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This post was authored by EDF policy experts. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin on July 27 announced the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 — an agreement that will improve Americans’ lives by fighting inflation, lowering healthcare costs, and making significant down payments on energy security and climate progress. If passed by …

This post was co-authored by Natalie Hurd, Western states climate policy intern at EDF. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling to constrain EPA’s ability to limit climate pollution from existing power plants took away a critical tool to fight climate change at the federal level, making state-level action more important than ever. On the West Coast …

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the coal industry and its allies to curtail the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to tackle climate pollution from existing fossil fuel power plants. This setback makes action in Michigan and in states across the country – where governors and regulators have powerful tools to …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals This is the third in our Unleaded Juice blog series exploring how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets limits for toxic elements like lead, arsenic, and cadmium in food and the implications for the agency’s Closer To Zero program. FDA’s move to establish action levels on lead in juice …

Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy EPA has made the important and long-awaited decision to propose banning nearly all remaining uses of chrysotile asbestos in the United States. EDF submitted comments supporting this proposed ban (with some caveats) because of the high risk of cancer and fatal respiratory diseases for individuals who import, process,

Dr. Beia Spiller is a Fellow and Transportation Program Director at Resources for the Future. She had previously served as a Lead Senior Economist at EDF. This post is the final in a series dedicated to the future of the electricity sector and new scholarship supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Each post is …

EDF’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Cumulative Risk Assessment (CRA) Framework illustrates how EPA can conceptualize and apply comprehensive cumulative risk evaluations in a way that is pragmatic and protective of public health, especially for those at greatest risk.

EDF statement from Natalie Snider

Chris Kuzdas, co-lead of the Water for Arizona coalition and Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems at Environmental Defense Fund, issued the following statement about the critical need to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.

By Larissa Koehler and Alice Henderson This week, the Environmental Protection Agency is hearing from scientists, mothers, healthcare professionals, public health and environmental advocates – including EDF – and many others who submitted comments in support of California clean truck standards. As EPA works toward finalizing federal heavy-duty emission standards proposed earlier this year, the …

Last week, Senator Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced their agreement to an investment package including $369 billion in climate and energy programs over the next ten years (see summary). This is a remarkable turnaround after negotiations on these provisions seemed to stall earlier this month. Senate Democrats continued efforts to get them …

Environmental Advocates Ask to Intervene in Legal Challenge to Fuel Economy Standards

A study from EDF and Kaiser Permanente scientists, published in the journal Atmospheric Environment, finds that long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution is associated with higher health care costs for older adults.

The new $369 billion agreement represents the largest piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.

U.S. Representative A. Donald McEachin (VA) today introduced the “Technology Assessment for Air Quality Management Act” to strengthen hyperlocal air quality insights and improve understanding of the health impacts of air pollution.

Agreement Presents Opportunity for Historic Climate Action in Senate

Many U.S. transit agencies, from New York to Los Angeles to Houston, are working to convert their bus fleets from diesel to electric. The number of electric transit buses currently on order or operating in the U.S. grew 112% from 2018 to 2021, according to CALSTART. Electric buses are cleaner, quieter and increasingly more cost-effective …

Schumer, Manchin Announce Deal That Could Bring Climate, Clean Energy Action in the Senate

There is no single fix to the climate, air quality, political and economic challenges facing California, but the state’s early action to electrify its fleet of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is one example of smart policy that can move us in a positive direction. As California’s legislative session concludes in August, lawmakers and the California …

The Iowa Watershed Approach offers a strategy for reducing flood risk and improving water quality in the state of Iowa. The post Iowa’s Watershed Approach provides a model for tackling big challenges on the Mississippi River. first appeared on Growing Returns.

A “Finding Common Water” rafting excursion developed by EDF and UC Merced was designed to get participants with a stake in California water off our desk chairs and onto rafts, out of the ordinary and into an extraordinary setting — a hot, highly regulated, wild and scenic river — to push everyone out of their comfort zone and get to work on addressing real water problems.

After months of negotiations, the Arizona Legislature passed a major water spending plan last month with funding for new conservation efforts to address deteriorating water supply conditions. However, for the fourth year in a row, state leaders failed to pass legislation to address unlimited groundwater pumping, missing an opportunity to enable a water secure future for 1.5 million rural residents and the state as a whole. The post A conservation win and groundwater loss: Arizona ends 2022 session with mixed water record first appeared on On the Water Front.

It is obvious to any Texan that we are in a horrific drought. As Texas weather changes, so must our methods of managing groundwater, which will become increasingly precious. The post Texas is drying up. We better protect our groundwater. first appeared on On the Water Front.

EPA’s comment period saw broad support for federal methane regulation, but opportunities remain for leading companies to raise ambition in public comments later this year.

EDF statement of Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs