environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-20--The Smoking Spud: Documents Prove Potato Giant Is Behind Irrigation Scheme in Pineland Sands

For decades , R.D .
Offutt – one of the largest agriculture conglomerates in the U.S. – has proudly evaded meaningful environmental review in Minnesota .
Offutt has played a shell game using land swaps with family farmers to hide the true scale of its industrial-scale potato growing and processing operations in the vulnerable Pineland Sands area .
In June , the state Department of Natural Resources denied Pinelands Sands community members ’ petition for environmental review of an irrigation permit for a small farm believed to be a front for Offutt ’ s expansion plans .
Now EWG has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continuing connection between Offutt and the farm .
The Pineland Sands region is particularly vulnerable to pollution because of its shallow depth and the nature of the area ’ s soil .
Offutt ’ s operations in the Pineland Sands have resulted in years of harm to the environment – toxic water pollution , pesticide overspray , forest clearing and aquifer depletion .
In a longtime pattern , the company has small landholders whose farms are struggling apply to the Department of Natural Resources , or DNR , for irrigation permits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attached to the company ’ s massive operation and therefore less likely to require environmental review .
In an interview with EWG , Willis Mattison , a retired Minnesota Pollution Control Agency official , scientist and community activist , had this to say about Offutt ’ s decades-long strategy of leveraging desperate small farmers to expand their potato empire : RDO has driven the Pineland Sands expansion for 30 or 40 years .
Many dryland farmers realize they have to do something different or stop farming all together on these sandy soils .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and finds these farmers and makes them offers .
It ’ s either outright leasing offers , offers to help finance irrigation rigs , or guaranteed contracts to buy a farmer ’ s potatoes .
Farmers understand that RDO is their only market for potatoes .
They can make or break you .
In 2017 Offutt sold 303 acres to local farmer Tim Nolte in exchange for Nolte ’ s leasing the land back to the company for potato production and applying for irrigation permits the company had given up on when threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list Minnesota Valley Irrigation – a division of RDO Equipment Company – as the project representative on the irrigation permit application .
Faced with yet another attempt at environmental subterfuge , community members filed a citizens ’ petition with the DNR , asking for an initial environmental assessment analyzing the potential environmental , human health and economic threats posed by the proposed irrigation operation .
Community members hoped the DNR would call for a more thorough Environmental Impact Statement , or EIS , to evaluate Offutt ’ s ever-growing fertilizer and chemical-intensive potato @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another disappointment : Despite overwhelming evidence , it decided there was no potential for significant environmental effects from the proposed irrigation project .
The agency also declined to order an EIS .
Laying out its flawed and arbitrary justification – a supposed lack of connection to Offutt – the agency explained that the Noltes said : … they have no agreement to grow potatoes for RDO and … no agreement to lease the land to RDO to grow potatoes on this land .
If such an agreement existed the proposed project would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected action .
As it stands , without such a connection to RDO or other proposed projects , the DNR has no legal basis to view the project as a phased or connected action .
( Emphasis added . )
Given the quid pro quo between Offutt and Nolte in the original contract for the deed and the listing of an Offutt division on the application , the DNR ’ s justification is baseless .
When the deluge of written pleas the DNR received from Nolte ’ s neighbors are factored in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Nolte contract for deed is below .
And here are Nolte ’ s applications for irrigation permits .
Now EWG has unearthed what might called the smoking spud – irrefutable proof of a direct and continuing connection between Offutt and Nolte ’ s newly proposed irrigated potato operation .
The documents linked below show that the mortgage holder on Nolte ’ s farm is a little-known financing firm called ACL Company .
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents show that ACL is part of the Offutt empire .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the RDO board approves all transactions with ACL .
What ’ s more , the Minnesota Secretary of State ’ s office names R.D .
Offutt ’ s son-in-law and current RDO Farms President Keith McGovern as the registered agent for the ACL Company , as shown on the document below .
It is clear based on these new documents that Offutt has a strong continuing property and financial interest in the proposed project .
The DNR could have – and should have – discovered and considered this evidence in its decision-making .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired agency officials and others have said all along : Offutt is the major force behind the Nolte irrigated potato project .
The DNR already faced an uphill court battle to defend its decision .
Now it looks more like a climb up Mount Everest .
To avoid having to conduct a thorough EIS for Offutt ’ s operations in all 770 square miles of the Pineland Sands region , the agency will need to defend its position that Offutt is not a part of Nolte ’ s irrigated potato project , contrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After 30 years , it ’ s far past time for the one of the largest industrial agriculture operations in America to face responsibility for putting $ 2.5 billion in annual profits before the health of struggling local communities .

For decades, R.D. Offutt – one of the largest agriculture conglomerates in the U.S. – has proudly evaded meaningful environmental review in Minnesota. Offutt has played a shell game using land swaps with family farmers to hide the true scale of its industrial-scale potato growing and processing operations in the vulnerable Pineland Sands area.
In June, the state Department of Natural Resources denied Pinelands Sands community members’ petition for environmental review of an irrigation permit for a small farm believed to be a front for Offutt’s expansion plans. Now EWG has unearthed documents that irrefutably confirm the direct and continuing connection between Offutt and the farm.
The Pineland Sands region is particularly vulnerable to pollution because of its shallow depth and the nature of the area’s soil. Offutt’s operations in the Pineland Sands have resulted in years of harm to the environment – toxic water pollution, pesticide overspray, forest clearing and aquifer depletion.
In a longtime pattern, the company has small landholders whose farms are struggling apply to the Department of Natural Resources, or DNR, for irrigation permits, so proposed irrigation operations are less clearly attached to the company’s massive operation and therefore less likely to require environmental review.
In an interview with EWG, Willis Mattison, a retired Minnesota Pollution Control Agency official, scientist and community activist, had this to say about Offutt’s decades-long strategy of leveraging desperate small farmers to expand their potato empire:
RDO has driven the Pineland Sands expansion for 30 or 40 years. Many dryland farmers realize they have to do something different or stop farming all together on these sandy soils. RDO has an ear to the ground and finds these farmers and makes them offers. It’s either outright leasing offers, offers to help finance irrigation rigs, or guaranteed contracts to buy a farmer’s potatoes. Farmers understand that RDO is their only market for potatoes. They can make or break you.
In 2017 Offutt sold 303 acres to local farmer Tim Nolte in exchange for Nolte’s leasing the land back to the company for potato production and applying for irrigation permits the company had given up on when threatened with state environmental review. The permits list Minnesota Valley Irrigation – a division of RDO Equipment Company – as the project representative on the irrigation permit application.
Faced with yet another attempt at environmental subterfuge, community members filed a citizens’ petition with the DNR, asking for an initial environmental assessment analyzing the potential environmental, human health and economic threats posed by the proposed irrigation operation. Community members hoped the DNR would call for a more thorough Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, to evaluate Offutt’s ever-growing fertilizer and chemical-intensive potato operation.
The DNR response was yet another disappointment: Despite overwhelming evidence, it decided there was no potential for significant environmental effects from the proposed irrigation project. The agency also declined to order an EIS.
Laying out its flawed and arbitrary justification – a supposed lack of connection to Offutt – the agency explained that the Noltes said:
… they have no agreement to grow potatoes for RDO and … no agreement to lease the land to RDO to grow potatoes on this land. If such an agreement existed the proposed project would have to be analyzed as a phased or connected action. As it stands, without such a connection to RDO or other proposed projects, the DNR has no legal basis to view the project as a phased or connected action. (Emphasis added.)
Given the quid pro quo between Offutt and Nolte in the original contract for the deed and the listing of an Offutt division on the application, the DNR’s justification is baseless. When the deluge of written pleas the DNR received from Nolte’s neighbors are factored in, the agency’s decision defies logic.
The Nolte contract for deed is below.
And here are Nolte’s applications for irrigation permits.
Now EWG has unearthed what might called the smoking spud – irrefutable proof of a direct and continuing connection between Offutt and Nolte’s newly proposed irrigated potato operation. The documents linked below show that the mortgage holder on Nolte’s farm is a little-known financing firm called ACL Company.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents show that ACL is part of the Offutt empire. In fact, ACL is controlled by Offutt, and the RDO board approves all transactions with ACL. What’s more, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office names R.D. Offutt’s son-in-law and current RDO Farms President Keith McGovern as the registered agent for the ACL Company, as shown on the document below. It is clear based on these new documents that Offutt has a strong continuing property and financial interest in the proposed project.
The DNR could have – and should have – discovered and considered this evidence in its decision-making. It proves what neighbors, experts, retired agency officials and others have said all along: Offutt is the major force behind the Nolte irrigated potato project.
The DNR already faced an uphill court battle to defend its decision. Now it looks more like a climb up Mount Everest. To avoid having to conduct a thorough EIS for Offutt’s operations in all 770 square miles of the Pineland Sands region, the agency will need to defend its position that Offutt is not a part of Nolte’s irrigated potato project, contrary to the abundant evidence showing otherwise.
After 30 years, it’s far past time for the one of the largest industrial agriculture operations in America to face responsibility for putting $2.5 billion in annual profits before the health of struggling local communities.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-20--Trump’s Toxic Wake: 10 Ways the EPA Has Made Life More Hazardous

From the beginning , the Trump administration has aggressively slashed environmental regulations .
A New York Times analysis identified 100 environmental protections that have been reversed or are in the process of getting rolled back .
The administration ’ s record on chemical safety has been especially hazardous for the health of Americans , especially children .
One year into President Trump 's term , EWG detailed how the Trump administration has stacked the Environmental Protection Agency with industry lawyers and lobbyists , undermined worker safety and cooked the books on chemical safety assessments .
Midway through his second year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ban on a brain-damaging pesticide , delayed chemical bans and killed a rule to protect kids from toxic PCBs in schools .
Last year , we reported that the EPA had rescinded safety rules at chemical plants , rubber-stamped untested new chemicals and silenced researchers .
As Trump ’ s first term nears its end , things are even worse .
Here are 10 more ways the Trump administration has continued to make life more toxic for Americans .
The toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS contaminate more than 2,200 sites across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in the environment , PFAS are often called “ forever chemicals.
” They build up in our bodies and are linked to cancer , reproductive and developmental harms and reduced effectiveness of vaccines .
Even though the EPA has known about the risks from PFAS chemicals since at least 1998 , they remain virtually unregulated .
In February 2019 , the EPA released a toothless PFAS “ action plan ” that lacked deadlines for action and failed to address the use of PFAS in everyday products , contamination from PFAS air emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other concerns .
A year and a half later , key goals from the plan , including regulating PFAS under the Superfund law and setting drinking water standards , remain unfulfilled .
When Congress stepped in and sought to designate PFOA and PFOS – the two most notorious and well-studied PFAS – as “ hazardous substances ” and to set deadlines for agency action , Trump threatened a veto .
Trump ’ s EPA also weakened a rule designed to regulate PFAS in consumer products .
Perchlorate is a component of rocket fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perchlorate can interfere with thyroid function , which can also harm childhood brain development .
Almost a decade ago , the EPA determined that these harms warranted regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act .
The agency then dragged its feet for years .
In 2016 , the Natural Resources Defense Council sued to force the EPA to finally set a legal limit for perchlorate in drinking water .
In a court-approved consent decree , the EPA agreed to propose a standard by October 2018 and finalize it by 2019 .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet these deadlines .
The EPA finally proposed a drinking water standard in June 2019 but also suggested that it might not regulate perchlorate after all .
A year later , the EPA withdrew its decision to regulate perchlorate in drinking water .
3 .
Allowed scores of new chemicals , including new toxic PFAS , onto the market without adequate oversight In 2016 , Congress substantially changed the way new chemicals are approved under the Toxic Substances Control Act , or TSCA .
Under the old law , chemicals were frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and safety information .
As a result , unsafe chemicals were allowed to be used for years or decades before the health and environmental hazards came to light .
Inadequate oversight of new chemicals can also lead to regrettable substitution – when chemicals are finally found to be unsafe , they are often replaced by unstudied chemicals that may be just as or even more toxic .
The 2016 update was supposed to fix the new chemicals program by requiring the EPA to make an affirmative safety finding on new chemicals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sufficient safety data .
Nonetheless , the Trump EPA has approved scores of new chemicals in a process that lacks transparency and contravenes the 2016 law .
The EPA has also ignored known health concerns , limited its consideration of worker risks and denied requests for public files in the new chemicals program .
The EPA has also exploited loopholes in the new law to quickly approve new chemicals , including toxic PFAS .
A recent investigation found that the EPA has been quietly approving new PFAS chemicals , through a provision known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new chemicals program .
As a result , the EPA is greenlighting new PFAS chemicals on an expedited basis , without public scrutiny .
One PFAS , used in ski wax , was approved despite a finding that the chemical could “ waterproof the lungs , ” resulting in severe health impacts .
Since the law was updated in 2016 , the EPA has reviewed more than 3,000 new chemicals submissions .
More than 1,000 of these chemicals have been approved through the low volume exemption , and since 2016 , manufacturers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many without adequate safety data .
Environmental groups have sued the EPA over its failures to protect the public and the environment from risks from new chemicals .
Methylene chloride is a highly toxic chemical used in paint strippers that is responsible for more than 60 deaths since 1980 .
In the final days of the Obama administration , the EPA proposed a ban on “ methylene chloride for consumer and most types of commercial paint and coating removal.
” After significant pressure from families who lost loved ones due to methylene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a final rule in 2019 .
However , the EPA narrowed the rule so that it would apply only to consumer uses of methylene chloride , not commercial uses .
That means workers are not protected , even though a Center for Public Integrity investigation found that most deaths from methylene chloride take place at work .
A separate EPA evaluation of methylene chloride found that manufacturing , disposal and several other uses of methylene chloride pose no “ unreasonable risk.
” Environmental groups have filed lawsuits challenging the rule and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books on the “ Civil Action ” chemical Trichloroethylene is a chemical solvent made infamous by the book and movie “ A Civil Action.
” The EPA considers it to be a known carcinogen , and it is one of the primary contaminants that sickened scores of veterans who served at Camp Lejeune , in North Carolina .
As with methylene chloride , in the final days of the Obama administration , the EPA proposed banning three uses of TCE : spot cleaning , aerosol degreasing and vapor degreasing .
In December 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bans , claiming that it would study those uses in a separate ongoing risk evaluation of TCE .
However , the EPA dramatically rewrote the accepted science on TCE in the draft risk evaluation released in February .
As EWG warned in 2018 , the solvents industry aggressively lobbied the EPA to ignore a key 2003 study finding that TCE causes heart deformities in developing fetuses .
TCE ’ s connection with fetal heart defects was an important basis for the Obama EPA ’ s decision to ban three uses of TCE .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s science found that “ prenatal exposure to TCE can cause human cardiac defects ” and that the study “ remains a valid choice ” for assessing risk .
The lobbyists succeeded .
The EPA ’ s draft risk evaluation questioned the study ’ s design and minimized its significance .
An investigation by Reveal News compared the draft risk evaluation with a leaked earlier draft .
It found that the earlier draft had relied extensively on the 2003 study and used it as a benchmark for the risk calculations .
Reveal also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beck – “ the scariest Trump appointee you ’ ve never heard of ” – ordered that the risk evaluation be rewritten to downplay the risks of TCE .
With the EPA giving significantly less weight to risks from fetal heart deformities , it ’ s unlikely the agency will finalize the proposed bans .
The Trump EPA is undermining the work of independent scientists within the Integrated Risk Information System program , known as IRIS .
The program ’ s work is supposed to be impartial and non-political .
Its scientific assessments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other EPA program offices and regional offices .
IRIS is a frequent target of chemical industry attacks because its independent safety assessments often don ’ t align with industry objectives .
In 2018 , the Trump EPA tried to defund the IRIS program .
EPA leadership also pressured IRIS to drop critical health assessments .
In March 2019 , a Government Accountability Office report disclosed that EPA leadership directed agency offices to limit the number of chemicals they wanted IRIS to review , and cut in half the number of IRIS ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the halted assessments was IRIS ’ s decades-long review of formaldehyde , a widely used chemical and known human carcinogen .
This is surprising because former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt indicated to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in January 2018 that the report was complete and ready for release .
However , answering questions for the record following a 2019 Senate hearing , EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said formaldehyde was “ not a top priority.
” Instead of releasing the IRIS study on formaldehyde to the public , the EPA has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Safety and Pollution Prevention – under the leadership of Nancy Beck – should conduct its own assessment of formaldehyde .
As with TCE , this action will give the agency an opportunity to distort the science and minimize risks .
Because these reviews take years , it will also significantly delay any EPA regulatory action on formaldehyde .
Industrial chemical pollutants are often discharged into drinking water supplies .
But the Trump administration has made it a priority to roll back the Clean Water Rule , which more clearly defined which kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clean Water Act .
EWG ’ s analysis found that the Clean Water Rule , if implemented as proposed by the Obama administration , would have protected drinking water sources for more than 117 million Americans .
The EPA ’ s own science advisors have opposed the rollback of the Clean Water Rule , but the Trump administration repealed it in 2019 , proposed its own rule in January and finalized it in April .
The new rule covers far fewer bodies of water and would leave 234,000 miles of small streams unprotected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans draw at least half their drinking water from small streams .
Because of the repeal , those bodies of water will no longer be subject to pollution limits .
Protection for small and seasonal streams and wetlands is important because they often flow into larger bodies of water , including sources of drinking water .
Polluted drinking water sources strain municipal water utilities tasked with filtering out contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act , and risk exposing the public to more contaminants that aren ’ t regulated under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , naturally occurring chemical linked to a particularly deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma .
An estimated 40,000 Americans die every year from asbestos-related diseases .
Although the toxicity of asbestos is well understood , the EPA has never actually banned most uses .
The EPA attempted a ban in 1989 , but most of the rule was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1991 .
After Congress reformed TSCA in 2016 , the EPA announced that asbestos would be one of the first 10 chemicals reviewed under the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the EPA would finally ban asbestos .
Instead , when the EPA released its draft risk evaluation in May , it found that several uses of asbestos , including import of asbestos and asbestos-containing products and distribution of asbestos-containing products , did not pose an unreasonable risk .
The EPA made its risk determinations by ignoring exposure from “ legacy ” uses of asbestos , such as old insulation and building tiles .
Although in November the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to fix this error , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning asbestos , in April 2019 the EPA published a rule requiring notice and approval before manufacturers could resume using it in some applications the agency considered abandoned .
However , leaked documents show that more than a dozen EPA staffers urged an outright ban on asbestos instead .
In July 2019 , the Trump EPA proposed to reverse a longstanding policy requiring large power plants , refineries and other industrial polluters to always meet certain strict controls , even after reducing emissions .
The new rule creates a loophole in the Clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrial facilities to reclassify themselves , from “ major sources ” of air pollution to “ area sources.
” That change would allow them to opt out of strict pollution control standards , called “ maximum achievable control technology , ” and substantially increase their emissions of dangerous air pollutants .
EPA ’ s own data shows that more than 3,900 large facilities that emit pollutants like mercury and benzene could take advantage of this loophole .
The Environmental Defense Fund estimates the loophole could increase toxic air emissions by as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds per year .
This rollback is especially alarming in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic .
Studies have found that people who live in areas with high levels of air pollution are at greater risk for severe cases of COVID-19 .
In 2018 , the EPA proposed a disastrous rule significantly limiting the kinds of science the agency can rely on to justify environmental regulations .
The rule would have prohibited the agency from using studies that don ’ t make their underlying data publicly available or whose results can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent the EPA from including in its future risk assessments most human health studies , because personal medical data must remain confidential .
The rule would undermine studies that are foundational to clean air regulations .
The proposal sparked enormous opposition from scientists , academics and environmental health advocates .
More than 600,000 public comments were submitted to the agency , the vast majority in opposition .
In September 2019 , the EPA dropped the proposal from its regulatory agenda .
But the Trump EPA is at it again .
In March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is actually worse than the original proposal .
The 2018 proposal applied to all “ dose response ” studies , but the new proposal applies to all studies .
The new proposal also applies retroactively , which means the EPA could use it to gut existing regulations .
As these actions – and dozens of others – show , the Trump EPA has aggressively worked to erode and eliminate vital environmental and public health protections .
The public needs an EPA that will prioritize people and planet over polluters and profit .

From the beginning, the Trump administration has aggressively slashed environmental regulations. A New York Times analysis identified 100 environmental protections that have been reversed or are in the process of getting rolled back. The administration’s record on chemical safety has been especially hazardous for the health of Americans, especially children.
One year into President Trump's term, EWG detailed how the Trump administration has stacked the Environmental Protection Agency with industry lawyers and lobbyists, undermined worker safety and cooked the books on chemical safety assessments. Midway through his second year, we reported how the EPA reversed a ban on a brain-damaging pesticide, delayed chemical bans and killed a rule to protect kids from toxic PCBs in schools. Last year, we reported that the EPA had rescinded safety rules at chemical plants, rubber-stamped untested new chemicals and silenced researchers.
As Trump’s first term nears its end, things are even worse. Here are 10 more ways the Trump administration has continued to make life more toxic for Americans.
1. Failed to aggressively regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’
The toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS contaminate more than 2,200 sites across the nation. Because they never break down in the environment, PFAS are often called “forever chemicals.” They build up in our bodies and are linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental harms and reduced effectiveness of vaccines. Even though the EPA has known about the risks from PFAS chemicals since at least 1998, they remain virtually unregulated.
In February 2019, the EPA released a toothless PFAS “action plan” that lacked deadlines for action and failed to address the use of PFAS in everyday products, contamination from PFAS air emissions or disposal of PFAS waste, among other concerns. A year and a half later, key goals from the plan, including regulating PFAS under the Superfund law and setting drinking water standards, remain unfulfilled.
When Congress stepped in and sought to designate PFOA and PFOS – the two most notorious and well-studied PFAS – as “hazardous substances” and to set deadlines for agency action, Trump threatened a veto. Trump’s EPA also weakened a rule designed to regulate PFAS in consumer products.
2. Allowed a rocket fuel chemical to stay in drinking water
Perchlorate is a component of rocket fuel that also frequently contaminates drinking water sources. Perchlorate can interfere with thyroid function, which can also harm childhood brain development.
Almost a decade ago, the EPA determined that these harms warranted regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency then dragged its feet for years. In 2016, the Natural Resources Defense Council sued to force the EPA to finally set a legal limit for perchlorate in drinking water. In a court-approved consent decree, the EPA agreed to propose a standard by October 2018 and finalize it by 2019. However, the EPA sought extensions and failed to meet these deadlines.
The EPA finally proposed a drinking water standard in June 2019 but also suggested that it might not regulate perchlorate after all. A year later, the EPA withdrew its decision to regulate perchlorate in drinking water.
3. Allowed scores of new chemicals, including new toxic PFAS, onto the market without adequate oversight
In 2016, Congress substantially changed the way new chemicals are approved under the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA.
Under the old law, chemicals were frequently approved by default, often without any health and safety information. As a result, unsafe chemicals were allowed to be used for years or decades before the health and environmental hazards came to light. Inadequate oversight of new chemicals can also lead to regrettable substitution – when chemicals are finally found to be unsafe, they are often replaced by unstudied chemicals that may be just as or even more toxic.
The 2016 update was supposed to fix the new chemicals program by requiring the EPA to make an affirmative safety finding on new chemicals and restrict use if industry failed to provide sufficient safety data. Nonetheless, the Trump EPA has approved scores of new chemicals in a process that lacks transparency and contravenes the 2016 law. The EPA has also ignored known health concerns, limited its consideration of worker risks and denied requests for public files in the new chemicals program.
The EPA has also exploited loopholes in the new law to quickly approve new chemicals, including toxic PFAS. A recent investigation found that the EPA has been quietly approving new PFAS chemicals, through a provision known as the low volume exemption in the new chemicals program. As a result, the EPA is greenlighting new PFAS chemicals on an expedited basis, without public scrutiny. One PFAS, used in ski wax, was approved despite a finding that the chemical could “waterproof the lungs,” resulting in severe health impacts.
Since the law was updated in 2016, the EPA has reviewed more than 3,000 new chemicals submissions. More than 1,000 of these chemicals have been approved through the low volume exemption, and since 2016, manufacturers have begun producing at least 900 new chemicals, many without adequate safety data. Environmental groups have sued the EPA over its failures to protect the public and the environment from risks from new chemicals.
4. Failed to protect workers from a deadly paint-stripping chemical
Methylene chloride is a highly toxic chemical used in paint strippers that is responsible for more than 60 deaths since 1980. In the final days of the Obama administration, the EPA proposed a ban on “methylene chloride for consumer and most types of commercial paint and coating removal.”
After significant pressure from families who lost loved ones due to methylene chloride exposure, the Trump EPA eventually issued a final rule in 2019. However, the EPA narrowed the rule so that it would apply only to consumer uses of methylene chloride, not commercial uses. That means workers are not protected, even though a Center for Public Integrity investigation found that most deaths from methylene chloride take place at work.
A separate EPA evaluation of methylene chloride found that manufacturing, disposal and several other uses of methylene chloride pose no “unreasonable risk.” Environmental groups have filed lawsuits challenging the rule and the recent evaluation.
5. Cooked the books on the “Civil Action” chemical
Trichloroethylene is a chemical solvent made infamous by the book and movie “A Civil Action.” The EPA considers it to be a known carcinogen, and it is one of the primary contaminants that sickened scores of veterans who served at Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina.
As with methylene chloride, in the final days of the Obama administration, the EPA proposed banning three uses of TCE: spot cleaning, aerosol degreasing and vapor degreasing. In December 2017, the Trump EPA shelved these proposed bans, claiming that it would study those uses in a separate ongoing risk evaluation of TCE.
However, the EPA dramatically rewrote the accepted science on TCE in the draft risk evaluation released in February. As EWG warned in 2018, the solvents industry aggressively lobbied the EPA to ignore a key 2003 study finding that TCE causes heart deformities in developing fetuses. TCE’s connection with fetal heart defects was an important basis for the Obama EPA’s decision to ban three uses of TCE. An independent review of the EPA’s science found that “prenatal exposure to TCE can cause human cardiac defects” and that the study “remains a valid choice” for assessing risk.
The lobbyists succeeded. The EPA’s draft risk evaluation questioned the study’s design and minimized its significance. An investigation by Reveal News compared the draft risk evaluation with a leaked earlier draft. It found that the earlier draft had relied extensively on the 2003 study and used it as a benchmark for the risk calculations. Reveal also reported that then-EPA chemicals safety chief Nancy Beck – “the scariest Trump appointee you’ve never heard of” – ordered that the risk evaluation be rewritten to downplay the risks of TCE. With the EPA giving significantly less weight to risks from fetal heart deformities, it’s unlikely the agency will finalize the proposed bans.
6. Pressured EPA scientists to drop evaluations of toxic chemicals – including formaldehyde
The Trump EPA is undermining the work of independent scientists within the Integrated Risk Information System program, known as IRIS. The program’s work is supposed to be impartial and non-political. Its scientific assessments are intended to support the work of other EPA program offices and regional offices. IRIS is a frequent target of chemical industry attacks because its independent safety assessments often don’t align with industry objectives.
In 2018, the Trump EPA tried to defund the IRIS program. EPA leadership also pressured IRIS to drop critical health assessments. In March 2019, a Government Accountability Office report disclosed that EPA leadership directed agency offices to limit the number of chemicals they wanted IRIS to review, and cut in half the number of IRIS’s ongoing or upcoming assessments.
One of the halted assessments was IRIS’s decades-long review of formaldehyde, a widely used chemical and known human carcinogen. This is surprising because former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt indicated to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in January 2018 that the report was complete and ready for release. However, answering questions for the record following a 2019 Senate hearing, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said formaldehyde was “not a top priority.”
Instead of releasing the IRIS study on formaldehyde to the public, the EPA has instead decided that the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention – under the leadership of Nancy Beck – should conduct its own assessment of formaldehyde. As with TCE, this action will give the agency an opportunity to distort the science and minimize risks. Because these reviews take years, it will also significantly delay any EPA regulatory action on formaldehyde.
7. Rolled back clean water protections
Industrial chemical pollutants are often discharged into drinking water supplies. But the Trump administration has made it a priority to roll back the Clean Water Rule, which more clearly defined which kinds of bodies of water are subject to the Clean Water Act. EWG’s analysis found that the Clean Water Rule, if implemented as proposed by the Obama administration, would have protected drinking water sources for more than 117 million Americans.
The EPA’s own science advisors have opposed the rollback of the Clean Water Rule, but the Trump administration repealed it in 2019, proposed its own rule in January and finalized it in April. The new rule covers far fewer bodies of water and would leave 234,000 miles of small streams unprotected. EWG estimates that at least 72 million Americans draw at least half their drinking water from small streams.
Because of the repeal, those bodies of water will no longer be subject to pollution limits. Protection for small and seasonal streams and wetlands is important because they often flow into larger bodies of water, including sources of drinking water. Polluted drinking water sources strain municipal water utilities tasked with filtering out contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and risk exposing the public to more contaminants that aren’t regulated under the act.
8. Cooked the books on asbestos
Asbestos is a highly toxic, naturally occurring chemical linked to a particularly deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma. An estimated 40,000 Americans die every year from asbestos-related diseases. Although the toxicity of asbestos is well understood, the EPA has never actually banned most uses. The EPA attempted a ban in 1989, but most of the rule was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1991.
After Congress reformed TSCA in 2016, the EPA announced that asbestos would be one of the first 10 chemicals reviewed under the new law. Many hoped that this time, the EPA would finally ban asbestos.
Instead, when the EPA released its draft risk evaluation in May, it found that several uses of asbestos, including import of asbestos and asbestos-containing products and distribution of asbestos-containing products, did not pose an unreasonable risk. The EPA made its risk determinations by ignoring exposure from “legacy” uses of asbestos, such as old insulation and building tiles. Although in November the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to fix this error, it has yet to do so.
Instead of banning asbestos, in April 2019 the EPA published a rule requiring notice and approval before manufacturers could resume using it in some applications the agency considered abandoned. However, leaked documents show that more than a dozen EPA staffers urged an outright ban on asbestos instead.
9. Proposed a loophole for toxic air pollution
In July 2019, the Trump EPA proposed to reverse a longstanding policy requiring large power plants, refineries and other industrial polluters to always meet certain strict controls, even after reducing emissions. The new rule creates a loophole in the Clean Air Act regulations that would allow large industrial facilities to reclassify themselves, from “major sources” of air pollution to “area sources.”
That change would allow them to opt out of strict pollution control standards, called “maximum achievable control technology,” and substantially increase their emissions of dangerous air pollutants. EPA’s own data shows that more than 3,900 large facilities that emit pollutants like mercury and benzene could take advantage of this loophole. The Environmental Defense Fund estimates the loophole could increase toxic air emissions by as much as 480 percent, or almost 50 million pounds per year.
This rollback is especially alarming in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic. Studies have found that people who live in areas with high levels of air pollution are at greater risk for severe cases of COVID-19.
10. Continuing its quest to censor science
In 2018, the EPA proposed a disastrous rule significantly limiting the kinds of science the agency can rely on to justify environmental regulations. The rule would have prohibited the agency from using studies that don’t make their underlying data publicly available or whose results can’t be replicated. That change would prevent the EPA from including in its future risk assessments most human health studies, because personal medical data must remain confidential. The rule would undermine studies that are foundational to clean air regulations.
The proposal sparked enormous opposition from scientists, academics and environmental health advocates. More than 600,000 public comments were submitted to the agency, the vast majority in opposition. In September 2019, the EPA dropped the proposal from its regulatory agenda.
But the Trump EPA is at it again. In March, the agency issued a supplemental proposal that is actually worse than the original proposal. The 2018 proposal applied to all “dose response” studies, but the new proposal applies to all studies. The new proposal also applies retroactively, which means the EPA could use it to gut existing regulations.
As these actions – and dozens of others – show, the Trump EPA has aggressively worked to erode and eliminate vital environmental and public health protections. The public needs an EPA that will prioritize people and planet over polluters and profit.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-21--California Legislature Kills Bill to Protect Kids from Lead

