26 million immigrants may have been deterred from applying for food , health care or housing programs .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress took some steps to address hunger , and last month the House extended some childhood hunger relief nutrition assistance programs through 2021 .
But the Senate has so far refused to increase SNAP benefits by 15 percent , as the House has proposed .
Trump ’ s food box – which must include a letter from the president himself – is no substitute for an increase in SNAP benefits , and Trump just walked away from efforts to pass another Covid-19 relief bill .
Certainly , the miles-long lines of cars outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Depression .
History will tell if Trump goes down as another Hoover .
But it ’ s clear that too many people are wondering where their next meal will come from – and Donald Trump and his enablers in Congress bear a shameful share of the blame .

More than 22 million American households now qualify for federal food assistance, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service – an increase of almost 3.4 million households since last year. From April 2019 through July of this year, that’s an 18 percent increase in the number of households struggling with hunger.
The economic catastrophe triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, and President Trump’s disastrous response to it, may have done more to increase hunger than any crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The numbers suggest Trump’s incompetence may have produced more hungry Americans than Herbert Hoover.
Next year, nearly 50 million people are projected to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly called food stamps – about 40 percent more than the 35 million that the Congressional Budget Office projected in March.
From April 2019 to April 2020, SNAP participation more than doubled in Massachusetts and increased by 83 percent in Michigan, 70 percent in Wisconsin, 69 percent in Rhode Island, 33 percent in Arizona, 31 percent in California, 26 percent in New York and 17 percent in Florida.
About 23 million adults – more than 10 percent of all Americans over 18 – reported not having enough food in the week ending Sept. 14, according to a survey by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The risk of hunger is even greater for children and people of color. One in five children are going hungry, and roughly the same is true of Black people and Latinos.
If the Trump administration had its way, the number of people going hungry would be even greater.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the administration proposed a rule that would have kicked 700,000 people out of SNAP. The administration also proposed changes that would force poor people to submit heating and electric bills to receive their benefits and made it harder for elderly people to receive food. Because of the administration’s tighter "public charge" rule, the National Immigration Law Center estimates 26 million immigrants may have been deterred from applying for food, health care or housing programs.
With the first pandemic relief package in March, Congress took some steps to address hunger, and last month the House extended some childhood hunger relief nutrition assistance programs through 2021. But the Senate has so far refused to increase SNAP benefits by 15 percent, as the House has proposed. Trump’s food box – which must include a letter from the president himself – is no substitute for an increase in SNAP benefits, and Trump just walked away from efforts to pass another Covid-19 relief bill.
Certainly, the miles-long lines of cars outside food banks are reminiscent of the Great Depression. History will tell if Trump goes down as another Hoover. But it’s clear that too many people are wondering where their next meal will come from – and Donald Trump and his enablers in Congress bear a shameful share of the blame.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-10-07--In California, Latinos More Likely To Be Drinking Nitrate-Polluted Water

This interactive map shows all San Joaquin Valley community water systems with a majority-Latino population that had elevated levels of nitrate in the period analyzed .
Clicking on a point brings up information for the census block group where the community water system is located .
The percentage of Latino population and 2018 mean household income are given for each census block group .
Between 2003 and 2017 , tests detected elevated levels of nitrate in the finished water of hundreds of the state ’ s towns and cities located in census block groups where the population was 50 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows the 20 Valley community water systems with the highest average levels of nitrate contamination between 2003 and 2017 , and the percentage of residents who identified as Latino in the 2018 American Community Survey , for the census block group where each water system was located.2 Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act , the legal limit for nitrate ( measured as nitrogen ) in community water systems is 10 milligrams per liter , or mg/L .
This limit was set based on a 1962 U.S. Public Health Service recommendation to guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially fatal condition that starves infants of oxygen if they ingest too much nitrate .
But more recent studies show strong evidence of an increased risk of colorectal cancer , thyroid disease and neural tube birth defects at levels of 5 mg/L or even lower .
EWG analyzed California State Water Resources Control Board data on the Valley communities with nitrate levels in drinking water meeting or exceeding the federal legal limit .
