ʻImminentʼ Collapse of Wastewater Reservoir in Florida Forces Evacuations

On March 16, 2021, the Point Pleasant Beach Council made plans to acquire the Amethyst Beach Motel property through eminent domain. On March 18, 2021, the council introduced an ordinance to acquire the property for “the purpose of planning…

On March 18, 2021, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has found that nearly every landfill that state regulators monitor in Minnesota has leaked perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, into groundwater sources…

In 2016 and 2020, test results from dairy farms in Maine showed elevated levels of PFAS in the soil, drinking water, and milk and beef products. A potential source of the PFAS is fertilizer which the dairies obtained through a state-licensed reuse program…

On February 22, 2021 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued two actions to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The EPA will be involved in the collection of data on PFAS in drinking water and regulatory determinations for PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)…

On March 5, 2021, the Coastal Commission notified the city of Oceanside that it would be reviewing its decision to grant a permit exemption…

On October 12, 2020, city officials in La Crosse, Wisconsin released a statement informing residents of PFAS contamination in two municipal wells and groundwater samples collected near the La Crosse Regional Airport. They stated the source of this contamination is PFAS-containing firefighting foam used in…

Several counties in Eastern Kentucky experienced more than 5 inches of rainfall in the 24 hours between February 28 and March 1, 2021, leading to flash flooding emergencies, landslides, sinkholes, and more in affected areas. By March 2, 2021, 49 areas had declared local states of disaster. United States Congressman…

An environmental activist group sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to federal and state environmental regulators and Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. on March 3, 2021. Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. owns and operates the AK Steel plant in Dearborn, Michigan, a facility with a history of violating federal laws and emissions rules…

Power outages, system failures, and shutdowns at industrial plants in Texas during February’s winter storm led to millions of pounds of pollution. Between February 11 and 15, 2021, almost 200 facilities throughout the state reported excess toxic chemicals released into the air…

Heavy snowfall hit the Lone Star state on February 15, 2021 causing many homes to lose power and pipes to freeze and burst. These water leaks caused advisory warnings about the safety of drinking water, and many residents were instructed to boil water before use. Food shortages also affected Texans as grocery store shelves…

Water wells were tested in Traverse County, Michigan between November and December 2020, 9 of 18 wells tested positive for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The highest levels returned at 1,300 parts per trillion, which is over the Environmental…

On March 1, 2021, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) filed a lawsuit against AltEn after the company failed to comply with a March 1 deadline to clean up and dispose of pesticide-contaminated waste generated during the process of making ethanol…

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are not currently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); however, the EPA has set a lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The chemicals can have been used in firefighting foams at military bases…

On February 22, 2021, the Long Beach City Health Office closed all swimming areas west of Belmont Pier in Long Beach, California, after approximately 26,241 gallons of sewage leaked into the Los Angeles River. The spill was caused by construction maintenance on a 48-inch sewer mainline…