On Thursday , the California State Senate Appropriations Committee defeated a bill that would reduce the amount of lead leached from faucets and fixtures to no more than 1 microgram of lead – five times less lead than faucets are designed to leach today .
A.B .
2060 , authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden ( D-Pasadena ) , was meant to ensure that schools and child care centers could purchase these fixtures beginning next year .
Currently , there are no federal or state laws that explicitly limit the amount of lead that may leach from drinking water fixtures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average amount of leaching , not leaching that might occur during one flush .
As a result , tests show that faucets can leach as much as 39 micrograms of lead – or more – at one time and still comply with the industry standard .
After A.B .
2060 was introduced in January , the National Sanitation Foundation , or NSF , which establishes industry-backed certification rules for plumbing devices , expedited revisions to its lead-leaching criteria for faucets and fixtures .
These approved revisions require new faucets and fixtures certified after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ microgram of lead .
Although this revised standard achieves the A.B .
2060 lead-leaching limit , it does so at a much slower pace .
Under the new NSF standard , the higher-leaching faucets can continue to be sold after 2024 until that inventory is depleted .
Holden ’ s bill required 20 percent of faucets and fixtures sold in California next year to meet the lower lead-leaching limit , 40 percent to meet the limit in 2022 , 75 percent by 2023 and 100 percent by 2024 .
As a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , and child care centers would have been able to purchase the more health-protective faucets next year , if A.B .
2060 were signed into law .
The State Senate ’ s action comes at a time when California schools and child care centers are spending public dollars to lower the levels of lead in drinking water that serves K-12 classrooms , preschools and daycares .
Recent testing of lead in school drinking water has shown that 18 percent of K-12 campuses contain at least one drinking water fixture that leaches detectable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small sample of faucets on each campus has been tested , the full extent of the lead contamination in school drinking water is not known .
As a result of a bill passed in 2018 , child care centers will also begin to test their drinking water for lead contamination .
Widespread lead testing of drinking water in homes is not yet done , but many consumers are concerned about their and their children ’ s lead exposure .
Lead is a severe neurotoxin that can cause health damage that lasts a lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower a child ’ s intelligence , cause behavior and learning problems , slow growth , and harm hearing .
Ongoing lead exposure significantly affects a child ’ s intelligence , and if not stopped , will continue to harm their nervous system development .
The best way to protect children from lead is to eliminate sources of lead exposure altogether .
Children absorb half of the lead they ingest and if a child is malnourished , they will absorb lead faster .
According to the Environmental Protection Agency , as much as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead is from drinking water .
The EPA also estimates that up to 60 percent of formula-fed infants ’ lead exposure can come from water used to mix formula .
In spite of the overwhelming evidence of lead ’ s harmful effects on the human body and nervous system , the Senate Appropriations Committee chose to kill A.B .
2060 .
California ’ s residents , schools and child care centers will now have to wait much longer to purchase more health-protective faucets and fixtures .
A.B.2060 was cosponsored by EWG and @ @ @ @ @