We found that almost six in 10 are majority-Latino .
Latinos are also a majority in Valley communities with nitrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is linked to increased risk of cancer and other diseases .
Nitrate contamination of drinking water is widespread in California : Tests by utilities have detected some level of nitrate in the finished water supplies for more than two-thirds of all Californians .
But it ’ s worst in the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley,1 and worse still in majority-Latino communities in those counties .
They are also disproportionately likely to live in communities where drinking water supplies are contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate , a toxic chemical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As nitrate levels rise , the likelihood that a community is majority-Latino also goes up .
Thirty-five percent of all California communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more were majority-Latino , but that went up to 38 percent for communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L , and 42 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L .
For decades , small communities in the San Joaquin Valley that are home to many Latino farmworkers have had dangerous levels of nitrate in their water .
These laborers work by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the water they use at night at home .
In many of these communities , levels of nitrate and other contaminants are so high that residents must buy bottled water for cooking and drinking .
The San Joaquin Valley has been hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19 .
As of the last week of August , there had been more than 110,000 confirmed cases in the eight Valley counties alone – almost one in six of all cases in the state .
Latinos are also disproportionately affected by the pandemic : They are about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but make up about 60 percent of COVID-19 cases .
In the pandemic-triggered economic crisis , it ’ s even harder to have to pay for both contaminated tap water and clean bottled drinking water .
In the San Joaquin Valley , between 2003 and 2017 : • 199 majority-Latino systems , serving almost 2.3 million people , tested at or above 3 mg/L .
Ninety-one percent of these systems rely on groundwater as their source of drinking water .
• 157 systems serving 2.2 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.5 million people tested at or above 10 mg/L .
In the Valley , 50 percent of communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more were majority-Latino .
That goes up to 53 percent of communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L , and 56 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L .
Most of the majority-Latino communities struggling with nitrate were also low-income .
Of the communities with elevated nitrate , 98 percent , serving almost 2.3 million people , were in a census block group with a 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s average income .
The average income across all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate was $ 49,367 , less than half of the state ’ s average of $ 101,493 .
Of all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate , 65 percent – 130 communities serving almost 956,000 people – had contamination that got worse between 2003 and 2017 .
Although nitrate pollution can also come from wastewater treatment plants and septic systems , agriculture is the main source of nitrate in California ’ s drinking water .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 90 percent of nitrate in the groundwater comes from agriculture , which is by far the biggest business in the Valley , whose farmers produce more than half of the state ’ s agricultural products .
When nitrogen fertilizer and animal manure are applied to farm fields , rain washes nitrogen off fields and into sources of drinking water .
Irrigation is a main culprit for nitrate contamination of groundwater : The water from extensive irrigation of cropland forces nitrogen from fertilizer and manure into and through soil to pollute groundwater .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulare County , uses groundwater as its drinking water source , and the water system serves around 700 people .
The community has struggled with high nitrate levels for many years .
EWG ’ s analysis shows that East Orosi had annual nitrate averages above 10 mg/L , the legal limit , in nine of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017 , and that every year ’ s average was above 5 mg/L .
Over that period , the community ’ s nitrate levels grew by 53 percent .
Most residents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families .
As of the 2010 census , 94.1 percent of residents were Latino .
And as of 2018 , East Orosi was located in a census block group with an average income of $ 62,703 , compared with the state average of $ 101,493 .
Because nitrate levels are so high , water costs hit residents ’ wallets twice – for the unsafe water from their taps and for bottled water that is safe to drink .
Woodville , also in Tulare County , gets its drinking water from groundwater , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In each of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017 , Woodville had annual nitrate averages above 5 mg/L , and in 2017 the average was 9.4 mg/L , just under the legal limit .
Over that period , the town ’ s nitrate levels grew by almost a third .
Most of the people who live in Woodville are also low-income farmworkers .
As of the 2010 census , 88.8 percent of residents were Latino .
And as of 2018 , Woodville was located in a census block group with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has high nitrate levels in the water because the town is encircled by dairies .
