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

EPA Review Finds Clean Water Fund Allocations Need Revision

June 10, 2016/in United States, Water News, Water Policy & Politics/by Brett Walton

Funds distributed to the states do not match current state infrastructure needs. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue The distribution of federal funds to states for sewer, wastewater, and stormwater facilities reflects neither changes in state population over the last three decades nor the infrastructure needs for utilities to meet Clean Water Act goals, according […]

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 Stream, June 10: Monsoon Begins in Parched India

June 10, 2016/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown Seasonal rains are advancing in India, beginning in the south. The annual summer dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico will be roughly the size of Connecticut. A geothermal plant in Iceland turned carbon dioxide into rock — but the process used a lot of water. Zambia is using solar-powered wells 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

Water Sector Prepares For Cyberattacks

June 9, 2016/in Infrastructure, United States, Water Management, Water News/by Brett Walton

Security threats evolve as water systems connect to the internet. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Rye, New York, a wealthy commuter town a 50-minute train ride from central Manhattan, does not seem a typical target for a cyberattack. It is not a major retailer like Home Depot or Target, both of which had millions […]

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 Stream, June 9: Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease Quadruple in U.S. in 15 Years

June 9, 2016/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown Pneumonia-like disease spread by airborne water droplets is rising in the United States. Bottled water will soon overtake soft drinks. California regulators drop a record fine against a water district for illegal diversion. A monkey takes out Kenya’s power grid. Drought followed by rain led to record nitrate levels in streams in […]

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 Stream, June 8: Chile Sues Bolivia in International Court Over River Dispute

June 8, 2016/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown Chile and Bolivia face off in international court over water. Canada’s First Nations lack sufficient clean water protections, a human rights group finds. Namibia is considering a new desalination plant. The fish at the heart of California’s water battles might go extinct. Government contract data shows that U.S. water utilities are doing […]

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 Stream, June 7: 100,000 North Alabama Residents Told Not to Drink Tap Water

June 7, 2016/in The Stream/by Brett Walton

The Global Rundown New EPA health standard prompts Alabama water authority to warn against drinking its tap water. Global hydropower capacity and generation increased in 2015. Flint’s water problems are much broader than lead pipes. Fishermen in Quebec caught an invasive Asian carp species in the St. Lawrence River. Residents in the San Francisco Bay […]

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 6: Oil Train Derails in Columbia River Gorge

June 6, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown EPA investigators are on the scene of an oil train derailment on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, finding oil seeping into the water and damage to the town of Mosier’s wastewater system. The U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of property owners in a Clean Water Act challenge. The U.S. Geological […]

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

USGS Map Reveals Long-Term Changes in America’s Groundwater Quality

June 2, 2016/in United States, Water News, Water Quality/by Brett Walton

Further studies needed to explain contamination trends. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Chloride and nitrate concentrations are rising and arsenic levels are holding steady or falling. Those are two of the conclusions from a U.S. Geological Survey assessment of changes in the nation’s groundwater quality in the last two decades. The federal science agency […]

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

Congress Weighs Help To Pay Escalating Household Water Bills

May 31, 2016/in United States, Water Management, Water Pricing/by Brett Walton

Midwest lawmakers propose new direction for water affordability. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Responding to a string of contamination and drinking water emergencies in the Great Lakes region, a group of lawmakers is leading a campaign in Congress to make it easier for poor people to gain access to clean and affordable drinking 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, May 31: House Energy Bill Becomes Trojan Horse for California Drought Legislation

May 31, 2016/in Federal Water Tap/by Brett Walton

The Rundown House Republicans slip California water bill into energy policy act. They also pass a bill loosening clean water rules in the name of Zika virus protection. An Indian water rights settlement is introduced in the Senate. A Senate Democrat wants to tax offshore corporate profits and use the money to fund water 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

Lake Mead Record Low Reflects Changing American West

May 25, 2016/in United States, Water Management/by Brett Walton

In drier conditions, the desire to use more water confronts the need to use less. By Brett Walton Circle of Blue Nervous investors, concerned about their nest eggs, will check the financial markets. Is the New York Stock Exchange up? What direction is the NASDAQ moving? For people living in the American Southwest, water levels […]

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

Lake Mead Drops But Hoover Dam Powers On

May 24, 2016/in United States, Water Management/by Brett Walton

New investments expand the dam’s generating range. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue Six years ago, at the end of the summer of 2010, federal Bureau of Reclamation officials worried that Hoover Dam, the biggest hydropower enterprise in the Southwest, might soon go dark. Water levels in Lake Mead, the dam’s energy source, were falling, […]

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