On Thursday, the California State Senate Appropriations Committee defeated a bill that would reduce the amount of lead leached from faucets and fixtures to no more than 1 microgram of lead – five times less lead than faucets are designed to leach today. A.B. 2060, authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), was meant to ensure that schools and child care centers could purchase these fixtures beginning next year.
Currently, there are no federal or state laws that explicitly limit the amount of lead that may leach from drinking water fixtures and faucets. One industry standard limits the average amount of leaching, not leaching that might occur during one flush. As a result, tests show that faucets can leach as much as 39 micrograms of lead – or more – at one time and still comply with the industry standard.
After A.B. 2060 was introduced in January, the National Sanitation Foundation, or NSF, which establishes industry-backed certification rules for plumbing devices, expedited revisions to its lead-leaching criteria for faucets and fixtures. These approved revisions require new faucets and fixtures certified after 2024 to leach no more than 1 microgram of lead.
Although this revised standard achieves the A.B. 2060 lead-leaching limit, it does so at a much slower pace. Under the new NSF standard, the higher-leaching faucets can continue to be sold after 2024 until that inventory is depleted.
Holden’s bill required 20 percent of faucets and fixtures sold in California next year to meet the lower lead-leaching limit, 40 percent to meet the limit in 2022, 75 percent by 2023 and 100 percent by 2024. As a result of such a phase-in, California residents, schools, and child care centers would have been able to purchase the more health-protective faucets next year, if A.B. 2060 were signed into law.
The State Senate’s action comes at a time when California schools and child care centers are spending public dollars to lower the levels of lead in drinking water that serves K-12 classrooms, preschools and daycares.
Recent testing of lead in school drinking water has shown that 18 percent of K-12 campuses contain at least one drinking water fixture that leaches detectable levels of lead. Because only a small sample of faucets on each campus has been tested, the full extent of the lead contamination in school drinking water is not known.
As a result of a bill passed in 2018, child care centers will also begin to test their drinking water for lead contamination. Widespread lead testing of drinking water in homes is not yet done, but many consumers are concerned about their and their children’s lead exposure.
Lead is a severe neurotoxin that can cause health damage that lasts a lifetime. Even small amounts of lead can lower a child’s intelligence, cause behavior and learning problems, slow growth, and harm hearing. Ongoing lead exposure significantly affects a child’s intelligence, and if not stopped, will continue to harm their nervous system development. The best way to protect children from lead is to eliminate sources of lead exposure altogether.
Children absorb half of the lead they ingest and if a child is malnourished, they will absorb lead faster. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, as much as one-fifth of a child’s exposure to lead is from drinking water. The EPA also estimates that up to 60 percent of formula-fed infants’ lead exposure can come from water used to mix formula.
In spite of the overwhelming evidence of lead’s harmful effects on the human body and nervous system, the Senate Appropriations Committee chose to kill A.B. 2060. California’s residents, schools and child care centers will now have to wait much longer to purchase more health-protective faucets and fixtures.
A.B.2060 was cosponsored by EWG and the Environmental Defense Fund.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-27--EWG News Roundup (8/27): Costly Algae Blooms, California Senate Spikes Lead Faucet Protection Bill a

EWG News Roundup (8/27): Costly Algae Blooms, California Senate Spikes Lead Faucet Protection Bill and More

This week , EWG published a new analysis that shows more than $ 1 billion has been spent by communities across the United States that are dealing with outbreaks of potentially toxic algae blooms in lakes , rivers and drinking water supplies since 2010 .
“ This enormous sum is just a drop in the bucket of what algae outbreaks are costing Americans , ” said Anne Schechinger , EWG senior economic analyst and author of the report .
“ The damage toxic algae inflicts on recreation , property values , tourism , commercial fishing and wildlife likely totals billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the California Senate Appropriations Committee defeated a bill that would reduce the amount of lead leached from faucets and fixtures .
Currently there are no federal or state laws that explicitly limit the amount of lead that may leach from drinking water fixtures and faucets .
There is no safe level of lead exposure .
It is a potent neurotoxin that can cause cognitive damage in children , including diminished IQ .
In a shocking decision , the Environmental Protection Agency canceled a study to look into the implications of incinerating the fluorinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ More research on PFAS waste disposal is urgently needed , ” said Olga Naidenko , Ph.D. , vice president for science investigations at EWG .
“ These tests must be planned and conducted in a fully transparent way , with the consent of the nearby residents .
The idea of a test burn in a location with large communities of color raises concerns about environmental justice , ” added Naidenko .
And finally , EWG broke down a series of scandals , including bribery of state politicians , plaguing the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news you can use going into the weekend .
The Blade ( Toledo ) : Ohio easily outspends the rest of America in fighting algae The report , written by the Washington-based Environmental Working Group , is billed as the first of its kind .
In it , the EWG identified 85 locations , mostly cities and towns , in 22 states that spent money to prevent or treat algae blooms in the past 10 years .
Fern ’ s Ag Insider : Algae blooms have cost at least $ 1.1 billion over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ algae blooms , which are caused by farm runoff and urban wastewater running into streams and lakes , have cost an estimated $ 1.1 billion over the past decade in the United States , and that “ is almost certainly a significant undercount , ” said a report Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group .
A new report from the Environmental Working Group Wednesday found that U.S. communities where algae toxin outbreaks had been reported spent more than $ 1.1 billion on prevention and treatment of the toxins over the past decade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40.6 million , for six locations .
Successful Farming : Algae Blooms Have Cost at Least $ 1.1 Billion Over Past Decade , Says EWG Potentially toxic algae blooms , which are caused by farm runoff and urban wastewater running into streams and lakes , have cost an estimated $ 1.1 billion over the past decade in the United States , and that “ is almost certainly a significant undercount , ” said a report Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group .
Michigan Public Radio : Ohio outspending Michigan by hundreds of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report by the Environmental Working Group ’ s analysis found the majority of that money was spent in Ohio .
That state has spent more than $ 815 million as it struggles to control algae blooms in Lake Erie and some other inland lakes .
Lake Erie is a hot spot for cyanobacteria .
WJCT NPR ( Jacksonville , Fla. ) : Florida Has Spent Nearly $ 20M Dealing With Algae Blooms In Last Decade In its report , the nonprofit and nonpartisan Environmental Working Group identified 85 municipalities and other entities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent or treat algae blooms since 2010 .
A recent analysis conducted by the Environmental Working Group found that counties within 15 miles of a meatpacking plant have had about double the infection rate compared to the national average .
Natural Resources Defense Council : Turn Off the Tap : “ Forever ” Toxics in CA Firefighting Foam Senator Ben Allen ’ s SB 1044 would bring these policies to California and build on them to go further .
The bill is co-sponsored by NRDC , Breast Cancer Prevention Partners , California Professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environmental Working Group .
The Environmental Working Group ’ s Guide to Healthy Cleaning evaluates 2,500 cleaners for chemical safety , so you can look up your cleaners and make informed decisions .
WFAN ( New York City ) : # 1Thing : Non-Toxic Laundry Products To Keep Your Clothing Fresh Thankfully , the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) produces guides to rank healthy cleaning products of all kinds , including those we use in the laundry .
The fewer ingredients it has , the better .
To help you pick out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Working Group ( EWG ) tests cosmetics , including lip balms , and lists them from best to the worst on its website .
The Daily ( University of Washington ) : Magnetic Eyelashes : Why They Are Better Than Glue-On Lashes All ingredients have been deemed safe by the EWG ( Environmental Working Group ) .
Hello Glow : Our Guide to the Best Natural Products for Healthy Hair Always read the ingredient list before purchasing , and make sure that these toxic chemicals are not present .
You can also do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skin Deep to check the safety rating of a particular product .
According to EWG , the Environmental Working Group , the FDA has been too slow to test old ingredients for safety and too slow to allow new ingredients on the market thus leaving us with sunscreen products which are neither as safe nor as effective as they should be .
The Strategist : I ’ ve Retired Mrs. Meyer ’ s for These ( Even Eco-Friendlier ) Canadian Soaps Additionally , all of its body products are verified by the Environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has declared they are free of toxic or potentially harmful ingredients .
NBC News : RNC focus on trade , regulations comes up short for factories , farmers and fishermen A review by the Environmental Working Group found that very little of that assistance went to small farmers .
The top 1 percent of aid recipients received an average of just over $ 183,000 each , while the bottom 80 percent got payouts that averaged less than $ 5,000 each .
Successful Farming : Farm Management Rule Is a Step Toward Equity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve found thousands of people who live in cities who have received subsidies over the years , ” said Anne Schechinger of the Environmental Working Group , known for its database of farm subsidy recipients .
The Environmental Working Group ’ s ( EWG ) extensive analysis of new and expanding farms in North Carolina makes one thing clear : The Tar Heel State ’ s meat industry doesn ’ t give a damn about people of color .
ABC : Battling the 'Quarantine 15 ' : Experts fear COVID-19 weight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weak immune systems '' A great source is The Environmental Working Group .
They talk about how to eat well for you , your planet and your wallet , '' Hyman said .
`` I think that it is important that people understand that the whole notion that eating is expensive , takes too much time and it is too difficult , is propaganda that impedes people from actually taking control of their own health and their diet . ''
Huffpost : Just How Natural Are 'Natural Flavors , ' Anyway ?
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common ingredient listed on these labels , with only salt , water and sugar appearing more often , according to the Environmental Working Group .
Earth911 : Bad , Better , Best : The Climate Impact of Meat For example , the Environmental Working Group ’ s LCA of meats averages emissions from three American farming systems to place lamb at 39.2 kg CO2-eq .
Olga Naidenko , the vice president for science investigations at the Environmental Working Group , has found in her own research that burning materials containing PFAS did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chemicals could easily spread back into the environment .
Water Solutions : Study shows that disposal of waste containing PFAS increases contamination In a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere , scientists at the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) conclude that burning , discarding and flushing waste containing the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS all contribute to environmental contamination .
In DC , a study from the Environmental Working Group found total PFAS levels in DC drinking water to be 21.7 ppt – below the EPA ’ s guidance but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s limit .
Natural News : Hormone-disrupting chemicals in our homes could be detrimental to immune health , raising the risk of COVID-19 Recent lab tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health , found toxic fluorinated chemicals called perfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS ) in major water supplies across the U.S. Sydney Evans , a research scientist for the nonprofit Environmental Working Group , suggests that researchers shouldn ’ t have to prove the health risks for thousands of similar compounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vogue : 3 categories of food that need to be bought organic In fact , according to the EWG ( Environmental Working Group ) strawberries and spinach are the most contaminated foods in the world , so choosing an organic variety is a good idea .
Buying organic can get expensive , but if you have to choose , the EWG ’ s Dirty Dozen list will let you know the most highly pesticide-contaminated foods each year .
Eat This , Not That !
: 25 Best Ways to Save Money at Whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group 's Dirty Dozen list for purchasing organic veggies .
Choose organic produce where you can , focusing on buying organic foods from the EWG 's Dirty Dozen list and cutting yourself some slack with the Clean 15 foods list .
SourceBeyond this , the Environmental Working Group publishes a yearly database cataloguing the specific chemical breakdown of a litany of sunblocks .
Pretty much all Badger sunscreens are rated a 1 by EWG , max 2 .
And there is now research showing that slathering the skin with suntan lotions can actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as preventing Vitamin D absorption ( Environmental Working Group ) .
WFAN ( New York City ) : # 1Thing : Sustainable and Organic Sunscreens That We Love The formula contains 23 antioxidants , and seven Hawaiian-grown ingredients such as KonaRed Hawaiian Coffee Fruit Extract , Hawaiian Spirulina , Macadamia Nut Oil , and more .
It also earned a No .
1 Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) rating .
USA Today : 'It affects us all ' : Erin Brockovich 's 'Superman 's Not Coming ' explores water issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Would Like to Remind You That It 's Not `` Fine '' As in , don ’ t wait to get your water tested ; Don ’ t wait to compare your results against the standards of the Environmental Working Group ( not the EPA ) , a non-profit organization that conducts research about the effects of pollutants in agricultural systems and drinking water ; Don ’ t wait to do the work , and then rally your community to join your pursuit of safe water ; Don ’ t wait to educate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Environmental Working Group reported that Perth Amboy drinking water is contaminated with arsenic , chloroform , chromium , radium , TTHMs , and 20 other cancer-causing chemicals .
The most recent Environmental Working Group report said tap water from Tinker was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards but had high levels of several cancer-causing contaminants , including bromodichloromethane , chromium and radium .

This week, EWG published a new analysis that shows more than $1 billion has been spent by communities across the United States that are dealing with outbreaks of potentially toxic algae blooms in lakes, rivers and drinking water supplies since 2010.
“This enormous sum is just a drop in the bucket of what algae outbreaks are costing Americans,” said Anne Schechinger, EWG senior economic analyst and author of the report. “The damage toxic algae inflicts on recreation, property values, tourism, commercial fishing and wildlife likely totals billions more every year.”
Late last week the California Senate Appropriations Committee defeated a bill that would reduce the amount of lead leached from faucets and fixtures. Currently there are no federal or state laws that explicitly limit the amount of lead that may leach from drinking water fixtures and faucets. There is no safe level of lead exposure. It is a potent neurotoxin that can cause cognitive damage in children, including diminished IQ.
In a shocking decision, the Environmental Protection Agency canceled a study to look into the implications of incinerating the fluorinated ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS.
“More research on PFAS waste disposal is urgently needed,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG. “These tests must be planned and conducted in a fully transparent way, with the consent of the nearby residents. The idea of a test burn in a location with large communities of color raises concerns about environmental justice,” added Naidenko.
And finally, EWG broke down a series of scandals, including bribery of state politicians, plaguing the U.S. nuclear industry.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
EWG’s Algae Bloom Economic Analysis
The Blade (Toledo): Ohio easily outspends the rest of America in fighting algae
The report, written by the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, is billed as the first of its kind. In it, the EWG identified 85 locations, mostly cities and towns, in 22 states that spent money to prevent or treat algae blooms in the past 10 years.
Fern’s Ag Insider: Algae blooms have cost at least $1.1 billion over past decade, says EWG
Potentially toxic algae blooms, which are caused by farm runoff and urban wastewater running into streams and lakes, have cost an estimated $1.1 billion over the past decade in the United States, and that “is almost certainly a significant undercount,” said a report Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group.
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Des Moines River ‘essentially unusable’ for drinking water due to algae toxins
A new report from the Environmental Working Group Wednesday found that U.S. communities where algae toxin outbreaks had been reported spent more than $1.1 billion on prevention and treatment of the toxins over the past decade. In Iowa, that figure was $40.6 million, for six locations.
Successful Farming: Algae Blooms Have Cost at Least $1.1 Billion Over Past Decade, Says EWG
Potentially toxic algae blooms, which are caused by farm runoff and urban wastewater running into streams and lakes, have cost an estimated $1.1 billion over the past decade in the United States, and that “is almost certainly a significant undercount,” said a report Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group.
Michigan Public Radio: Ohio outspending Michigan by hundreds of millions to fight algae harboring toxic bacteria
A report by the Environmental Working Group’s analysis found the majority of that money was spent in Ohio. That state has spent more than $815 million as it struggles to control algae blooms in Lake Erie and some other inland lakes. Lake Erie is a hot spot for cyanobacteria.
WJCT NPR (Jacksonville, Fla.): Florida Has Spent Nearly $20M Dealing With Algae Blooms In Last Decade
In its report, the nonprofit and nonpartisan Environmental Working Group identified 85 municipalities and other entities in 22 states that have spent money to prevent or treat algae blooms since 2010.
EWG’s COVID-19 and Food Processing Facilities Report
Medium: The Meat Shortage Myth
A recent analysis conducted by the Environmental Working Group found that counties within 15 miles of a meatpacking plant have had about double the infection rate compared to the national average.
California Bill: SB-1044 PFAS in Firefighting Equipment and Foam
Natural Resources Defense Council: Turn Off the Tap: “Forever” Toxics in CA Firefighting Foam
Senator Ben Allen’s SB 1044 would bring these policies to California and build on them to go further. The bill is co-sponsored by NRDC, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, California Professional Firefighters, Clean Water Action, and Environmental Working Group.
Cleaning Products
Southern Curls & Pearls: Monday Motivation: “Clean” Cleaning Products
The Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning evaluates 2,500 cleaners for chemical safety, so you can look up your cleaners and make informed decisions.
WFAN (New York City): #1Thing: Non-Toxic Laundry Products To Keep Your Clothing Fresh
Thankfully, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) produces guides to rank healthy cleaning products of all kinds, including those we use in the laundry.
Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database
Babygaga: Lip Balm Ingredients To Avoid While Pregnant
The fewer ingredients it has, the better. To help you pick out a safe lip balm, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) tests cosmetics, including lip balms, and lists them from best to the worst on its website.
The Daily (University of Washington): Magnetic Eyelashes: Why They Are Better Than Glue-On Lashes
All ingredients have been deemed safe by the EWG (Environmental Working Group).
Hello Glow: Our Guide to the Best Natural Products for Healthy Hair
Always read the ingredient list before purchasing, and make sure that these toxic chemicals are not present. You can also do a quick search on EWG’s Skin Deep to check the safety rating of a particular product.
Marginal Revolution: The FDA Burns
According to EWG, the Environmental Working Group, the FDA has been too slow to test old ingredients for safety and too slow to allow new ingredients on the market thus leaving us with sunscreen products which are neither as safe nor as effective as they should be.
EWG VERIFIED®
The Strategist: I’ve Retired Mrs. Meyer’s for These (Even Eco-Friendlier) Canadian Soaps
Additionally, all of its body products are verified by the Environmental Working Group, which means the EWG has declared they are free of toxic or potentially harmful ingredients.
Farm Subsidies
NBC News: RNC focus on trade, regulations comes up short for factories, farmers and fishermen
A review by the Environmental Working Group found that very little of that assistance went to small farmers. The top 1 percent of aid recipients received an average of just over $183,000 each, while the bottom 80 percent got payouts that averaged less than $5,000 each.
Successful Farming: Farm Management Rule Is a Step Toward Equity, Say Reformers
“That’s why we’ve found thousands of people who live in cities who have received subsidies over the years,” said Anne Schechinger of the Environmental Working Group, known for its database of farm subsidy recipients.
Fields of Filth: North Carolina CAFO Report
The Union Journal: Meat Industry Fuels NC’s Environmental Racism
The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) extensive analysis of new and expanding farms in North Carolina makes one thing clear: The Tar Heel State’s meat industry doesn’t give a damn about people of color.
Food Scores
ABC: Battling the 'Quarantine 15': Experts fear COVID-19 weight gain could lead to health complications, weak immune systems
"A great source is The Environmental Working Group. They talk about how to eat well for you, your planet and your wallet," Hyman said. "I think that it is important that people understand that the whole notion that eating is expensive, takes too much time and it is too difficult, is propaganda that impedes people from actually taking control of their own health and their diet."
Huffpost: Just How Natural Are 'Natural Flavors,' Anyway?
In fact, natural flavors are the fourth-most common ingredient listed on these labels, with only salt, water and sugar appearing more often, according to the Environmental Working Group.
Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change + Health
Earth911: Bad, Better, Best: The Climate Impact of Meat
For example, the Environmental Working Group’s LCA of meats averages emissions from three American farming systems to place lamb at 39.2 kg CO2-eq.
PFAS Waste Disposal
E+E News: EPA pulls PFAS study; Wheeler blames Obama appointee
Olga Naidenko, the vice president for science investigations at the Environmental Working Group, has found in her own research that burning materials containing PFAS did not completely destroy the toxins and that the chemicals could easily spread back into the environment.
Water Solutions: Study shows that disposal of waste containing PFAS increases contamination
In a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere, scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) conclude that burning, discarding and flushing waste containing the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS all contribute to environmental contamination.
PFAS Water Contamination
Chesapeake Bay Magazine: Upper Potomac Riverkeeper Fights “Forever Chemicals”
In DC, a study from the Environmental Working Group found total PFAS levels in DC drinking water to be 21.7 ppt – below the EPA’s guidance but far above 1 ppt, the Group’s limit.
Natural News: Hormone-disrupting chemicals in our homes could be detrimental to immune health, raising the risk of COVID-19
Recent lab tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health, found toxic fluorinated chemicals called perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in major water supplies across the U.S.
The Revelator: Are Forever Chemicals Harming Ocean Life?
Sydney Evans, a research scientist for the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, suggests that researchers shouldn’t have to prove the health risks for thousands of similar compounds in order to warrant regulatory action.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
Vogue: 3 categories of food that need to be bought organic
In fact, according to the EWG (Environmental Working Group) strawberries and spinach are the most contaminated foods in the world, so choosing an organic variety is a good idea.
Curly Nikki: 3 Ways Chemical Exposure is Impacting Your Wellness
Buying organic can get expensive, but if you have to choose, the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list will let you know the most highly pesticide-contaminated foods each year.
Eat This, Not That!: 25 Best Ways to Save Money at Whole Foods
Whetzel suggests following the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list for purchasing organic veggies.
Eating Well: 7 Tips for Clean Eating
Choose organic produce where you can, focusing on buying organic foods from the EWG's Dirty Dozen list and cutting yourself some slack with the Clean 15 foods list.
EWG Guide to Sunscreens
Dive In: SourceA Conscious Diver’s Guide to Reef Safe Sunscreen 2020
SourceBeyond this, the Environmental Working Group publishes a yearly database cataloguing the specific chemical breakdown of a litany of sunblocks.
LMents of Style: Non-Whitening Natural Sunscreen
Pretty much all Badger sunscreens are rated a 1 by EWG, max 2.
Mother Earth News: Homegrown Fruits and Vegetables for Sunburn Protection
And there is now research showing that slathering the skin with suntan lotions can actually harm the skin, potentially causing cancer as well as preventing Vitamin D absorption (Environmental Working Group).
WFAN (New York City): #1Thing: Sustainable and Organic Sunscreens That We Love
The formula contains 23 antioxidants, and seven Hawaiian-grown ingredients such as KonaRed Hawaiian Coffee Fruit Extract, Hawaiian Spirulina, Macadamia Nut Oil, and more. It also earned a No. 1 Environmental Working Group (EWG) rating.
Tap Water Database
USA Today: 'It affects us all': Erin Brockovich's 'Superman's Not Coming' explores water issues, urges action
Environmental Working Group study: Even 'safe' drinking water poses risk.
InStyle: Erin Brockovich Would Like to Remind You That It's Not "Fine"
As in, don’t wait to get your water tested; Don’t wait to compare your results against the standards of the Environmental Working Group (not the EPA), a non-profit organization that conducts research about the effects of pollutants in agricultural systems and drinking water; Don’t wait to do the work, and then rally your community to join your pursuit of safe water; Don’t wait to educate yourself about the dangers of contaminated water.
NJ Today: Perth Amboy drinking water is contaminated
The Environmental Working Group reported that Perth Amboy drinking water is contaminated with arsenic, chloroform, chromium, radium, TTHMs, and 20 other cancer-causing chemicals.
United Press International: Oklahoma City nabs $617.5M to upgrade, manage water utility for Tinker AFB
The most recent Environmental Working Group report said tap water from Tinker was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards but had high levels of several cancer-causing contaminants, including bromodichloromethane, chromium and radium.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-27--EWG Comments to NEJAC Recommending Measures for Addressing PFAS Contamination Crisis

The Environmental Working Group submitted written comments to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council with recommendations on the necessary measures @ @ @ @ @ crisis .

The snap of a coffee lid, the pop of a chip bag opening, the crinkle of an empty wrapper – all ways that we use plastic before discarding and forgetting about it. But we’re reminded of the pollution...


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-26--EPA Cancels Study To Incinerate PFAS Waste Near N.J. Fenceline Community

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday , the Environmental Protection Agency canceled a study to look into the incineration of the fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS .
The study would have burned toxic PFAS and measured the amount released into the air at the Union County Resource Recovery Facility on the Rahway River in New Jersey .
Researchers at the Environmental Working Group recently published a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere that found burning , discarding and flushing materials containing PFAS do not effectively contain or destroy them but rather end up just returning either the same chemicals or their byproducts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research on PFAS waste disposal is urgently needed , ” said Olga Naidenko , Ph.D. , vice president for science investigations at EWG .
“ These tests must be planned and conducted in a fully transparent way , with the consent of the nearby residents .
The idea of a test burn in a location with large communities of color raises concerns about environmental justice , ” added Naidenko .
In a statement , EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler attacked former EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck and blamed her for voicing concerns about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Judith Enck ’ s unprofessionalism , personal ignorance , and dishonesty has single-handedly shut down the Rahway study setting back the agency ’ s research efforts on PFAS .
… Enck ’ s politicization of ongoing bipartisan research efforts with the State of New Jersey is a disservice to communities throughout the Garden State and the country as a whole .
Due to Enck ’ s meritless claims , the study has been cancelled to the detriment of science , a better understanding PFAS , and the protection of public health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on Judith Enck is reprehensible , ” said Melanie Benesh , EWG ’ s legislative attorney .
“ It shows the unrelenting hostility of this administration toward protecting public health and the environment .
She is a leading environmental advocate who has worked to bring clean drinking water to Hoosick Falls , N.Y. , which has been devastated by PFAS contamination.
” PFAS are used in hundreds of products , such as food packaging , clothing , carpets and cookware , for their waterproofing or grease-proofing properties .
They are called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in the environment , which means they could move through the waste cycle indefinitely .
PFAS chemicals suppress the immune system and are associated with cancer , reproductive and developmental harms , and reduced effectiveness of vaccines .
Thousands of U.S. communities with PFAS contamination are urgently looking for treatment options , but every technology currently in use produces PFAS-laden waste .
These disposal practices move PFAS among waste management sites and contaminate air , soil and water along the way .
A provision in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incineration of military PFAS waste until the EPA issues regulations ensuring incineration can be done safely .
The fate of PFAS under commercial incinerators ’ current operating conditions is largely unknown .
This data gap must be addressed , and studies should be conducted on PFAS combustion in various types of incinerator facilities , from those handling municipal solid waste or biosolids to those processing hazardous waste .
Research is essential on the optimal temperatures and incinerator residence times for complete PFAS destruction in commercially run incinerators .
“ Pollution from waste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are already overburdened with pollution and now are struggling with COVID-19 , ” said Naidenko .
“ The location of waste incineration facilities in places where they disproportionately affect people of color is a grievous historical injustice , and it must be remedied .
Conducting tests in such communities is not acceptable.
” 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 – On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency canceled a study to look into the incineration of the fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS. The study would have burned toxic PFAS and measured the amount released into the air at the Union County Resource Recovery Facility on the Rahway River in New Jersey.
Researchers at the Environmental Working Group recently published a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere that found burning, discarding and flushing materials containing PFAS do not effectively contain or destroy them but rather end up just returning either the same chemicals or their byproducts back into the environment.
“More research on PFAS waste disposal is urgently needed,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG. “These tests must be planned and conducted in a fully transparent way, with the consent of the nearby residents. The idea of a test burn in a location with large communities of color raises concerns about environmental justice,” added Naidenko.
In a statement, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler attacked former EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck and blamed her for voicing concerns about the proposed study:
Former Obama Administration EPA leader Judith Enck’s unprofessionalism, personal ignorance, and dishonesty has single-handedly shut down the Rahway study setting back the agency’s research efforts on PFAS. … Enck’s politicization of ongoing bipartisan research efforts with the State of New Jersey is a disservice to communities throughout the Garden State and the country as a whole. Due to Enck’s meritless claims, the study has been cancelled to the detriment of science, a better understanding PFAS, and the protection of public health and the environment.
“This vicious personal attack on Judith Enck is reprehensible,” said Melanie Benesh, EWG’s legislative attorney. “It shows the unrelenting hostility of this administration toward protecting public health and the environment. She is a leading environmental advocate who has worked to bring clean drinking water to Hoosick Falls, N.Y., which has been devastated by PFAS contamination.”
PFAS are used in hundreds of products, such as food packaging, clothing, carpets and cookware, for their waterproofing or grease-proofing properties. They are called “forever chemicals” because they never break down in the environment, which means they could move through the waste cycle indefinitely. PFAS chemicals suppress the immune system and are associated with cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and reduced effectiveness of vaccines.
Thousands of U.S. communities with PFAS contamination are urgently looking for treatment options, but every technology currently in use produces PFAS-laden waste. These disposal practices move PFAS among waste management sites and contaminate air, soil and water along the way. A provision in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021 would place a moratorium on the incineration of military PFAS waste until the EPA issues regulations ensuring incineration can be done safely.
The fate of PFAS under commercial incinerators’ current operating conditions is largely unknown. This data gap must be addressed, and studies should be conducted on PFAS combustion in various types of incinerator facilities, from those handling municipal solid waste or biosolids to those processing hazardous waste. Research is essential on the optimal temperatures and incinerator residence times for complete PFAS destruction in commercially run incinerators.
“Pollution from waste disposal sites disproportionately affects the low-income communities who are already overburdened with pollution and now are struggling with COVID-19,” said Naidenko. “The location of waste incineration facilities in places where they disproportionately affect people of color is a grievous historical injustice, and it must be remedied. Conducting tests in such communities is not acceptable.”
###
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 https://www.ewg.org/pfaschemicals/