Manure from the dairies wreaks havoc on the water in the two wells the town uses .
Because groundwater levels have dropped , to tap into cleaner water supplies , the system has been forced to continuously drill wells deeper and deeper .
At one point , one of the wells collapsed because water levels were too low , and that damage cost $ 70,000 to fix .
Ceres , in Stanislaus County , also gets its drinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system serves 47,754 people .
Ceres had annual nitrate averages above 5 mg/L in each of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017 , except for 2004 , when the average was 4.5 mg/L .
During that period , the town ’ s nitrate levels grew by 31 percent .
As of the 2010 census , 56 percent of people in Ceres were Latino .
In the 2018 census block group that includes Ceres , 75.6 percent of residents are Latino .
Average income in that block group is much lower than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with $ 101,493 .
Residents of the town have long had to use bottled water for cooking and drinking .
Although nitrate levels have been high for many years , it ’ s not the only drinking water contaminant in Ceres ’ water .
Arsenic and a pesticide chemical called 1,2,3 TCP , linked to cancer , have also been found in the city ’ s water .
And the water is expensive : Last year , Gov .
Gavin Newsom noted that people in Ceres pay more for their water than those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of drinking water in California is a complex problem .
Solving it will require tougher farm regulations and a lot of money to clean up polluted water systems .
In 2019 , the state established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund , which was intended to provide $ 130 million a year for the next decade to communities to help rebuild or improve drinking water infrastructure .
But the pandemic-triggered economic crisis has put the money on hold .
Because of how it is funded , it ’ s uncertain how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local agencies also have plans to address pollution from farms .
But these plans rely on monitoring fertilizer and manure use , and it will be decades before any regulation of agricultural activities gets put in place .
Real regulations on farm pollution and dedicated funding for water systems that won ’ t disappear in an economic downturn are needed to fix this statewide problem .
2 People who identify as Hispanic or Latino can be of any race .
3 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says : “ While nitrate does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 3 mg/L generally indicate contamination ( Madison and Brunett , 1985 ) , and a more recent nationwide study found that concentrations over 1 mg/L nitrate indicate human activity ” ( Dubrovsky et al .
2010 ) .

In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the nation’s leading agricultural region, Latinos make up the great majority of farmworkers.
They are also disproportionately likely to live in communities where drinking water supplies are contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate, a toxic chemical that primarily comes from polluted farm runoff.
Nitrate contamination of drinking water is widespread in California: Tests by utilities have detected some level of nitrate in the finished water supplies for more than two-thirds of all Californians. But it’s worst in the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley,1 and worse still in majority-Latino communities in those counties.
EWG analyzed California State Water Resources Control Board data on the Valley communities with nitrate levels in drinking water meeting or exceeding the federal legal limit. We found that almost six in 10 are majority-Latino. Latinos are also a majority in Valley communities with nitrate at or above half the legal limit, which is linked to increased risk of cancer and other diseases.
Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the legal limit for nitrate (measured as nitrogen) in community water systems is 10 milligrams per liter, or mg/L. This limit was set based on a 1962 U.S. Public Health Service recommendation to guard against so-called blue baby syndrome, a potentially fatal condition that starves infants of oxygen if they ingest too much nitrate. But more recent studies show strong evidence of an increased risk of colorectal cancer, thyroid disease and neural tube birth defects at levels of 5 mg/L or even lower.
