Millions of homes, schools may have to eliminate lead dust under EPA plan
The only contamination allowed would be the lowest levels of lead dust that current removal efforts couldn’t completely eliminate, the agency said.
By Timothy PukoFloods test Vermont’s quaint mountain towns in age of climate change
Towns dotting Vermont’s mountain valleys are a major draw for the state’s tourism industry. But their topography is also a vulnerability in a changing climate.
By Joanna Slater and Silvia Foster-FrauCrawford Lake shows humans started a new chapter in geologic time, scientists say
Scientists say Crawford Lake holds the best evidence for humanity’s overwhelming impact on the Earth -- and should be the 'golden spike' for a new geologic epoch.
By Sarah KaplanToxic ‘forever chemicals’ taint nearly half of U.S. tap water, study estimates
Researchers from the United States Geological Survey collected tap water from over 700 locations across the country. Their findings, experts say, don't bode well for public health.
By Kate SeligHistoric Anacostia swimming event is postponed after sewage overflow
Saturday’s swim would have been the first legally sanctioned dip into the Anacostia River in more than half a century.
By Kyle Swenson and Teo ArmusOne of Maryland’s oldest trees will be turned into a sculpture
The Linden Oak was the largest known white oak tree in Montgomery County. It will be turned into a sculpture after arborists say it died.
By Samantha LatsonSea lions are biting people. They’re sick from toxic algae, officials say.
Hundreds of aggravated sea lions have emerged on Southern California beaches after consuming toxic algae, researchers say.
By Kyle MelnickU.S. truckmakers reach deal to phase out polluting diesel big rigs
The pact with California is aimed at reducing pollution and heading off future litigation.
By Timothy PukoThis July 4 was hot. Earth’s hottest day on record, in fact.
Scientists say the average temperature on Earth was 62.9 degrees Fahrenheit on July 4, the highest since at least 1979 and a sign of the worsening climate crisis.
By Leo SandsA Florida city famous for its water worries that it might run out of it
As Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) likes to note, Florida is the fastest-growing U.S. state. But the population boom strains vital services such as water distribution.
By Lori RozsaWildfires are bad for air quality. Fireworks can make the smoke worse.
Swirling soot from Canadian blazes is likely to compound the usual pyrotechnics pollution on July 4. Health experts urge caution.
By Kasha Patel and Kate SeligDrownings at iconic beach raise red flags over spike in ocean deaths
Officials warn of another surge along American shores ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
By Tim CraigSummer is here. Where are the fireflies?
Nearly 1 in 3 firefly species in the United States and Canada may be threatened with extinction, according to an estimate from firefly experts.
By Dino GrandoniPressure builds for FEMA to declare deadly heat events as disasters
A FEMA disaster designation amid heat waves could reimburse states for providing vital services to save lives.
By Kate SeligThe places in the U.S. most at risk for extreme rainfall
In some areas of the country, devastating precipitation is becoming more common as the world grows warmer, according to new data released Monday by the nonprofit First Street Foundation.
By Kevin Crowe, John Muyskens and Brady DennisOceanGate operated in ‘lawless’ high seas. Others do, too.
Pirate ships, illegal fishing and human trafficking all operate in a legal gray zone on the open ocean. Regulation has proven difficult.
By Kate SeligSupreme Court rules against Navajo Nation request for water rights
Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said an 1868 U.S.-Navajo peace treaty does not require the federal government to take any “affirmative steps” to secure water rights.
By Robert BarnesCoolant smuggling is a problem. The EPA’s power to tackle it was just cut down.
A federal court ruled that the agency can limit coolants but can't require special containers to help track shipments.
By Rachel WeinerRoger Payne, who shared whale songs with the world, dies at 88
After discovering that whales could sing, he produced a hit 1970 album, “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” that galvanized the anti-whaling movement.
By Harrison SmithBiden vetoes resolution that would have repealed new EPA limits on truck emissions
The EPA finalized new restrictions last year that seek to reduce emissions from heavy-duty vehicles to 80 percent below the current standard.
By Amy B Wang