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

U.S. Hydropower Grows By Going Small

August 16, 2016/in Hydropower, United States, Water & Energy, Water News/by Brett Walton

Hydropower expansion relies on improving existing dams. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Change is coming for the 90-year-old Point Marion Lock and Dam, change that could signal a new direction for America’s water and power infrastructure. More than a decade ago a steady flow of barges passed through Point Marion, on the Monongahela River […]

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 15: U.S. Appeals Court Upholds Carbon Accounting Rules

August 15, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A federal appeals court affirms the Obama administration’s social cost of carbon guidance. EPA science advisory panel criticizes the agency’s fracking study. A mining company agrees to pay $US 143 million to prevent water contamination from a closed molybdenum mine in New Mexico while Congressional Republicans question the EPA about mining regulations. NASA […]

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 8: Army Corps Approves River-Crossing Permit for Dakota Oil Pipeline

August 8, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Permit allows 1,100-mile oil pipeline to cross under the Missouri River. The White House puts climate change at the center of federal agency environmental planning while the world’s glaciers are on a long losing streak. A coal company pays a $US 3 million Clean Water Act fine. Watchdog agency tells Army Corps to […]

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’s Tale of Two Basins

August 2, 2016/in Infrastructure, United States, Water Management, Water News/by Brett Walton

Water diversions upstream increase risk in stressed watershed. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue In Colorado, rivers flow not only down mountain slopes but beneath them, across them, and through them. Nearly four dozen canals, tunnels, and ditches in the state move water out of natural drainages and into neighboring basins. Some snake across high […]

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 1: Energy Department Report Endorses U.S. Hydropower Growth

August 1, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The Energy Department identifies a path for more U.S. hydropower. The White House issues a cyberattack response plan. The EPA issues water quality recommendations to protect fish from copper and selenium, while the EPA’s internal watchdog delays an investigation into the Gold King mine spill. Federal agencies make “little progress” on a national […]

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, July 25: Enbridge Agrees to $177 Million Settlement for Michigan Oil Spill

July 25, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Justice Department reaches deal over largest inland oil spill in U.S. history. EPA environmental justice council studies water affordability. The country experienced eight billion-dollar disasters in the first half of 2016. EPA approves new methods to test drinking water for contaminants while noting that many states are now doing more than federal rules […]

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

Israel’s Mediterranean Desalination Plants Shift Regional Water Balance

July 25, 2016/in Middle East, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

Desalination could remake the region’s politics and ecology. It hasn’t yet. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue TEL AVIV, Israel — The water that flows into Sorek desalination plant is drawn from near the Mediterranean Sea floor. Pumped inland, the water is cleansed, step by step, of salts and impurities. The transmutation does not take […]

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, July 18: Senate Leaves for Vacation with Water Bills Still on the Floor

July 18, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown No action yet on important water and environment bills. NOAA establishes a new water office. California and federal agencies release a strategy to save the Delta smelt. The U.S. Geological Survey identifies hot spots for corrosive groundwater and reckons what rising seas will do to Cape Cod. A law expert clears a path […]

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, July 11: EPA Will Not Regulate Forest Road Runoff

July 11, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Instead of new federal rules, the EPA will work within existing local and state programs to manage logging road runoff. The CDC is helping North Carolina health officials deal with a brain-eating amoeba at a whitewater park. The House passes a bill to protect salmon but fisheries experts question its effectiveness. The House […]

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, July 5: Florida Senators Tour the Algae Coast

July 5, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Huge bloom of toxic algae on Florida coast send officials looking for quick fixes to chronic problem. Federal science review of nonstick chemicals, sometimes found in groundwater near industrial facilities, finds strong evidence that they damage human immune systems. Clean energy agreement could help Canadian hydropower. Federal dam in Montana without hydropower might […]

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

North America Clean Energy Plan Could Boost Canadian Hydropower

June 29, 2016/in North America, Water & Climate, Water News/by Brett Walton

Leaders pledge more use of low-carbon fuels. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue At a summit in Ottawa today, the leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States agreed to accelerate North America’s development of low-carbon energy sources, pledging that half of their combined electricity use will come from “clean” fuel sources by 2025. “We […]

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

California Fresh Groundwater Reserves Triple in New Assessment

June 27, 2016/in California, Groundwater, Water & Energy, Water News/by Brett Walton

Researchers urge caution in underground disposal of oil waste, to protect deep water sources. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue California’s breadbasket has more water than once thought. The water is just far deeper underground — nearly two miles in some cases — than researchers, farmers, and cities typically search. Only oil and gas companies […]

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