The chart below shows the 20 Valley community water systems with the highest average levels of nitrate contamination between 2003 and 2017, and the percentage of residents who identified as Latino in the 2018 American Community Survey, for the census block group where each water system was located.2
San Joaquin Valley Community Water Systems With the Worst Nitrate Contamination
System Name 2003-2017 Nitrate Average in mg/L Percent Latinos in Census Block Group Rodriguez Labor Camp 27.3 81.8% Tony Morris/Morris Dairy 23.5 58.8% Sierra Mutual Water Company 21.5 36.0% Soults Mutual Water Company 16.7 73.3% Beverly Grand Mutual Water 16.7 78.2% East Wilson Road Water Company 13.1 79.4% Lemon Cove Water Company 12.8 18.6% Sierra Vista Association 12.7 60.1% Wilson Road Water Community 12.6 73.6% San Joaquin Estates Mutual Water Company 12.2 41.5% Del Oro River Island Service Territory #2 11.7 50.3% Faith Home Teen Ranch 10.5 25.0% El Monte Village Mobile Home Park 10.4 20.7% Plainview Mutual Water Company, Central Water 10.2 81.8% Son Shines Properties 9.9 32.1% Hillview Water Company, Raymond 9.6 16.3% Lake Success Mobile Lodge 9.6 50.3% Triple R Mutual Water Company 9.5 13.2% R.S. Mutual Water Company 9.4 2.7% East Orosi Community Services District 9.3 80.3%
Source: EWG, from Calif. State Water Resources Control Board and 2018 American Community Survey.
Between 2003 and 2017, tests detected elevated levels of nitrate in the finished water of hundreds of the state’s towns and cities located in census block groups where the population was 50 percent Latino or higher:
415 majority-Latino community water systems serving more than 9 million people tested at or above 3 mg/L.3
318 systems serving 8.1 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L.
140 systems serving 5.25 million people tested at or above 10 mg/L.
This interactive map shows all San Joaquin Valley community water systems with a majority-Latino population that had elevated levels of nitrate in the period analyzed. Clicking on a point brings up information for the census block group where the community water system is located. The percentage of Latino population and 2018 mean household income are given for each census block group.
Explore the Map
Source: EWG, from Calif. State Water Resources Control Board and 2018 American Community Survey.
As nitrate levels rise, the likelihood that a community is majority-Latino also goes up. Thirty-five percent of all California communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more were majority-Latino, but that went up to 38 percent for communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L, and 42 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L.
Contamination in the San Joaquin Valley
For decades, small communities in the San Joaquin Valley that are home to many Latino farmworkers have had dangerous levels of nitrate in their water. These laborers work by day in the same fields that pollute the water they use at night at home. In many of these communities, levels of nitrate and other contaminants are so high that residents must buy bottled water for cooking and drinking.
The San Joaquin Valley has been hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19. As of the last week of August, there had been more than 110,000 confirmed cases in the eight Valley counties alone – almost one in six of all cases in the state. Latinos are also disproportionately affected by the pandemic: They are about 40 percent of California’s population but make up about 60 percent of COVID-19 cases. In the pandemic-triggered economic crisis, it’s even harder to have to pay for both contaminated tap water and clean bottled drinking water.
In the San Joaquin Valley, between 2003 and 2017:
199 majority-Latino systems, serving almost 2.3 million people, tested at or above 3 mg/L. Ninety-one percent of these systems rely on groundwater as their source of drinking water.
157 systems serving 2.2 million people tested at or above 5 mg/L.
69 systems serving close to 1.5 million people tested at or above 10 mg/L.
In the Valley, 50 percent of communities with nitrate levels of 3 mg/L or more were majority-Latino. That goes up to 53 percent of communities that tested at or above 5 mg/L, and 56 percent that tested at or above 10 mg/L.
Most of the majority-Latino communities struggling with nitrate were also low-income. Of the communities with elevated nitrate, 98 percent, serving almost 2.3 million people, were in a census block group with a 2018 average household income below the state’s average income. The average income across all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate was $49,367, less than half of the state’s average of $101,493.
Of all majority-Latino communities in the Valley with elevated nitrate, 65 percent – 130 communities serving almost 956,000 people – had contamination that got worse between 2003 and 2017.
Although nitrate pollution can also come from wastewater treatment plants and septic systems, agriculture is the main source of nitrate in California’s drinking water. In the San Joaquin Valley, more than 90 percent of nitrate in the groundwater comes from agriculture, which is by far the biggest business in the Valley, whose farmers produce more than half of the state’s agricultural products.
