Brett Walton

About Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club's Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

Entries by Brett Walton

Federal Water Tap, September 13: EPA Resumes Work to Block Alaskan Mine That Threatens Salmon

September 13, 2021/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA intends to resume the process of blocking a proposed mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed. The EPA says it will limit discharges of PFAS chemicals and nutrients from certain industries. The EPA proposes 13 sites for the Superfund list. The CDC wants to continue collecting data on SARS-Cov-2 in wastewater for […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

‘Eyes in the Sky’ Help Police California Water Use

September 9, 2021/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Satellite data is one monitoring tool regulators turn to in this very dry year.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, September 7: New Federal Office Connects Climate Change and Health

September 7, 2021/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A federal judge overturns the Trump administration’s Clean Water Act definition. Bureau of Reclamation contributes $19 million for a Colorado River water conservation program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes removing a notorious species from the threatened list. The CDC tallies emergency room visits due to harmful algal blooms. USGS researchers find […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Hurricane Ida Damages Louisiana Water Systems, Cuts Water Service

September 1, 2021/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Nearly two hundred water systems, large and small, are experiencing outages after the powerful storm.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Colorado River Forecasts Not a ‘Crystal Ball’

September 1, 2021/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Computer models inform key decisions in the Colorado River basin. But they cannot predict the future.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, August 30: White House Climate and Migration Report Is Delayed

August 30, 2021/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A climate and migration report ordered by President Biden is not yet complete. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes endangered species status for Texas mussels. The EPA announces $25 million in drinking water grant funding for small and disadvantaged communities. An intensive DOE research project aims to better understand the interactions of air, […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Droughts Push More People to Migrate Than Floods

August 24, 2021/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

World Bank report sheds light on the nuanced connections between “water shocks” and human migration.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, August 23: EPA Updates Human Health Guidelines for Pesticides in Drinking Water

August 23, 2021/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA adds health guidelines for 43 pesticides and updates toxicity levels for 104 others. The EPA’s chemicals assessment division analyzes the toxicity of several industrial chemicals. The EPA also orders a low-income, majority Black city in Illinois to clean up sewage spills. FEMA re-evaluates a flood-risk reduction The Bureau of Land Management […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Stream, August 20, 2021: Taliban Takeover Threatens Afghanistan Water Security, Scholars Say

August 20, 2021/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Taliban do not have the expertise to manage Afghanistan’s already troubled water systems, researchers say.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

The Stream, August 19, 2021: Hundreds Flee Deadly Water Conflict in Northern Cameroon

August 19, 2021/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

YOUR GLOBAL RUNDOWN Hundreds of people flee deadly conflict over water in northern Cameroon. An Indian reservation in Oregon tests solar distillation technology as a stopgap drinking water measure. California’s governor says he will consider mandatory water conservation by the end of September. A World Meteorological Organization report highlights climate and extreme weather in Latin […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Shrinking Reservoirs Trigger Deeper Water Cuts for Lower Colorado River

August 17, 2021/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Federal government declares, for the first time, a Tier 1 shortage due to low water at Lake Mead.

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

Federal Water Tap, August 16: Senate Passes Infrastructure Bill

August 16, 2021/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Trillion-dollar infrastructure package now heads to the House Ten water and wastewater facilities notified the EPA that they are not receiving enough chlorine or other disinfectants. NOAA publishes an interactive map showing the risk of airborne toxins from algal blooms along Florida’s Gulf Coast. And lastly, FEMA announces funds to help disadvantaged communities […]

Brett Walton

Brett writes about agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and the politics and economics of water in the United States. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, Circle of Blue’s weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of two Society of Environmental Journalists reporting awards, one of the top honors in American environmental journalism: first place for explanatory reporting for a series on septic system pollution in the United States(2016) and third place for beat reporting in a small market (2014). He received the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Brett lives in Seattle, where he hikes the mountains and bakes pies. Contact Brett Walton

circleofblue.org/author/brett

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About Brett Walton

Entries by Brett Walton