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

War in Ukraine Lengthens List of Violent Acts over Water

March 17, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

A new report details the rising number of clashes across the planet that are connected to water

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, March 14: EPA Tells States to Prioritize Disadvantaged Communities for Water Infrastructure Funds

March 14, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown EPA guidance for implementing the infrastructure bill focuses on disadvantaged communities. The Defense Department says it will close a bulk fuel storage facility on Oahu that is involved in a fuel leak that contaminated drinking water sources. President Biden’s executive order on digital assets requires a report on environmental ramifications of blockchain technologies. […]

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

IPCC Climate Report: Six Key Findings for Water

March 1, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Scientific body warns of ‘rapidly closing window’ for action

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, February 28: EPA Rejects Industry Objections to Chlorpyrifos Rules

February 28, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA rejects industry objections to its restrictions on the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The Interior Department allocates $1.7 billion this year for tribal water rights settlements. The Bureau of Reclamation tells many farmers in California’s Central Valley not to expect irrigation water from federal canals this year. And lastly, House committees hold hearings on […]

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

Risky Drinking Water Pathogen Has Outsized Effect on Black Americans

February 24, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

A new analysis shows that rising Legionnaires’ disease cases disproportionately affect Black Americans and people living in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and New England.

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, February 21: EPA Watchdog Will Investigate Agency’s Drinking Water Lead Response in Michigan City

February 21, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown An EPA watchdog will investigate the agency’s response to drinking water lead contamination in Benton Harbor, Michigan. An EPA local government advisory committee submits recommendations to the agency for carrying out infrastructure investments. The CDC analyzes trends in the rising number of Legionnaires’ disease The EPA revises its methods for assessing the cost […]

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

Billions Flow to Water Systems from Federal Pandemic Relief Funds

February 17, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Passed nearly a year ago, the American Rescue Plan Act is injecting needed funding into aging water and sewer 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, February 14: Budget Proposal Adds $403 Million for Oahu Drinking Water

February 14, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown A budget proposal to keep the government operating includes millions to respond to a fuel leak from an Oahu naval base that contaminated drinking water. The Defense Department appeals a Hawaii state order to drain the fuel tanks at the center of the Oahu drinking water incident. Bipartisan legislation in Congress would update […]

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

Nebraska Agrochemical Contamination Throws Families, Communities, Water Providers into Turmoil

February 9, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

The harrowing trail of toxic nutrients in farm country water

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, February 7: White House Publishes Infrastructure ‘Guidebook’

February 7, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The White House creates an outline for states, tribes, and local governments to understand new infrastructure funding. The Federal Maritime Commission seeks more information on how Canadian ballast water rules might affect Great Lakes ships. The GAO says the agency that oversees federal prisons should do more to ensure its facilities are prepared […]

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

Is Agrochemical Contamination Killing Nebraska’s Children?

February 2, 2022/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

The harrowing trail of toxic nutrients in farm country water

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, January 31: Supreme Court to Review Wetlands Case

January 31, 2022/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The nation’s highest court will again take on the Clean Water Act. EPA Administrator Michael Regan commits to improving pollution oversight for marginalized communities. The Bureau of Reclamation, plus state and local agencies, break ground to repair a key irrigation canal in California’s Central Valley. The Biden administration does not renew leases 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

Author Archive for: Brett

About Brett Walton

Entries by Brett Walton