Environmental Glance
Republicans are attempting to exempt some major polluters from paying for Pfas “forever chemical” cleanup. If successful, it could mark a major setback in US effort to rein in Pfas pollution.
The Republican-led House energy and commerce committee recently held a hearing at which it invited representatives from the water treatment and landfill industries, among others, to make the case about why they should be exempted from rules that hold polluters financially accountable for the cleanup of two types of dangerous Pfas.
Water treatment plants and landfills are major polluters and represent critical points in the effort to curb Pfas water pollution nationwide. Utilities already have to remove hundreds of chemicals, so it is unclear why they are so opposed to removing two types of Pfas, said Scott Faber, vice-president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group non-profit.
“The only real difference is Pfas are more toxic … so the fact that water utilities and landfills are being such crybabies about Pfas says something about how little regard for public health they have,” Faber said.
A powerful winter storm swept across California on Wednesday, with heavy rain and gusty winds.
Forecasters say the first snow storm of the season to take aim at major Northeast cities will dump several inches of snow over the weekend, followed by a bitter Arctic blast courtesy of the polar vortex.
Tens of thousands of residents in western Washington could face evacuation orders when another round of 
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has rocked Alaska on Saturday, Dec. 6, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
President Trump on Wednesday weakened vehicle mileage rules for the auto industry, loosening pollution restrictions.
