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

Against Advice of Health Officials, Georgia Rejects Legionella Rules in New Plumbing Code

December 19, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Georgia will not join the handful of jurisdictions that have rules for slowing the spread of America’s deadliest waterborne disease.

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, December 16: Tribal Water Bills Introduced in Congress

December 16, 2019/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Senators champion bills on tribal water quality and a water rights settlement in Montana, while the House passes a bill to improve climate change planning on the coasts. The Army Corps estimates it will cost an additional $3.2 billion to raise levees and floodwalls in New Orleans because of subsidence and sea-level rise. […]

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

In Louisiana, Officials Pursue Fixes for Indebted, Failing Water Systems

December 12, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Louisiana is another state putting priority on merging small, struggling water systems with larger neighbors. It’s offering to cover the capital cost of connection.

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

‘Make Agribusinesses Pay the Full Costs:’ In Blue New Deal, Warren Targets Farm Pollution, Great Lakes

December 12, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Elizabeth Warren, called for a Blue New Deal, unveiling her plan to protect the oceans, Great Lakes, and the rivers that flow into them from pollution and overdevelopment.

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, December 9: President Trump Criticizes Low-Flow Toilets

December 9, 2019/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown President Trump denounces water-efficient toilets and faucets. The EPA sends a regulatory determination for PFAS in drinking water to the White House for review. Water bills in Congress address aquatic invasive species, western water supplies, drinking water grants, irrigation canal repairs, and more. Congressional negotiators appear to remove certain PFAS provisions from a […]

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

Atmospheric Rivers, Conveyor Belts of Extreme Moisture, Rack Up Heavy Flood Damages in Western United States

December 5, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Researchers estimate $1 billion in flood damages annually in last 40 years from atmospheric rivers.

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 Year in Water, 2019

December 3, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Natural hazards strengthen. Governments struggle to cope.

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, December 2: GAO Finds Military Water Risk Assessments Deficient

December 2, 2019/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The Defense Department does not use consistent methods to evaluate water scarcity risk at its bases, a GAO report finds. A PFAS health study lags in bureaucratic limbo. A federal judge defers to the EPA on whether the Clean Water Act covers groundwater pollution connected to surface waters. Cabinet officials support a tribal […]

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, November 25: Superfund Sites at Risk from Climate Change

November 25, 2019/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A government watchdog highlights climate risks to heavily polluted sites. Energy regulators receive a pumped storage hydropower proposal for West Virginia. A House committee advances a package of PFAS bills. A federal appeals court upholds highest priority water rights for Klamath River basin tribes. An EPA financing advisory committee will hold public teleconferences […]

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

Baltimore Council Approves Income-Based Water Bills

November 21, 2019/in Cities, Infrastructure, Water Management, Water News, Water Pricing, WEF/by Brett Walton

The Baltimore City Council, in the face of rising water and sewer rates and public anger over billing errors, approved a discount program that ties monthly water bills for its poorest residents to their annual household income.

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

Navajo Generating Station, a Union of Coal and Water, Shuts Down

November 20, 2019/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

The shutdown of Navajo Generating Station, which was planned for several years, also brought an end to a four-decade bond in Arizona between a coal plant and water-supply infrastructure.

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, November 18: Congress Moves Closer to PFAS Deal

November 18, 2019/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Congressional negotiators appear to agree on some PFAS provisions in a Defense spending bill, but still have work to do on others. The Defense Department, meanwhile, issues its own PFAS standards for screening contaminated sites for cleanup. The GAO reviews irrigation technology, while USDA data shows that U.S. irrigation is becoming more efficient. […]

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