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-08-26--Nuclear Industry Politics: Bribes, Corruption and Lies

The U.S. nuclear industry knows it can ’ t compete fairly on the open market with safe , clean , cost-effective renewable energy sources like solar , wind and storage batteries , so it ’ s turning to illegal and unsavory tactics .
This year , a string of scandals has exposed how some utilities are willing to use bribes , corrupt politics and lies to keep aging reactors online and planned new plants alive .
• In July , the FBI filed racketeering charges against the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives for taking more than $ 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of legislation for a ratepayer bailout of the company ’ s nuclear plans , and for using bribery to quash a referendum to repeal the bailout .
• The very next day , Commonwealth Edison Company , or ComEd , a subsidiary of Exelon , agreed to pay a $ 200 million fine to settle federal charges for bribing the speaker of the Illinois House to ensure passage of legislation that ensured a ratepayer bailout of two nuclear plants .
• In February , the federal Securities and Exchange Commission , or SEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South Carolina Gas and Electric for lying to regulators and investors about progress of the V.C .
Summer nuclear plant , cancelled in 2017 due to $ 13 billion in projected cost overruns and construction delays .
It ’ s no mystery why utilities resort to such unlawful and shady tactics : The risk is worth the payoff .
Last year , an EWG analysis found that since 2016 , five states , including Illinois and Ohio , have forced more than $ 15 billion In nuclear bailouts on ratepayers .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billions of dollars at stake , spending tens of millions of dollars on campaign contributions , bribes and other activities is sort of a down payment , ” Howard Learner , executive director of Environmental Law and Policy Center , told Inside Climate News .
In Ohio , House Speaker Larry Householder and cronies created a political advocacy nonprofit , Generation Now , that they used to funnel bribes to hide the payments and the scheme from public scrutiny .
The FBI said Householder and his associates used millions of FirstEnergy ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support him in his bid for speaker , and who would also vote to rescue the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear plants – a bailout worth $ 1.3 billion to FirstEnergy .
They also took $ 38 million from FirstEnergy to hire firms to collect signatures to put the bailout-repeal referendum on the ballot , which would have been a prohibited conflict of interest for Householder .
They tried to bribe a signature collector for inside information on the campaign , and gave a signature collection company $ 600,000 , which the firm offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quit .
In Illinois , federal prosecutors say ComEd curried favor with House Speaker Mike Madigan by funneling more than $ 1.3 million over the past decade to his friends and associates .
In return , ComEd was able to secure passage of a bill to make customers bail out the Cline and Quad Cities nuclear plants .
In an op-ed for The Hill , conservative anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist said the deal will cost Illinois residents $ 2.4 billion .
“ [ T ] he legislation would amount to the largest energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norquist wrote .
“ The city of Chicago alone would see more than $ 127 million in higher energy costs.
” In South Carolina , the SEC found that senior executives of SCANA , owner of South Carolina Gas and Electric , “ repeatedly deceived investors , regulators , and the public over several years about the status of a $ 10 billion nuclear energy project , ” the Summer nuclear plant .
“ When the truth was revealed , it resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to SCANA ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A result of SCANA ’ s lies is that South Carolina ratepayers will pay $ 2.3 billion to cover the sunk cost of the scrapped project .
“ In the private sector , you would never be able to justify this , ” Gregory Jackzo , former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission , told The Intercept .
“ It ’ s insane for a project that ’ s done nothing , and never will .
And is just a giant hole in the ground .
Well , a filled-in hole now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state senators will convene a special session next month to consider repealing the bill that gave First Energy the $ 1 billion bailout .
Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker has announced legislative initiatives to curb utility influence .
But to stop the scandals plaguing energy politics – which are not limited to the nuclear industry – here ’ s what should be done : • Legislation to bail out uneconomic power plants should instead replace them with clean energy .
• Electric rates and policies should support aggressive energy efficiency and customer-owned and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace financially untenable plants and ensure least-cost service .
• States should mandate reporting of all lobbying expenditures and campaign contributions .
`` If we get the corrupting influence of utility money out of politics , ” David Pomerantz , executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute , told Inside Climate News , “ I 'll very happily take my chances with honest policy debates that engage the public , which broadly supports the rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy . ''

The U.S. nuclear industry knows it can’t compete fairly on the open market with safe, clean, cost-effective renewable energy sources like solar, wind and storage batteries, so it’s turning to illegal and unsavory tactics. This year, a string of scandals has exposed how some utilities are willing to use bribes, corrupt politics and lies to keep aging reactors online and planned new plants alive.
In July, the FBI filed racketeering charges against the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives for taking more than $60 million from FirstEnergy Corporation to ensure passage of legislation for a ratepayer bailout of the company’s nuclear plans, and for using bribery to quash a referendum to repeal the bailout.
The very next day, Commonwealth Edison Company, or ComEd, a subsidiary of Exelon, agreed to pay a $200 million fine to settle federal charges for bribing the speaker of the Illinois House to ensure passage of legislation that ensured a ratepayer bailout of two nuclear plants.
In February, the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, filed a complaint against the owner of South Carolina Gas and Electric for lying to regulators and investors about progress of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant, cancelled in 2017 due to $13 billion in projected cost overruns and construction delays.
It’s no mystery why utilities resort to such unlawful and shady tactics: The risk is worth the payoff. Last year, an EWG analysis found that since 2016, five states, including Illinois and Ohio, have forced more than $15 billion In nuclear bailouts on ratepayers.
"When companies like ComEd and FirstEnergy have billions of dollars at stake, spending tens of millions of dollars on campaign contributions, bribes and other activities is sort of a down payment,” Howard Learner, executive director of Environmental Law and Policy Center, told Inside Climate News.
In Ohio, House Speaker Larry Householder and cronies created a political advocacy nonprofit, Generation Now, that they used to funnel bribes to hide the payments and the scheme from public scrutiny. The FBI said Householder and his associates used millions of FirstEnergy’s money to get candidates elected that would support him in his bid for speaker, and who would also vote to rescue the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear plants – a bailout worth $1.3 billion to FirstEnergy.
They also took $38 million from FirstEnergy to hire firms to collect signatures to put the bailout-repeal referendum on the ballot, which would have been a prohibited conflict of interest for Householder. They tried to bribe a signature collector for inside information on the campaign, and gave a signature collection company $600,000, which the firm offered to pro-referendum collectors to get them to quit.
In Illinois, federal prosecutors say ComEd curried favor with House Speaker Mike Madigan by funneling more than $1.3 million over the past decade to his friends and associates. In return, ComEd was able to secure passage of a bill to make customers bail out the Cline and Quad Cities nuclear plants. In an op-ed for The Hill, conservative anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist said the deal will cost Illinois residents $2.4 billion.
“[T]he legislation would amount to the largest energy rate hike in U.S. history,” Norquist wrote. “The city of Chicago alone would see more than $127 million in higher energy costs.”
In South Carolina, the SEC found that senior executives of SCANA, owner of South Carolina Gas and Electric, “repeatedly deceived investors, regulators, and the public over several years about the status of a $10 billion nuclear energy project,” the Summer nuclear plant. “When the truth was revealed, it resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to SCANA’s investors and to South Carolinians.”
A result of SCANA’s lies is that South Carolina ratepayers will pay $2.3 billion to cover the sunk cost of the scrapped project.
“In the private sector, you would never be able to justify this,” Gregory Jackzo, former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told The Intercept. “It’s insane for a project that’s done nothing, and never will. And is just a giant hole in the ground. Well, a filled-in hole now, at this point.”
In Ohio, state senators will convene a special session next month to consider repealing the bill that gave First Energy the $1 billion bailout. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced legislative initiatives to curb utility influence. But to stop the scandals plaguing energy politics – which are not limited to the nuclear industry – here’s what should be done:
Legislation to bail out uneconomic power plants should instead replace them with clean energy.
Electric rates and policies should support aggressive energy efficiency and customer-owned and community solar programs to reduce costs, replace financially untenable plants and ensure least-cost service.
States should mandate reporting of all lobbying expenditures and campaign contributions.
"If we get the corrupting influence of utility money out of politics,” David Pomerantz, executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, told Inside Climate News, “I'll very happily take my chances with honest policy debates that engage the public, which broadly supports the rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy."