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, July 6: House Passes Huge $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

July 6, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The House approves a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package. The House climate change committee releases its blueprint for a clean energy economy. Federal agencies indicate they will prepare environmental reviews of a sediment diversion project in Louisiana and a contested copper-nickel mine in northern Minnesota. Oregon Democrats introduce a Western water conservation and 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, June 29: Supreme Court Will Not Hear Klamath Takings Case

June 29, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown Supreme Court action affirms Klamath Tribes’ senior water rights. The GAO analyzes federal flood buyouts. Senators attach water-related amendments to an annual Defense Department spending authorization bill. Energy regulators begin an environmental review of a California pumped storage hydropower project. A Colorado representative calls for peaceful negotiations among Nile basin countries over 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

North Carolina, In Early Stages of Financial Review, Sees Potentially Large Number of Distressed Water Systems

June 25, 2020/in Infrastructure, Water Management, Water News, Water Pricing, WEF/by Brett Walton

North Carolina officials are working to develop a rating system that would identify public water and sewer providers at risk of financial failure.

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, June 22: EPA Decides Not to Regulate Perchlorate in Drinking Water

June 22, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA reverses a regulatory decision that it made nine years ago for the chemical perchlorate. House Democrats refocus on infrastructure. The Senate passes a land, water, and parks conservation bill. Colorado River use drops to 33-year low in three lower basin states. Michigan representatives seek to extend Flint Lead Registry and expand […]

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

Remarkable Drop in Colorado River Water Use a Sign of Climate Adaptation

June 17, 2020/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Use of Colorado River water in the three states of the river’s lower basin fell to a 33-year low in 2019.

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, June 15: Reclamation Selects Preferred Route for Lake Powell Pipeline

June 15, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The Bureau of Reclamation publishes an environmental impact statement for the Lake Powell Pipeline. The U.S. Forest Service indicates that it will revise its environmental analysis of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. A CDC journal publishes a study on Legionnaires’ disease cases that were spread by toilet flushing. The CDC also releases a podcast […]

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

Feds Propose River Temperature Limits to Protect Salmon in Pacific Northwest

June 11, 2020/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

EPA seeks to keep Columbia and Lower Snake rivers from cooking salmon. It won’t be easy, water experts say. Circle of Blue · Salmon Protection And Dams By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a long-awaited Clean Water Act proposal to limit water temperatures in one of the country’s largest […]

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, June 8: EPA Rule Limits Use of Clean Water Act to Block Energy Infrastructure

June 8, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA narrows use of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. President Trump signs an order to speed up or abridge environmental review. The Senate passes an Indian water rights settlement bill. The Army Corps forecasts more record-high water levels for two of the Great Lakes. Environment agencies in Canada and the […]

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

Enthusiasm But Obstacles in Using Sewage to Monitor Coronavirus

June 4, 2020/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Health departments and researchers in hundreds of cities worldwide are turning to sewage to better understand the spread of the new coronavirus in their 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

Federal Water Tap, June 1: EPA Outlines Methylmercury Study Methods

June 1, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown The EPA’s chemical risk assessment division is reviewing a two-decade-old safety limit for the neurotoxin methylmercury. A report analyzes the success of water and sewer projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission. USDA allocates $280 million for rural water and sewer projects. USAID worries about coronavirus fallout for water providers in developing countries. […]

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

Utilities in Developing Countries, in Financial Tailspin, Try to Keep Water Flowing During Pandemic and Beyond

May 28, 2020/in Water News, WEF/by Brett Walton

Water utilities are experiencing a ‘double hit’ in their finances that could hinder operations into 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, May 26: EPA Administrator Talks PFAS, Groundwater in Senate Hearing

May 26, 2020/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown EPA Administrator Wheeler answered questions about key water issues during a Senate hearing. President Trump orders federal agencies to consider relaxing regulations to boost the economy in response to the coronavirus pandemic. NOAA forecasts an active Atlantic hurricane season. Senate Democrats press the EPA for details on PFAS contamination at Superfund sites. An […]

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