Entries by Brett Walton

Federal Water Tap, December 26: Lake Powell Pipeline Permitting Inches Forward

The Rundown Federal energy regulators approve the first step in a proposed Colorado River pipeline in Utah. An Arizona representative introduces an Indian water rights settlement. The House proposes additional money for water systems damaged by hurricanes. FEMA misses its power restoration target in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Trump administration publishes an “America First” […]

The year in water 2017

A new era of severe environmental and economic disruption around the world upends freshwater supplies.

Federal Water Tap, December 18: Seven-month Delay for EPA Lead and Copper Rule

The Rundown The Trump EPA delays, for a second time, publication of lead in drinking water rules. The Senate confirms the top administrator for the EPA Office of Water. Climate scientists assess extreme weather events of 2016. A government watchdog says the Defense Department needs to track the cost of climate change adaptation. The EPA […]

UN Expert Connects U.S. Water and Sanitation Struggles to Poverty

Two-week visit includes examination of sewage failures in Alabama.

EPA Delays Lead and Copper Rule Again, Promises ‘War on Lead’

Draft proposal now expected in August 2018, a seven-month delay.

A Philadelphia Story: No Running Water For Eight Years

Legal barriers block water access for residents in ‘tangled title’ cases.

Federal Water Tap, December 11: Michigan Lawmakers Ask EPA to Act on Perfluorinated Chemicals

The Rundown Michigan representatives worry about a half dozen high-profile chemical contamination areas in their state. The EPA publishes a list of 21 Superfund sites that will be cleanup priorities. The National Academy of Sciences says a new management plan is needed to reduce flood risk in the watershed north of Mt. St. Helens. A […]

Baltimore City Council to Introduce Water Affordability Package in 2018

Baltimore is the latest U.S. city to reassess water aid for the poor.

Federal Water Tap, December 4: House Votes to Reopen Minnesota National Forest to Mining

The Rundown The House passes a bill to reopen a national forest in Minnesota to mining. The EPA decides not to issue stronger financial rules for hardrock mining. A big Arizona coal-fired power plant gets another two years of life. The Army Corps recommends permitting changes to speed up energy development and hosts a meeting […]

Panel Recommends Changes to Two-Decade-Old EPA Water Affordability Guidelines

The EPA has heard similar suggestions before. Will the agency act decisively this time?

Federal Water Tap, November 27: Which Greenland Glaciers Will Flood New York City?

The Rundown NASA study shows how glacial melt in regions of Greenland and Antarctica contributes to sea level rise in specific cities. The Energy Department approves a permit for a transmission line designed to deliver Canadian hydropower to New England states. CRS explains policy changes in a House flood insurance bill. The Supreme Court schedules […]

Congress Passes Defense Spending Bill That Includes Perfluorinated Chemicals Health Study

CDC will guide first-ever national evaluation of drinking water contaminant. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Recognizing widespread public concern over drinking water contamination, Congress approved a five-year, $7-million study of the human health consequences of perfluorinated compounds, a class of chemicals that came to national prominence in the last two years amid detection in […]