When nitrogen fertilizer and animal manure are applied to farm fields, rain washes nitrogen off fields and into sources of drinking water. Irrigation is a main culprit for nitrate contamination of groundwater: The water from extensive irrigation of cropland forces nitrogen from fertilizer and manure into and through soil to pollute groundwater.
Case Studies in the San Joaquin Valley
East Orosi
East Orosi, an unincorporated community in Tulare County, uses groundwater as its drinking water source, and the water system serves around 700 people. The community has struggled with high nitrate levels for many years.
EWG’s analysis shows that East Orosi had annual nitrate averages above 10 mg/L, the legal limit, in nine of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017, and that every year’s average was above 5 mg/L. Over that period, the community’s nitrate levels grew by 53 percent.
Most residents of East Orosi are low-income farmworkers and their families. As of the 2010 census, 94.1 percent of residents were Latino. And as of 2018, East Orosi was located in a census block group with an average income of $62,703, compared with the state average of $101,493.
Because nitrate levels are so high, water costs hit residents’ wallets twice – for the unsafe water from their taps and for bottled water that is safe to drink.
East Orosi is surrounded by farmland.
Source: Esri basemap
Woodville
Woodville, also in Tulare County, gets its drinking water from groundwater, and the water system serves around 1,673 people. In each of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017, Woodville had annual nitrate averages above 5 mg/L, and in 2017 the average was 9.4 mg/L, just under the legal limit. Over that period, the town’s nitrate levels grew by almost a third.
Most of the people who live in Woodville are also low-income farmworkers. As of the 2010 census, 88.8 percent of residents were Latino. And as of 2018, Woodville was located in a census block group with an average income of $38,254.
Woodville has high nitrate levels in the water because the town is encircled by dairies. Manure from the dairies wreaks havoc on the water in the two wells the town uses. Because groundwater levels have dropped, to tap into cleaner water supplies, the system has been forced to continuously drill wells deeper and deeper. At one point, one of the wells collapsed because water levels were too low, and that damage cost $70,000 to fix.
Large dairies and agricultural fields can be seen just outside of Woodville.
Source: Esri basemap
Ceres
Ceres, in Stanislaus County, also gets its drinking water from groundwater, and the water system serves 47,754 people. Ceres had annual nitrate averages above 5 mg/L in each of the 15 years between 2003 and 2017, except for 2004, when the average was 4.5 mg/L. During that period, the town’s nitrate levels grew by 31 percent.
As of the 2010 census, 56 percent of people in Ceres were Latino. In the 2018 census block group that includes Ceres, 75.6 percent of residents are Latino. Average income in that block group is much lower than the state average: $57,953, compared with $101,493.
Residents of the town have long had to use bottled water for cooking and drinking. Although nitrate levels have been high for many years, it’s not the only drinking water contaminant in Ceres’ water. Arsenic and a pesticide chemical called 1,2,3 TCP, linked to cancer, have also been found in the city’s water. And the water is expensive: Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom noted that people in Ceres pay more for their water than those in Beverly Hills.
Ceres is flanked by farm fields to its east, south and west.
Source: Esri basemap
Solutions
Widespread nitrate contamination of drinking water in California is a complex problem. Solving it will require tougher farm regulations and a lot of money to clean up polluted water systems. In 2019, the state established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, which was intended to provide $130 million a year for the next decade to communities to help rebuild or improve drinking water infrastructure.
But the pandemic-triggered economic crisis has put the money on hold. Because of how it is funded, it’s uncertain how much money will go into it.
State and local agencies also have plans to address pollution from farms. But these plans rely on monitoring fertilizer and manure use, and it will be decades before any regulation of agricultural activities gets put in place. Real regulations on farm pollution and dedicated funding for water systems that won’t disappear in an economic downturn are needed to fix this statewide problem.
Notes
1 Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare.
2 People who identify as Hispanic or Latino can be of any race.
3 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says: “While nitrate does occur naturally in groundwater, concentrations greater than 3 mg/L generally indicate contamination (Madison and Brunett, 1985), and a more recent nationwide study found that concentrations over 1 mg/L nitrate indicate human activity” (Dubrovsky et al. 2010).