Podcasts about environmental protection agency

It's Friday, June 26th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus 250,000 British girls sexually assaulted by Pakistani Muslims Last week, a group called Restore Britain released a summary report of an inquiry into the widespread and systematic sexual exploitation of vulnerable working-class women and children across the nation, reports Breakpoint. At least 250,000 girls were sexually assaulted, trafficked, tortured, and even killed, mostly by gangs of Pakistani Muslims. The details in the report are so horrifying, it's difficult to believe they are true.   Evidence of the abuse and reports by victims were downplayed and ignored.  To his shame, when atheist British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who resigned Monday, was Director of Public Prosecutions and the head of the Crown Prosecution Service, he shockingly dismissed 13,000 cases of suspected child sexual offenders with a warning letter rather than attempt to prosecute. British citizens who spoke out about the abuse or expressed criticism of mass migration were often prosecuted, especially if the criticisms were directed at Pakistani or Muslim communities.  The gangs that have been operating in Britain have deep ideological and cultural roots shaped by Islam, including Sharia law. Also ignored is the difficult truth that Islam, on its own terms, allows child sexual exploitation and trafficking.   Many of the young Muslim men responsible for these atrocities believe they are answerable to Sharia law, rather than to British law. They believe their devious assaults are approved by Islam's false god Allah, especially when done to an enemy who is oppressing them.  Send a 2-3 sentence letter urging that British authorities prosecute the rapists. Christian Turner, British Ambassador, British Embassy, 3100 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela killed 164, injured 1,000 At least 164 people have been killed and 971 injured in Venezuela after powerful back-to-back earthquakes rocked the country on Wednesday night, June 24th, reports Yahoo News. Thousands more are feared dead after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 100 miles west of the capital, Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump said, "The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends." Supreme Court delivers major win to Trump On June 25th, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Syria and Haiti, reports TownHall.com. In a 6-3 decision, the justices found that the statute bars judicial review of non-constitutional claims. After the Department of Homeland Security moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status for people from Syria and Haiti, it was hit with a deluge of lawsuits challenging the move. Congress created Temporary Protected Status back in 1990 to grant short-term humanitarian relief to foreigners who cannot safely return home due to armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extreme conditions. Syrians were able to take advantage of the program in 2012 because of the brutality of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Haiti received it in 2010 after a devastating earthquake. However, both designations went on for longer than the “temporary” label suggested. Alarm over Abortion Pills & dead babies in U.S. water supply Based on an alarming 86-page report entitled “Abortion in Our Water,” 14 state attorneys general sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency warning about a “growing threat to the country's waterways as a result of the pharmaceutical abortion drug mifepristone,” reports Liberty Counsel. They're asking the EPA to place mifepristone and its generics on the federal list of drinking water contaminants that need further investigation. The abortion industry has moved from clinics to toilets. Chemical abortions now account for 63% of all U.S. abortions in the formal health care system in 2023 — up from 31% in 2014 and 14% in 2005. Women are told to take the Abortion Kill Pills and flush everything directly into our water supply. About 700,000 chemical abortions each year send long-lasting abortion drugs and human remains into America's wastewater systems. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, thus starving the baby. This drug has long-lasting metabolites that remain in the water because the water treatment plants are generally not capable of filtering out these chemicals. In addition to these chemicals, the water systems were never designed for the resulting 30-40 tons of human remains which becomes hazardous medical waste! By contrast, hospitals and abortion mills are not allowed to flush medical waste down the drain for good reason. Through a special link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com, you can send faxes to Congress and demand they take action to stop this public health threat. Court blocks California “gender secrecy law”, affirms parental rights California parents scored a big victory as a court blocked a law that kept school districts from reporting a child's “sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression” to parents, reports the Daily Citizen. America First Legal announced the decision on behalf of the City of Huntington Beach and parents.  “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit entered a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of key provisions of California's AB 1955 – a law that prohibits schools from disclosing information to parents about a child's sexual orientation, ‘gender identity,' or gender expression, unless the child consents.” In other words, the State of California sought to prevent parents from obtaining information about “gender transitions” of their own children without the child's so-called consent. Democrat California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1955 which, as California Family Council explained, prohibited schools from notifying parents if their gender-confused children asked to be referred to with a biologically incorrect pronoun and a new name. In Matthew 19:4, Jesus said, “Surely you have read in the Scriptures: When God made the world, 'He made them male and female.'” Singer Forrest Frank unashamedly affirms exclusive truth about Jesus And finally, Christian hip-hop musician Forrest Frank is playing in sold out arenas and boldly declaring the exclusive truth about Christianity. Listen to a portion of his hit song "Jesus Is Alive" which was released on May 8th. By the time of its release, the song already had 19 million views on social media. FRANK: “Muhammad is still in his tomb. Joseph Smith is still in his tomb. Buddha is still in his tomb. Confucius is still in his tomb. “But there is one man who was not found in the tomb. I've been there. The tomb is empty. He was seen alive by over 500 eyewitnesses who wrote down accurate accounts that we saw the man who hung on the cross, and we touched the scars. “Watch this word: Alive. Jesus is the King, and He's alive. Jesus is alive.” Matthew 28:5-6 records, “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.'” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, June 26th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

What if much of what you've been told about plastics, microplastics, and recycling isn't the complete story? In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Dr. Chris DeArmitt, internationally recognized scientist, author, materials expert, and founder of the Plastics Research Council, to explore one of the most controversial environmental topics of our time. Current research suggests that Americans may ingest and inhale between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles annually, with exposure coming from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Researchers note that these estimates are likely conservative because many common food sources have yet to be fully studied. Harvard Medical School's Harvard Medicine Magazine has also highlighted growing concern about microplastics in the human body and the need for further research into their potential health impacts. According to  Harvard Medicine Magazine (2023; Environmental Science & Technology, 2019.) At the same time, the United States generates approximately 35.7 million tons of plastic waste annually, while studies have estimated that only about 5% of plastic waste is effectively recycled, raising important questions about waste management, public policy, and environmental stewardship. (as noted by the: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Beyond Plastics/The Last Beach Cleanup, 2022.) Drawing upon decades of research and his review of more than 5,000 scientific studies, Dr. DeArmitt challenges conventional narratives surrounding plastics and the environment. As the author of The Plastics Paradox and Shattering the Plastics Illusion, he has built a reputation for separating evidence-based science from popular misconceptions, helping policymakers, businesses, and consumers better understand the realities of plastics, recycling, sustainability, and environmental impact. During our conversation, we discuss: • The science behind microplastics and what researchers actually know today • Common myths surrounding plastics and recycling • Why public perception often differs from scientific evidence • The environmental trade-offs associated with alternative materials • How misinformation can shape policy decisions • What an evidence-based approach to sustainability should look like Whether you're an environmental advocate, policymaker, business leader, or simply someone seeking a deeper understanding of the plastics debate, this episode offers a fascinating look at the data, the science, and the stories driving one of today's most important global conversations.   For more information: https://plasticsresearchcouncil.com/ LinkedIn: @ChrisDeArmitt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

States along the Mississippi River basin have surpassed a key federal target for reducing nitrogen flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Hypoxia Task Force. Courtney Briggs, the senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the task force is a collaborative effort. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Passes Highlands on way to NYC New York State announced on Tuesday (June 16) that a 339-mile transmission line that carries hydroelectricity from Canada to New York City has been completed. The line passes the Highlands under the Hudson River. The state said the 1,250-megawatt Champlain Hudson Power Express will deliver 10.4 terawatt-hours of renewable energy and provide up to 20 percent of New York City's power needs. The $6 billion project will help replace some of the power lost when the Indian Point nuclear plant, on the river near Peekskill, closed in 2021. The shuttered plant overlooks the route of the transmission line, which is buried in the river for 68 miles between Greene and Rockland counties. By 2040, it is expected to reduce the state's carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons. Hydro-Quebec, a Canadian hydropower company, partnered with Transmission Developers Inc., owned by the investment giant Blackstone, to build the line. Under a 25-year contract with the state, Hydro-Quebec will deliver electricity from a substation in Québec to an interconnection point in the Richelieu River at the Canadian border. The U.S. portion of the line begins under Lake Champlain in Clinton County and passes through 15 counties, 60 towns and 60 school districts, including Beacon's. It includes 146 miles of underground cable and 193 miles of underwater cable in Lake Champlain, the Hudson and the Harlem River and connects to New York City's grid in Astoria, Queens. According to Transmission Developers, the cable under the Hudson bypassed a section of river contaminated by General Electric that underwent a clean-up overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, and a section of Haverstraw Bay that is a fish breeding and spawning habitat. The company said the machine used to carve trenches in the riverbed did not disperse large amounts of sediment. Transmission Developers estimates that the line will save ratepayers $17.3 billion over 30 years and provide $1.4 billion in tax revenue over 25 years. Although some counties provided tax breaks, public opposition in Dutchess prompted Transmission Developers in July 2022 to withdraw its request for $105.5 million in tax breaks over 30 years, plus exemptions for $13.6 million in sales taxes and $1.3 million in mortgage taxes. The company is expected to apply again.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency might undergo a major change to its IT operations if President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security unit is confirmed. Cameron Hamilton, Trump's pick to lead FEMA, told Senate lawmakers during a Wednesday hearing some of the tools and technology that FEMA uses are a bit antiquated and that if he's confirmed, he's planning to do a significant IT overhaul of the entire agency for better accountability. Hamilton would be the first permanent leader of FEMA in Trump's second term. The agency has gone through four different acting administrators, including Hamilton, whose stint lasted from January-May 2025. The instability at its helm is representative of the turmoil throughout FEMA, which has seen its net workforce contract by nearly 4,000 since 2025. More than half of those departures occurred in the first four months of 2026, according to OPM's Federal Workforce Data website's latest update in April. FEMA was especially impacted by the historically long DHS shutdown earlier this year, with its operations scaled back to the bare minimum. The Environmental Protection Agency has run artificial intelligence pilots on “everything,” but its chief information officer only wants subject matter experts to be using the technology at a high level. CIO Carter Farmer said last week that while the agency has piloted AI to review public comments and analyze large scientific datasets, he still wants experts to review outputs. Farmed explained: “Something we tell our staff quite regularly is if you're not an expert in the subject matter you're using AI for, you probably shouldn't be using AI because it can be very convincingly wrong. If you're not an expert at that, validating those outputs is very hard.” Another reason why using AI can require more experience: “Prompt engineering is a real skill,” Farmer said, and proper use is rarely plug-and-play. He added that: “Having to learn how AI works — and how the back end of it actually works — is very helpful in how to think about how you should be using this tool.” But the agency's daily use of AI is less high-stakes. Farmer said the EPA's biggest focus currently is using AI for “low-level” or “low-risk functions” like email drafting and creating presentations. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

New data from the Environmental Protection Agency has shown that there were no major improvements in Ireland's water quality in 2025.The EPA has said that the condition of Ireland's rivers have “dropped significantly” in recent years and that high nutrient levels are the biggest challenge to raising standards.Sadhbh O'Neill, Climate and Environmental Researcher and Irish Times Contributor, speaks to Matt on The Last Word's environment slot.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

The Environmental Protection Agency is warning that Ireland's cleanest rivers are continuing to decline, with its latest report showing little overall improvement in water quality during 2025.  The EPA says nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater remains the biggest challenge, and warns that without significant action, meaningful improvements are unlikely in the near future.   The report also contains findings relating to County Clare's rivers, lakes and coastal waters.   To discuss the latest assessment and what it means both nationally and locally, Alan Morrissey was joined by Cormac McConigley, Senior Scientific Officer in the EPA's Water Management Programme. Photo (c) Clare FM

Faster action is needed, as water quality shows little overall improvement in 2025. That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Anton discusses this further with Dr Jenny Deakin the EPAs Programme Manager.

Faster action is needed, as water quality shows little overall improvement in 2025, that's according to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency. Joining Shane and Ciara was the President of the Irish Farmers' Association, Francie Gorman to react to the findings of the report.

Faster action is needed, as water quality shows little overall improvement in 2025. That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Anton discusses this further with Dr Jenny Deakin the EPAs Programme Manager.

One in four Clare farms failed environmental inspections last year. New EPA figures shows the local authority inspected 221 farms in this county in 2025, with 25% failing initial inspections and 75% failing on follow-up visits. The Environmental Protection Agency says most failures were caused by uncontrolled run-off from farmyard manure, inadequate management of silage pits and slurry and effluent discharging to groundwater. Clare IFA Chair Stephen Walsh says there are a number of proactive steps farmers can take.

Eighteen young people are challenging the EPA's repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding” on constitutional grounds. The finding provided the basis for federal climate policy,including the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, and power plants. Photo by Sila Lundquist / Unsplash. Earlier this year, the Trump administration repealed the Environmental Protection Agency's 2009 “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health. The determination was, until now, the foundation for federal climate policy. Among many challenges to the repeal, one stands out: a youth-led petition based on the constitutional rights to life, liberty, and religious freedom. Terra Verde host Zoe Loftus-Farren speaks with Elena Venner, a college student and the lead petitioner, and Julia Olson, the founder, co-executive director, and chief legal counsel of Our Children's Trust, the public interest law firm representing young people in the petition. The post Standing Up for Youth Climate Rights appeared first on KPFA.

This week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio Dana S. Lateulere, Regulatory Consultant with B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), and James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs, at Acta, to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) significant role in combating pathogens like those spreading the highly virulent Ebola virus and Hantavirus. Both Dana and Jim have extensive expertise in how EPA deploys its authority under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to protect the public's health from these and other deadly pathogens. We discuss how EPA reviews, approves, and regulates products to combat these pathogens, how EPA has modernized its process to meet the demands of the moment, and why the public health products EPA regulates under FIFRA are more essential now than ever. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL  AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED DIRECTLY BY A LICENSED ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN THE APPLICABLE AREA OF LAW. ©2026 Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.  All Rights Reserved

A report by the Environmental Protection Agency has found that local authorities inspected 4,315 farms last year. Forty-three per cent of these were found to be non-compliant with the relevant regulations. Jerry spoke to Michael Martin who’s an EPA inspector.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that indoor air can contain significantly higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air. In this episode, we're exploring why that happens, what may be contributing to the air inside your home, and a few simple ways to create a healthier environment for yourself and your family.

Project 2025 began as a 900 page manual, but over the past year it has started to feel less like a blueprint and more like a live script for American government. According to the Heritage Foundation, which leads the effort, the “Mandate for Leadership” is meant to prepare the next conservative administration to, in its words, “dismantle the administrative state” and restore what it calls constitutional government. In practice, that means a sweeping reimagining of how federal agencies work, who controls them, and what rights they protect. At the center is a quiet but profound bureaucratic revolution. The plan urges a president to reclassify tens of thousands of federal employees into an expanded version of “Schedule F,” making it far easier to fire civil servants in policy roles and replace them with political loyalists. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Project 2025 also recommends ending the independent status of watchdog agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission, bringing them under direct presidential control. Supporters describe this as accountability; critics call it a path to one person rule inside the executive branch. The stakes become clearer when listeners zoom in on specific policy goals. The American Civil Liberties Union explains that Project 2025 calls for reviving the 19th century Comstock Act to block abortion medication and equipment from being sent through the mail, effectively creating a nationwide ban regardless of state law. The ACLU notes proposals to roll back nondiscrimination protections and to, as it puts it, “mandate discrimination against LGBTQ people by the federal government,” including excluding transgender Americans from military service. Economic and safety net programs are also in the crosshairs. Democracy Forward's “People's Guide to Project 2025” highlights proposals to cut overtime protections for an estimated 4.3 million workers, limit food assistance that more than 40 million people rely on each month, and even eliminate Head Start, the early education program that serves over a million children each year. The guide warns that authors of the plan claim much of this could be done without new laws from Congress, relying instead on aggressive executive action. Environmental policy is another major front. A report from the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy and the Environment describes Project 2025 as a “radical overhaul” of climate and energy governance, calling for dismantling key climate initiatives, weakening the Environmental Protection Agency's authority, and prioritizing fossil fuel development over renewable energy. Supporters see all this as a long overdue correction. Heritage frames Project 2025 as a way to “advance positive change for America,” arguing that unelected bureaucrats have usurped power from elected leaders. Civil rights groups, environmental lawyers, and democracy advocates respond that the project amounts to what the ACLU calls “a roadmap for how to replace the rule of law with right wing ideals,” with profound implications for reproductive freedom, civil rights, and the balance of power in Washington. In the coming months, the key questions will be how far a president is willing to go in adopting this playbook, how courts respond, and whether Congress chooses to reinforce or resist these changes. For now, Project 2025 stands as a test of how much a modern White House can remake the machinery of government in just a few years. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to come back next week for more. Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3Qs For more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

NZSki has lodged an application with the Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade Queenstown ski field The Remarkables and expand into neighbouring Doolans Basin which would increase the size of the ski area from 449 hectares to 711 hectares. The expansion would almost double the daily visitor capacity for from 3500 to 6000. NZSki CEO Paul Anderson told Andrew Dickens some of the growth is coming from Queestown's population growth, "we think about half of the growth of the remarkable ski area is going to come from our local community alone." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, recently spoke to a group of producers during a roundtable in Oklahoma. Zeldin vowed to dismantle standard federal mandates on Diesel Exhaust Fluid Systems. He said those mandates are flawed and cause farmers great difficulty during peak operating windows every year. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 113 For decades, the people of Cleveland watched their river catch fire—and barely seemed to care. In this special two-year anniversary episode of Crime to Burn, we dive into the astonishing history of the Cuyahoga River. Long before the Environmental Protection Agency existed, the Cuyahoga River became a dumping ground for oil, industrial waste, sewage, and chemical runoff. The result? A river that burned not once, but at least thirteen documented times. But the burning river is only half the story. As pollution worsened, Cleveland embarked on an ambitious effort to secure cleaner drinking water by constructing massive offshore intake tunnels beneath Lake Erie. What followed was a decades-long saga of explosions, cave-ins, toxic gas, decompression sickness, fires, and rescue attempts that claimed dozens of lives. In this episode, we explore: Why the Cuyahoga River kept catching fire How industrial pollution transformed a waterway into a recurring fire hazard The deadly construction of Cleveland's offshore water tunnels The 1916 tunnel disaster that killed nineteen workers Garrett Morgan's heroic rescue efforts using an early gas mask The massive 1952 river fire that became one of the largest in American history How a photograph of the wrong fire helped spark the environmental movement The surprising recovery of a river once considered biologically dead What happens when a city becomes so accustomed to disaster that a burning river feels normal? Join us as we examine one of the most remarkable environmental and industrial stories in American history—a tale of flaming waterways, deadly engineering projects, political indifference, and a river that ultimately helped change the nation. CHECK OUT MY NEW AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.anauthornamedapril.com The Crime to Burn Patreon - The Cult of Steve - is LIVE NOW! Go join and get all the unhinged you can handle. Click here to be sanctified.  Inner Sanctum Acknowledgments: Eternal gratitude to our Inner Sanctum patrons, Melanie Curtis, Jenny Mercer, Laura Pisciotta, and Jason Wolfe for helping us bring light to the stories others would rather leave in the ashes. Listener discretion is advised. Background music by Not Notoriously Coordinated  Get your Crime to Burn Merch! https://crimetoburn.myspreadshop.com Please follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube for the latest news on this case. You can email us at crimetoburn@gmail.com We welcome any constructive feedback and would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating and review.  If you need a way to keep your canine contained, you can also support the show by purchasing a Pawious wireless dog fence using our affiliate link and use the code "crimetoburn" at checkout to receive 10% off. Pawious, because our dog Winston needed a radius, not a rap sheet.  SOURCES: Bellamy, John Stark. Cleveland's Greatest Disasters! 16 Tragic True Tales of Death and Destruction: An Anthology. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers, 2009. Boissoneault, Lorraine. "The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969." Smithsonian Magazine, June 19, 2019. Smithsonian Magazine Article Dubelko, Jim. "The 1916 Waterworks Tunnel Disaster – Twenty Clevelanders Die Four Miles Out in Lake Erie." Cleveland Historical. Cleveland Historical Article "River Burned 13 Times and Changed the Nation Forever." Wild Versus YouTube Channel, January 4, 2025. Wild Versus Video "U.S. River Burned for Over 100 Years – You Won't Believe How It Recovered." Make Tech Future YouTube Channel, February 4, 2026. Make Tech Future Video Source for the bonus story at the end: "Replacement Window." GoFundMe Campaign. GoFundMe Page

Lee Zeldin, the 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, returns to the morning show to discuss a climate group linked to high-profile Democrat Stacey Abrams being granted $2 billion by the Biden administration in a "scheme" of "wasteful" spending, before he expands on other issues in the news today pertaining to the EPA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sign up for our newsletter! On this week's episode:   Pollution from the Pittsburgh airport has found its way into a nearby stream. Scientists are looking into how PFAS forever chemicals got there and what happens next. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would give Pennsylvania nearly $40 million to address PFAS contamination in drinking water; at the same time the agency also said it would roll back PFAS regulations. Researchers have found a link between the temperature outside and kidney disease. New railroad-safety reforms have made headway in Washington D.C., three years after the rail disaster in East Palestine, Ohio. Governor Josh Shapiro is making the rounds to talk about his policies on data centers after releasing final standards for the industry. In Pittsburgh you can drop off your food waste at city-run farmers' markets. We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed.  Donate today.  Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203.  And thanks! 

Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions could achieve a reduction of up to 25 per cent by 2030, despite the national target being 51 per cent, and the EU target being 42 per cent. That's according to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency and to discuss these findings was Roni Hawe, Director of the EPA's Office of Evidence and Assessment.

A new Environmental Protection Agency report confirms Ireland is way off achieving 2030 targets for greenhouse gas emission cuts…Joining Shane to give his reaction is Roderic O'Gorman, Green Party Leader.

Hurricane season begins next week, on June 1st. National Weather Service forecasters predict the Mid-Atlantic region will see ‘lower than average' tropical storm activity this year. Despite rainy conditions over the holiday weekend – and much of the past week – much of Pennsylvania continues to be under drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.   Last week, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would give Pennsylvania nearly $40 million to address PFAS contamination in drinking water, the agency also said it would roll back PFAS regulations.  A recent study by the National Council on Aging and the Urban Institute finds many seniors are overlooking benefits that they might be eligible for.  A Lancaster County charity that distributes tens of thousands of meals to food banks is facing more than $14 million of debt - yet is continuing with plans to expand nationally.Pennsylvania's zoning and permitting processes are named as barriers to homebuilding in the state, according to a recent survey.

Congressional Democrats want answers from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency https://cyberscoop.com/cisa-credential-leak-congress-demands-answers/ on GitHub in an incident that the security researcher who discovered it called one of the worst leaks he's ever seen. Other security professionals also voiced concern Tuesday about the leak and the potential for abuse by any malicious parties who got a hold of the information. Security firm GitGuardian said it discovered a public GitHub repository last week that exposed credentials for privileged AWS GovCloud accounts and internal CISA systems dating back to November. The repository, apparently maintained by a contractor, was named “Private-CISA.” Krebs on Security first reported the incident. A GitGuardian researcher said his main fear upon verifying the leak was real “is that a state actor will get the data and might be able to do bad stuff.” State-based attackers who obtained the credentials “might be able to gain persistence,” the researcher said, calling it worse than an attacker destroying a database or having an intruder gain access to a government system. The Office of Personnel Management would get a better handle on the federal biotechnology workforce under a pair of bills from a bipartisan House duo. Introduced Wednesday, the Federal Biotechnology Workforce Assessment Act directs OPM to coordinate with agency heads on defining the federal biotech workforce, in addition to assessing current and future needs for those “bio-literate” federal employees. The bill from Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Rich McCormick, R-Ga., shared first with FedScoop, is aimed at ensuring the federal government workforce keeps the country a step ahead of China in the biotech space. Priority No. 1 for OPM's assessment is identifying the total number of biotech positions required at federal agencies. The legislation is focused specifically on the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, State, and Treasury, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the offices of the Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Trade Representative.

40% of domestic septic tanks in Clare failed inspection last year, putting drinking water, wells and rivers at risk. The latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency shows 97 inspections were completed in this county in 2025, with 80% of those fixed at the end of the year. Only five other counties, namely Limerick City, Donegal, Cork, Galway and Wexford had higher failure rates last year. The EPA has found that between 2013 and 2025, 316 systems were deemed to have failed in this county. To discuss this further, Daragh Dolan was joined by the EPA Inspector, Lorcan Farrell. Photo (c) BrittaK via Canva.com

The Environmental Protection Agency has partially rejected Hawaii’s plan to cut pollution from outdated, oil-burning power plants. A breakthrough in the battle for water rights in West Maui as the county strikes a deal with Maui Land & Pineapple. Plus, three people were killed in a shooting at San Diego’s largest mosque.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  OA1262 - How are a car accident in California, a tax fraud case in Nevada, and two bus accidents in New York and Pennsylvania all connected to the Dobbs abortion case? Find out on this week's accidental too-deep dive into state sovereignty. Jenessa read a bunch of extra cases just to be thorough, and accidentally uncovered Kavanaugh planting the seeds that would grow into the “egregiously wrong” “rule” for ignoring stare decisis. But also mostly we'll talk about the weird world of state sovereignty, Clarence Thomas being obnoxious and ahistorical while accusing everyone else of being ahistorical, and Sotomayor getting some peace for a change to write a pleasant little 9-0 decision about some non-partisan procedural legal nerdery that benefits injured plaintiffs. Nevada v. Hall, 440 U.S. 410 (1979) Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt, 587 U.S. 230 (2019) Listen to oral arguments on Oyez: https://www.oyez.org/cases/2018/17-1299; Timestamp for Kavanaugh dropping the “egregiously wrong” bomb: 50:47 Ramos v. Louisiana, 590 U.S. 83 (2020), Kavanaugh concurrence Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022) Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corp., 607 U.S. ___ (2026) The “major questions doctrine” Kavanaugh inception timeline: U.S. Telecom Association v. F.C.C., 855 F.3d 381, 422-423 (D.C. Cir 2017), Kavanaugh dissent Repeal of the Clean Power Plan, 84 Fed. Reg. 32520, 32529 (proposed Jul. 8, 2019) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. pt. 60). West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, 597 U.S. 697 (2022) Additional sources: Episodes 1229 & 1230 for an in-depth explanation of immunities, including state and federal sovereign immunity: “The complicated web of immunities that makes accountability so difficult” Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 U.S. 419 (1793) U.S. Const. amend. XI Hans v. Louisiana, 134 U.S. 1 (1890) Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123 (1908) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!  

An emergency fuel waiver by the Environmental Protection Agency is allowing refineries and refined product terminals to supply gasoline with a higher Reid vapor pressure this summer than previously permitted. As we discuss in today's RBN blog, the waiver may well increase gasoline supply and improve refinery and blender economics.

Governor Brian Kemp scheduled a summer special session to reassess GA's 2028 maps after the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act; local energy groups join a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency for not maintaining clean air; and what's at stake during the Public Service Commission election this yearSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning investigative journalist Carey Gillam exposed the corruption and suppression of evidence involved in the Environmental Protection Agency's original approval of the use of the herbicide Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate on American gardens and farms.  In today's conversation she details the on-going suppression of evidence of its harmful impact on human and environmental health and discusses how the case about Roundup currently before the Supreme Court is designed to deprive its victims of recourse, and why Donald Trump has made increasing its production a matter of national security.

Maurice Roots, Ph.D., was six years old when he watched “Star Trek” and decided to be a physicist. His dream came true and today he is an atmospheric physicist in the NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow researching atmospheric chemistry and dynamics at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Specifically, Roots focuses on ozone, which is one of the Environmental Protection Agency's six critical pollutants. He says we need to measure and be concerned about ozone because of the health risks associated with how ozone impacts air quality and breathing it in, adding that ozone isn't directly emitted from anything specific but formed in the air secondarily. Roots discusses why his research is important, what it means for all of us, and the career and education path that led him to NASA. To learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and to enter the November application cycle, visit https://npp.orau.org/index.html

All but one of Clare's bathing sites received an excellent water quality rating from the Environmental Protection Agency last year. The EPA's latest audit of the 153 bathing waters nationwide, shows Lahinch Beach was the only area in this county to decline from last year, with its rating reduced to 'good'. Ballyallia, Ballycuggeran, Bishopsquarter, Cappagh Pier, Carrigaholt, Fanore, Kilkee, Lough Derg, Quilty, Seafield, Spanish Point, White Strand - Doonbeg and White Strand - Miltown Malbay all secured the top grade for the second year running. Senior Scientific Officer in the EPA's Water Management Programme, Eoin McAleer has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that it's a very positive sign for the county.

Photo: A semi-truck carrying uranium ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine is parked near Shonto on the Navajo Nation after a collision on May 6, 2026. (Courtesy Navajo Police Department) The Navajo Police Department responded Wednesday to a crash involving a semi-truck carrying uranium ore from the Grand Canyon's South Rim to a mill in Utah. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more on the first reported incident since hauling began nearly two years ago. The accident occurred about a half mile east of Highway 160 and state Route 98 near Shonto in Navajo County. Officials say an SUV tried passing another vehicle, striking the passenger-side tire and bumper of the uranium truck bound for Blanding, Utah. The tribe's Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Pinyon Plain Mine, which is owned by Energy Fuels, were notified. Using a gamma radiation detector, they inspected the crash site, concluding no radioactive material leaked. The collision sent two people in the SUV to a local hospital with injuries, while the truck driver was unharmed. Tracy Day's daughter Kaelyn Schneider hugs MMIP advocate Jamiann S'eiltin Hasselquist at the Kaasei Healing Kootéeyaa on May 5, 2025. (Photo: Yvonne Krumrey / KTOO) Juneau, Alaska woman Tracy Day has been missing for more than seven years. And while her disappearance has become a rallying cry for MMIP in Juneau, her daughter also wants people to know who she was before she went missing. KTOO's Yvonne Krumrey has more. Kaelyn Schnieder says her mom was always finding new adventures for the family to go on. The house she grew up in in Sitka, Alaska was spotless and Day was taking night classes to be a nurse. Her struggles with mental health came later. “But I feel like, when she went missing, everybody was like, ‘Oh, she’s living in St Vincent. And like, she’s a mentally ill addict.' It was just not the way I wanted people to see her, because my mom was a wonderful parent, and she wasn’t always sick.” Schneider says when she was a young child, she was the victim of child sex abuse by her friend's father. After Day found out what had happened, she blamed herself for trusting the family. Schneider believes it triggered Day's mental health issues. “It changed her brain chemistry, you know. So that’s, like, the best way I could explain it.” Schneider thinks that changed the trajectory of her mother's life. Tracy Day has been missing since February 14, 2019. (Courtesy Juneau Police Department) Day struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, but Schneider wants people to know her mom the way she remembers her, as a dignified, even glamorous woman. “She was kind of like a diva. Like back in the day, she always had her hair done, lipstick done, nails, everything. She was always dressed so beautifully.” She was also a devoted parent and she was fun. “When she wasn’t at work, we were never bored. We would go ride our bike and we would get curly fries with cheese and milkshakes, and then we would go to the duck pond and feed the ducks. And, like, she was a good, like, playful parent.” Schneider says that even through Dayʼs later mental health crises, she always stuck around and checked in with her family. “She would not take off. She’s the opposite. She’s like, the parent that annoys you, because they’re showing up so much.” Schneider's son was born after Day went missing. He is five years old now and she is finding herself having to explain the absence. “My son, he’s at that age where he’s starting to question, like, ‘what happened to grandma?' And like, ‘Why is she not in your life?' And you know, like, he always asks — it’s so horrible — He always asks, like, ‘Are you gonna disappear?' And like, as a mom, that is just horrible. You know that knowing that my son, like, has that thought in his head, because he knows it’s a possibility.” So Schneider says, for him and for her newborn son, she will keep looking for the truth of what happened to her mom. “I really want to keep searching and talking about her case, not only for me, but also for my sons. I want them to know that people are still interested and care.” Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, May 8, 2026 – What Native graduates are looking forward to

New surveys show farmer sentiment declining, while federal and state leaders continue debating crop protection tools, all discussed in today's episode. This week's agriculture headlines include the latest findings from the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer and the Rural Mainstreet Index on farmer sentiment. Crop news includes the brand unveiling for Corteva Agriscience's planned seed and genetics spinoff company, the Environmental Protection Agency releasing a draft fungicide strategy and the National Corn Growers Association expanding its yield contest with a new pilot category for short-season corn growers. In livestock news, Iowa has confirmed cases of pseudorabies virus (PRV), marking the first known case in U.S. commercial swine since the disease was eradicated in 2004. Other headlines include the launch of an investigation into the nation's four largest meatpackers over potential antitrust violations, along with efforts by agricultural organizations recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Today's interview focuses on crop protection tools and the growing policy debate surrounding pesticides at both the federal and state levels with the executive director of the Modern Ag Alliance Elizabeth Burns-Thompson. Although a pesticide labeling provision was ultimately not included in the farm bill, the proposal would have reaffirmed that, under FIFRA, the EPA is the sole authority for pesticide labeling and packaging requirements. She discusses what farmers should know about the latest ag policy discussions, as well as the organization's newest report on the farm economy and what they are hearing from producers across the country. Stay connected with us for daily agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!

Dustin Williams, Amanga Stodgel, and John Wirth joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the proposed CO₂ sequestration project near the city of Galva at the ethanol plant. Dustin shares the information he has accumulated regarding CO₂ capture and storage. Amanda is a registered nurse and shares information regarding carbon dioxide exposure and emergency response to a CO₂ leak. A group was formed to keep Galva residents educated and informed of the project. You can join the group on Facebook at "Galva Area CO2 Awareness Group". The June 1, 2026, council meeting will have Chief Byers and Mat Schnepple from the Office of Emergency Management to discuss the emergency response plan should there be a CO₂ leak. Residents of Galva packed the city council chambers to confront officials after learning that City Administrator David Dyer signed a land-use agreement with Lapis Carbon Solutions in November without a council vote. The contract would allow carbon-capture and storage activities on city land, contingent on permit approval, with an upfront payment of $20,000 and a total value of $170,000. Mr. Dyer told the public he wanted the money to hire a geologist to consult on the effects of pumping CO₂ into the ground and the possible long-term effects. Many residents expressed concerns over health, safety, property values, and transparency. City officials plan to hold a public meeting on the issue in June, with details forthcoming. Galva Fire Department Chief Nate Byers is moving forward with safety preparations for the ethanol plant's upcoming CO₂ injection project, which remains several years from completion. In anticipation of potential risks, Byers has started collaborating with local fire chiefs who have experience with similar projects, as well as reaching out to the Henry County Office of Emergency Management for discussion about possible leaks and public safety measures. Firefighters from Altona, Oneida, and Wataga are also joining the effort, focusing on truck traffic concerns along Route 34. Byers advocates for early installation of air monitoring systems and public alarms at the plant, alongside clear signage to direct traffic in emergencies. Lapis and Big River Resources unveiled their partnership to tackle carbon emissions at the November 3, 2025, council meeting. Dave Zimmerman, CEO of Big River Resources, emphasized their ongoing collaboration to develop a safer alternative to earlier pipeline proposals. Erik Leigh from Lapis detailed plans for underground CO₂ storage, leveraging Galva's unique geological layers to secure emissions without disrupting farmland or invoking eminent domain. The project features a rigorous state and federal permitting process and a half-century of post-storage monitoring. Representatives assured local leaders and residents of continued community involvement and openness as the initiative progresses, promising economic and environmental benefits for the region. In Galva, Illinois, a pioneering partnership between Lapis Carbon Solutions and Big River Resources is set to reshape the future of ethanol production. Their new project aims to capture and store over 725,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, significantly reducing ethanol's carbon intensity by at least 30%. Supported by federal tax incentives that could bring over $61 million each year for the first 12 years, this initiative combines environmental ambition with financial strength. Experts see this site-specific approach as a potential model, standing apart from controversial multi-state carbon pipeline projects. The Galva carbon sequestration project has entered the rigorous Environmental Protection Agency Class VI permit process, a step known for its complexity and strict requirements around CO₂ storage safety. Applicants must submit detailed geological information, operational plans, and post-closure strategies to ensure carbon dioxide remains securely underground. The permit review, which often takes years, is compounded in Illinois by the new SAFE CCS Act. This legislation, effective from 2025, enforces additional state-level regulatory controls and outright bans the use of stored CO₂ for enhanced oil recovery. Both federal and state oversight signal heightened scrutiny amid growing public concern. Class VI wells are specialized injection wells regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency to store carbon dioxide deep underground, a process known as geologic sequestration. These wells aim to capture CO₂ from industrial sources or directly from the air and inject it thousands of feet below the surface, keeping it out of the atmosphere to combat climate change. Strict construction, operation, and monitoring requirements are in place to protect underground sources of drinking water. Public involvement is emphasized, with opportunities to comment on permits and attend hearings. All Class VI projects undergo careful oversight and must meet federal and local safety regulations. Find more information on Class VI wells and carbon capture on the "EPA Website." Find more information from Lapis at the "Big River Project" website. Stay up-to-date with information at the "Lapis Big River Facebook Page."

More U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news and webinars on funding, plus how clean energy demand intersects with AI's need for resources. Conversations continue at ACT EXPO this week and the Green Bus Summit at STN EXPO West in July. "The tragedy will never leave you." Shocking real-life stories abound in this special extended episode as 91-year-old industry legend and consultant Richard "Dick" Fischer underscores the need for thorough safety leadership and training. He discusses student transportation history, school bus crashes in the news, drunk and criminal drivers, illegal passing and the Danger Zone. See him live at STN EXPO West and email him to sign up for his free safety newsletter. Read more about safety and access safety resources. Episode sponsors:Transfinder, Kajeet.  

Keith Regan, serving as comptroller and the acting lieutenant governor for the state, talks about balancing the two roles; Karl Banks, of the Environmental Protection Agency, out of the Region 9 office in California, on the aftermath of Super Typhoon Sinlaku in Saipan

In less than 100 years, plastic has gone from a novel invention to a ubiquitous feature across the globe. Plastic is now found in everything from household objects to industrial mechanisms to inside human bodies themselves. Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without it can seem impossible. Backed by years of research and reflections taking place in real time with changing technology and environmental awareness, The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material and how swiftly its integration has affected public health and the planet as a whole. The book explores how, despite being first celebrated for its innovations, plastic is now broadly recognized as a leading contributor to environmental pollution at every level, the climate crisis, and building waste levels that disproportionately impact marginalized communities that bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution. Author and environmental policy expert Judith Enck, in collaboration with co-author Adam Mahoney and the Beyond Plastics project, strives to draw attention to the alarming extent that microplastics have infiltrated society and the ways consumers can challenge what they think about the roles they can play. Unpacking illusions about recycling, mechanisms of environmental racism, and deceptive greenwashing strategies, the authors emphasize the urgency of calling for real, actionable measures to push against the effects of the plastics industry. The Problem with Plastic highlights powerful stories of frontline resistance in places like Louisiana, Texas, and Appalachia, and seeks to equip readers with practical tools– including a "Household Waste Audit" to track and reduce plastic consumption and model policy guides for driving legislative change. Fortified with calls for individual responsibility, citizen action, and governmental regulations, The Problem with Plastic aims to show that while plastic is a formidable problem, coordinated efforts can lead to solutions. Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is eliminating plastic pollution everywhere. She was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2009 and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is the co-author of The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late (The New Press; 2025). She is currently a professor at Bennington College and lives in upstate New York. Bellamy Pailthorp covers the KNKX environment beat with an emphasis on climate justice, human health and food sovereignty. Bellamy likes reporting stories about how we will power our future while maintaining healthy cultures and livable cities. Fluent in German, Bellamy worked in Berlin and has a masters in journalism from Columbia University. She joined KNKX (then KPLU) in 1999. From 2000-2012, she covered the business and labor beat for KNKX. Outside work, she practices yoga, enjoys tasting new foods and is frequently on the water with her rowing team.

The market has evolved and the technology has evolved Sheila Kavanagh, female engineer and Network Director Vodafone IrelandLast month, Vodafone made telecoms history with Ireland's first-ever mobile video call via satellite through a smartphone. Satellite video calls happen when data is beamed directly to and from satellites orbiting Earth. It means regular phone users in Ireland will soon be able to access the internet and make video calls via satellites, without needing to own a clunky satellite phone. It's a significant move in the right direction for Ireland's telecommunications industry, which regularly experiences connectivity challenges due to flooding, big freezes and heatwaves. I caught up with Sheila Kavanagh, engineer and Network Director Vodafone Ireland to find out more about this.Shelia talks about her background, Ireland's first-ever mobile video call via satellite through a smartphone, the growing popularity of video calls and audio messages and more.More about Ireland's Ireland's first-ever mobile video call by Vodafone via satellite: Powered by AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellite, Vodafone hopes this new technology will help people stay connected, even in the most hazardous climate conditions. In January last year, it was estimated that over one third of mobile phone users were affected by Storm Éowyn. In addition, the National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA) published by the Environmental Protection Agency last June identified 115 risks to Ireland from climate change, the most pressing being risks to energy and communications infrastructure due to extreme winds.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to roll back federal coal ash cleanup rules, raising concerns about groundwater contamination at dozens of coal plants and waste dumps across the Mountain West.

Ralph welcomes six authors to discuss their books: “Beyond Nuclear” founder Linda Gunter; trial lawyer Sean Simpson; law professor Elizabeth Burch; naturalist David Schmidt; industrial hygienist Marc Axelrod; and educator and advocate Jonathan Kozol.Linda Gunter is the founder of the US-based non-profit Beyond Nuclear and serves as its international specialist. Previously, she was a journalist at USA Network, Reuters, and The Times. She launched, and writes for Beyond Nuclear's online magazine, Beyond Nuclear International. And she is the author of No To Nuclear: Why Nuclear Power Destroys Lives, Derails Climate Progress and Provokes War.We need to reduce the most carbon, the fastest, for the least cost—and that's renewables every time. But it's also an issue of: as we divert funds towards nuclear power (new reactors, which are not here now, they're just aspirational ideas on paper, none of the designs have certifications or licenses yet) as we divert time and our money towards waiting for something that will perhaps take a decade or two (or never) to materialize, and as we squeeze out renewables in the process, what do we do? We continue to burn fossil fuels. So actually, choosing nuclear as an answer to climate makes the climate crisis worse.Linda GunterSean Simpson is an attorney specializing in civil jury trials, representing individuals who have been harmed by someone else's carelessness or intentional wrongdoing. He is the author of Punitive Damages: The Lawyer's Tool for Shaping Society.[Punitive damages are] typically not covered by insurance. But oddly enough, there's a trend coming now where these corporations—because they're in control, we've let them have the reins, and now they're getting insurance companies to sell them coverage to cover their punitive damages, which is totally a 180. If somebody else is going to pay your punishment for you, it's not going to sting your rump if somebody gets spanked on somebody else's behind.Sean SimpsonElizabeth Burch is a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law, and co-author of Perceptions of Justice in Multidistrict Litigation: Voices from the Crowd. She is the author of The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory.Imagine that you are sitting in your kitchen and you get a phone call one night. And you answer, and the person on the other end of the line knows an inordinate amount of information about you—they know your name, they know your birth date, they know the name of your doctor, the name of your hospital, the date and type of medical implant that you had put in you. And then they tell you that you have a ticking time bomb in you. And if you don't have this removed immediately (that in this case was pelvic mesh, which is designed to deal with incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse) that you are going to die. But not to worry, they are setting up appointments down in South Florida to have the mesh removed. What they don't say is all of the important things.Elizabeth BurchDavid Schmidt is lifelong San Francisco Bay Area resident, naturalist, and environmental historian. He worked as a writer in the public affairs office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco from 1991 to 2021, led dozens of hikes for the Greenbelt Alliance in the region's extensive public parklands, and volunteered on habitat restoration projects for the Golden Gate National Parks and the California Native Plant Society. He is the author of San Francisco Bay Area: An Environmental History.I think [the environmental movement in the Bay Area] is the most successful regional environmental movement in US history. Its victories have had a tremendous impact on protecting the natural landscape, the agricultural landscape. And this is a landscape that is famous for its scenic beauty. It's among the world's most biodiverse landscapes with more than a thousand species of plants and wildlife. And persistence pays off. That is the theme that comes across time and again with environmental victories is: persistence pays off.David SchmidtMarc Axelrod is an award-winning front line industrial hygienist and workplace safety professional. He has developed and implemented programs to protect people from industry's most hazardous technologies. He has worked for employers including Boeing, Kaiser Permanente, UCLA and the City of Beverly Hills. He is the author of The Flame Bucket: Adventures in Workplace Safety.You can lie down in the flame bucket and stop a [rocket] launch, but you can only do it once. So I decided that we had a very risky program [at the city of Beverly Hills]. It was for testing our commercial drivers for alcohol and drugs. And somehow they got a big percentage of them, almost a third of them, got left out of the program. And I can see, being backstage, what happens in city government where people leave and people come and how these kinds of things can occur. But when they do happen, what you've got to do is stop everything, blame the people that left, and then fix it right away. But this program—even though people knew that there was a big gap in it, they just didn't want to fix it. But I knew as City Safety Officer, I was responsible. So after months of delay, I said, “Listen, these drivers can't drive anymore. They can't do their safety functions without a clearance test from our drug and alcohol program.” And so that got their attention, and we quickly fixed the program, and I got a lot of thank yous. And then a few days later, I was fired.Marc AxelrodJonathan Kozol is a leading advocate for child-centered learning, equality, and racial justice in our nation's schools, and he travels and lectures about educational inequality and racial injustice. Mr. Kozol is the author of nearly a dozen books about young children and their public schools, including Death at an Early Age, An End to Inequality: Breaking Down the Walls of Apartheid Education in America, and We Shall Not Bow Down: Children of Color Under Siege: An Invocation to Resistance.My book is not simply a polite description of these problems. It's probably the most militant book I've ever written. It's an open call for militant resistance. And, you know, I get condemned for that, but I'm not afraid to say that I'm an unregenerate activist, and I'm too old to change my stripes.Jonathan KozolNews 5/1/26* Perhaps the biggest news of the week is the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which preserved majority-minority congressional districts. In practice, this ruling gives conservative Southern states license to draw these districts out of existence. Jonathan Cervas, a political scientist at Carnegie-Mellon University who has served as a special master in multiple Voting Rights Act cases, is quoted in AP saying “The Voting Rights Act as a means to protect minority voters from vote dilution is essentially dead.” In the Washington Post, NAACP President Derrick Johnson called the decision “a devastating blow to what remains of the Voting Rights Act, and a license for corrupt politicians who want to rig the system by silencing entire communities,” and “a major setback for our nation and…the hard-won victories we've fought, bled, and died for.” In practice, this ruling is sure to set off a new round of redrawing congressional districts, likely resulting in a net gain of 12 seats – half of the Southern Section 2 districts – for the GOP. In Louisiana itself, CNN reports Governor Jeff Landry has halted House primaries, where “Early voting was scheduled to begin Saturday and overseas ballots had already gone out.” Moreover, “Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields, whose district is at the center of the Supreme Court's redistricting decision, said…Landry had told him he anticipated issuing an executive order to suspend the House election and call a new one.”* Speaking of Southern congressional districts, in Florida's 20th district, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has “defiantly” filed to run again in the special election for her former district, per NOTUS. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned her seat in Congress last week just minutes before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to “recommend punishment on an array of charges.” She had previously been found guilty of “25 ethics violations, including allegedly stealing $5 million dollars in federal disaster-aid funds used to bolster her 2021 campaign,” following an extensive investigation running for two years and including “issuing 58 subpoenas, interviewing 28 witnesses and reviewing over 33,000 documents.” Elijah Manley, the young progressive running for the seat, is quoted saying “Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned in disgrace moments before her colleagues were set to expel her from Congress…The last thing our community needs is a second round of chaos and instability. She should focus on her legal troubles.”* In more positive news from Congress, Rep. Greg Casar announced this week that the Congressional Progressive Caucus he chairs is issuing a new Affordability Agenda, bringing together a slew of bills sponsored by progressives – on topics ranging from housing to groceries to prescription drugs and more – into a unified package. In an introduction, the Caucus emphasizes that “Americans are facing a cost-of-living crisis and…At the same time, Democrats are searching for a vision that wins back the trust of working families and provides a mandate to deliver the big changes our country needs in 2026.” The question now is whether the Democratic Party will take up this banner and run with it or once again spurn their progressive base.* Meanwhile, the Trump administration is occupied with their continuing efforts to persecute comedians for anodyne jokes. The latest on this front is the Federal Communications Commission ordering the Walt Disney Company's ABC to seek early broadcast license renewals for the eight TV stations it owns, following a joke about Melania Trump on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show, NPR reports. The joke, a “mock speech for an alternative White House Correspondents' Dinner,” which went “Our first lady Melania is here. So beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” aired three days before the actual White House Correspondents' Dinner and the corresponding security threat. Kimmel has stressed that the joke was about the age difference between the President and First Lady “not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination. And they know that.” FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, sole Democrat still on the commission, issued a statement calling this “the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date…As part of its ongoing campaign of censorship and control, the White House called publicly for the silencing of a vocal critic, and this FCC has now answered that call.”* Another scandalous act of corruption from inside the federal government came to light this week with Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a special operations soldier stationed at Fort Bragg being charged with insider trading. Specifically, Van Dyke is charged with three counts of violating the Commodity Exchange Account, one count of wire fraud and one count of an unlawful money transaction for using classified government information to win over $400,000 via prediction betting site Polymarket vis-a-vis the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, per the Hill. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, also heading up the prosecution of President Maduro, is quoted saying “Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain.” For their part, Polymarket has announced tightened insider trading rules, but continues to insist that “When we identified a user trading on classified government information, we referred the matter to the DOJ & cooperated with their investigation,” and that Van Dyke's arrest is “proof the system works.”* In more news related to Latin America, a new poll shows leftist Senator and presidential candidate Iván Cepeda with a substantial lead, according to the City Paper Bogotá. In polls of the first round, Cepeda drew 44.3%, while his rivals, Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia drew 21.5% and 19.8% respectively, an impressive showing for Valencia who has nearly doubled her support since the last poll was taken. In the second round, polling shows Cepeda besting both rivals, 54.6% to 42.6% against de la Espriella and a narrower 51.2% versus 46.6% against Valencia. A Cepeda victory would continue the leftward trend in Colombian politics begun with the election of Gustavo Petro in 2022, a remarkable turnaround for one of the most stalwart conservative countries in the region.* Elsewhere on the globe, a new poll shows Jeremy Corbyn – the British left icon, former Labour Party leader and founder of Your Party – in danger of losing his long-held seat in the riding of Islington North. Corbyn, who was first elected to the seat in 1983, was able to keep his seat as an independent MP even after his expulsion from the Labour Party following the hostile takeover of the party by the centrist Keir Starmer regime. Yet now, with Your Party coming apart at the seams, the Greens look poised to capture the seat. However, the Canary notes that this poll only asked voters about their partisan voting intentions, with no mention of individual candidates. This means even if voters in Islington North are more sympathetic to the Greens overall, they could still return Corbyn himself to Parliament. Nevertheless, this poll gives some indication of how successfully the Greens have outmaneuvered Your Party, even in what should be their most solid riding.* Another iconic British public figure – King Charles III – is in America this week for a royal visit in which he addressed a joint session of Congress, met with President Trump and enjoyed a White House dinner. On Wednesday, the King attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, along with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and, most strikingly, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This unlikely pairing has clearly piqued the interest of the press, who asked Mayor Mamdani what he would talk about with the King if they were to have a private moment together. While the duo did not ultimately have a private meeting, Mamdani responded that he would “probably encourage [the King] to return the Kohinoor diamond,” which POLITICO identifies as “an enormous bauble set into a royal crown on display in the Tower of London,” noting that the diamond has “become a point of contention between England and India.”* In more local news, with the protracted California gubernatorial primary on the horizon at last, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE, has thrown their weight behind progressive billionaire Tom Steyer, Variety reports. This piece notes Steyer's pledge to keep film and television production in Los Angeles along with his outspoken criticism of the merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. as well as his proposal to levy a tax on AI computations and use the proceeds to “fund training for displaced workers.” IATSE represents around 50,000 workers in California and 130,000 workers nationwide. Steyer has amassed considerable union support in his bid for perhaps the second most powerful political executive position in the country after the presidency, including the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, and the California Nurses Association. Steyer's closest Democratic rival in the open primary, former Congressman, state Attorney General and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is racking up endorsements as well, including from Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and powerful California politicianss such as Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. With a close race between the top four leading Democrats and Republicans, the June 2nd primary is sure to conclude with a photo finish.* Finally, in Washington DC, the Democratic Mayoral primary continues to grow more acrimonious. This week, former Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, the candidate backed by corporate donors and the DC political establishment, criticized progressive Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George in a fundraising email for supposedly accepting “dark money from outside interest groups.” Which groups you may ask? Local unions, representing tens of thousands of DC workers, including local branches of the AFL-CIO, UFCW, transit workers, teachers, the building trades and more. In a stinging rebuke, the unions excoriated McDuffie for his “disturbing pattern of anti-union talking points and votes” including opposition to wage increases for DC restaurant and child-care workers – while simultaneously accepting donations from “MAGA developers…[and] utility and energy executives.” Moreover, Axios reports Safe & Affordable DC, a labor-aligned super PAC, is launching a half-million dollar ad blitz attacking McDuffie on his record of favoritism towards the utilities at a moment when bills are higher than ever. Tensions mounted even higher this week, when the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance opened an investigation to determine whether Lewis George's campaign is collaborating too closely with her union allies – an allegation she has dismissed as “baseless.” It is worth noting that DC progressives have had this accusation leveled at them in the past, only for it to indeed prove baseless. Expect this race to get more heated, and more expensive, the closer we get to the June 16th primary.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Lee Zeldin, former candidate for Governor of New York and 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, joined us on the Guy Benson Show today to discuss his hilarious exchanges with Democrats on Capitol Hill this week. Zeldin had two viral exchanges, one with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and one with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and he discussed both on today's Guy Benson Show. Zeldin and Benson also discussed comments made by NY Gov. Kathy Hochul as she begged wealthy New Yorkers to return to the state, and you can listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great community activist Amisha Patel died last week of cancer. At age 50–way too young. Ben riffs. And two Amisha-like fighters for justice return to talk about Trump and Lee Zeldin's attempts to turn the Environmental Protection Agency into a destroyer of the clean water and air it's supposed to protect. Beware of gaslighting buzzwords like “energy dominance.” Also be warned—it could get worse before it gets better. As Zeldin asks Congress to cut the EPA budget by 52 percent. Loreen is an EPA scientist and Nicole is President of AFGE Local 704, the union that represents EPA employees.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the next Charlotte Talks, former Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Regan shares his record, his views on what's happening at the EPA now and his connection to North Carolina.

Just six weeks from the California gubernatorial primary, Democrats are still auditioning for a lead — and risk watching Republicans steal the show. Can someone please introduce candidate Tom Steyer to the U.S. Constitution? State Senator Scott Wiener's attempt to muzzle ICE melts in the Ninth Circuit. A fake bear wreaks fake terror on luxury vehicles in Lake Arrowhead. Bonus! A brief history of California's Modoc War. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Trump ally Roger Stone hired to lobby for Bay Area tribe seeking control of Presidio ‘San Francisco treasure': City, state leaders blast Trump for firing Presidio Trust board 3 sentenced for insurance fraud after using bear costume to stage fake attacks on luxury cars Takeaways from the first California governor's debate since Eric Swalwell's exit ‘Becerra Bounce.' How Xavier Becerra surged from behind to be a frontrunner in governor's race ‘Dark Horse' Gets Sudden Jolt in Packed California Race Steyer proposes ending ICE, jailing police 9th Circuit blocks California limits on anonymous immigration agents G.B. V. Environmental Protection Agency (9th Cir. 2026) How Newsom Boosted His Book Sales With $1.5 Million From His PAC CA hasn't signed off on a promised deal to help bail out LA if the Olympic Games lose money Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if one of the biggest health threats on Earth… is something you can't see, taste, or even fully measure yet? In this urgent solo episode, Darin breaks down the rapidly escalating crisis of microplastics and nanoplastics infiltrating our bodies, water systems, and environment. What was once dismissed is now being acknowledged at the highest levels, with government agencies scrambling to understand and contain the damage. From plastics crossing the blood-brain barrier to disrupting hormones and carrying toxic chemicals deep into human tissue, this episode exposes the hidden cost of modern convenience, and more importantly, gives you practical, immediate actions you can take to protect yourself and your family. What You'll Learn Why microplastics are now considered a global health emergency How plastics accumulate in your body and environment The shocking truth about nanoplastics crossing the blood-brain barrier How plastics act as endocrine disruptors affecting hormones The connection between plastics and inflammation, fertility, and disease Why tap water and bottled water are both major exposure sources The role of PFAS ("forever chemicals") in long-term health damage How to filter and detox microplastics from your body Emerging science on breaking down plastics using bacteria and plants Simple, actionable steps to dramatically reduce your exposure Chapters 00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:02:12 – Opening: committing to a clean, conscious life 00:02:27 – Fatal conveniences and why awareness matters 00:02:46 – Government officially flags microplastics as a crisis 00:03:04 – $100M+ initiatives to understand plastic contamination 00:03:38 – Microplastics in drinking water and daily exposure 00:04:20 – Plastics found in babies and human brains 00:04:45 – Why we still don't understand the full damage 00:05:08 – Nanoplastics crossing the blood-brain barrier 00:05:33 – Plastics as endocrine disruptors 00:06:02 – Hormonal imbalance, inflammation, and toxicity 00:06:30 – PFAS and the "forever chemical" crisis 00:06:59 – The #1 rule: stop using single-use plastic bottles 00:07:27 – Hidden dangers of "BPA-free" plastics 00:07:58 – Why you can no longer trust tap water 00:08:30 – The importance of high-quality water filtration 00:09:11 – Reverse osmosis systems and best practices 00:10:17 – Detox strategies: sweating and sauna use 00:10:59 – Fiber and plant-based diets binding toxins 00:11:24 – Medicinal mushrooms and beta glucans 00:11:52 – Microbes that break down plastic polymers 00:12:32 – Plant-based flocculants (okra, fenugreek) removing plastics 00:13:20 – Bio-sponges and advanced filtration innovations 00:13:46 – Magnetic separation technology 00:14:27 – Microplastics from clothing and laundry systems 00:15:16 – AI-assisted filtration and regulatory changes 00:15:55 – Light-activated breakdown of plastics 00:16:03 – Boiling water to remove up to 90% of microplastics 00:16:33 – Practical emergency water filtration methods 00:16:59 – Creating a low-toxicity lifestyle at home 00:17:20 – Final message: take control and protect your health 00:17:32 – Outro     Thank You to Our Sponsors Tru Niagen – Boost NAD+ levels for cellular health and longevity. Get 20% off with code DARIN20 at truniagen.com. Shakeology – Shakeology-All in One Nutrition: Get 15% off with code SUPERLIFE at Shakeology.com.     Join the SuperLife Patreon: This is where Darin now shares the deeper work: - weekly voice notes - ingredient trackers - wellness challenges - extended conversations - community accountability - sovereignty practices Join now for only $7.49/month at https://patreon.com/darinolien     Connect with Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness     Key Takeaway: "We are living in a world where convenience has quietly introduced toxins into nearly every aspect of our lives, but you are not powerless. The moment you become aware, you can take action. And the small choices you make every day: what you drink from, how you filter your water, what you put into your body, can dramatically shift your long-term health and your family's future."     Bibliography/Sources: The News Hook — EPA CCL6 & STOMP Initiative Chemical & Engineering News. (2026, April 3). US government targets microplastics for research and potential drinking-water regulation. American Chemical Society. https://cen.acs.org Environmental Protection Agency. (2026, April 2). EPA takes bold action to ensure drinking water is safe from microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and potential hidden contaminants [Press release]. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases Environmental Protection Agency & Department of Health and Human Services. (2026, April 2). EPA, HHS announce historic actions to protect Americans from microplastics and safeguard drinking water [Press release]. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases Inside Climate News. (2026, April 3). EPA flags microplastics as 'priority' water contaminants, but the move doesn't guarantee regulation. https://insideclimatenews.org National Public Radio. (2026, April 2). EPA flags microplastics, pharmaceuticals as contaminants in drinking water. https://www.npr.org STAT News. (2026, April 2). EPA to put microplastics on study list of contaminants in drinking water. https://www.statnews.com The New Lede. (2026, April 2). EPA flags microplastics as 'priority' contaminants in drinking water. https://thenewlede.org U.S. Government. (2026). Public comment docket: EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0946. https://www.regulations.gov The Science — Brain Invasion & Cellular Damage ACS Environment & Health. (2025). Neurotoxicity of micro- and nanoplastics: A comprehensive review of CNS impacts. American Chemical Society. https://pubs.acs.org Journal of Nanobiotechnology. (2025). Maternal nanoplastic exposure led to impaired neuronal development in the fetal cortex. Springer Nature. PubMed Central. (2023). Micro-/nanoplastics breach the blood-brain barrier: Biomolecular corona's role revealed. National Institutes of Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov PubMed Central. (2024). A review on micro- and nanoplastics in humans: Translocation of barriers and potential health effects. National Institutes of Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov PubMed Central. (2025). Overall effects of microplastics on brain. National Institutes of Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ScienceDirect. (2025). Mechanisms of micro- and nanoplastics on blood-brain barrier crossing and neurotoxicity. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com The Science — Endocrine Disruption & Gut Health eClinicalMedicine. (2026). Phthalates attributed to nearly 2 million preterm births globally. The Lancet. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. (2024). Microplastics, human health, and the gut microbiome. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org Frontiers in Endocrinology. (2023). A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic in mammals. Frontiers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (2025). Micro- and nanoplastics as disruptors of the endocrine system. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com PubMed Central. (2025). Microplastics, endocrine disruptors, and oxidative stress. National Institutes of Health. Solutions — Filtration & Global Removal Technologies ACS Applied and Environmental Microbiology. (2024). Eco-microbiology: Discovering biochemical enhancers of PET biodegradation by Piscinibacter sakaiensis. American Chemical Society. ACS Omega. (2025). Thermostability and activity improvements of PETase from Ideonella sakaiensis. American Chemical Society. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. (2024). Drinking boiled tap water reduces human intake of nanoplastics and microplastics. American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081 Srinivasan, R., et al. (2025). Fenugreek and okra polymers as treatment agents for the removal of microplastics from water sources. ACS Omega. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c07476 Yoshida, S., et al. (2016). A bacterium that degrades and assimilates poly(ethylene terephthalate). Science.  

On Aug. 22, 2025, the small-town lives of residents living near the Smitty's Supply facility in Roseland, LA, changed forever when an explosion occurred at the automotive lubricant plant. The explosion and ensuing fire, which burned for days, triggered evacuations across the area, blanketing homes and businesses with smoke, soot, and oily residue, while spilling petroleum products from the plant into area waterways, including several adjacent ponds and the Tangipahoa River. While the Environmental Protection Agency claims that the area is safe, according to the agency's own chemical monitoring, residents say they've been left behind and kept in the dark as they develop negative health symptoms and their homes remain covered in toxic substances. In this episode, we speak with Arlene Bankston, a farmer and resident of Roseland, and Allie Ponvelle, who lives one town over in Amite, about the slow-moving nightmare they've been living in ever since the massive explosion and chemical fire at Smitty's Supply.    Additional links/info:  Alene Bankston's Facebook page Allie Ponvelle's Facebook page Petition to Close Roseland Montessori School Due to Toxic Contamination Chemically Impacted Communities Coalition (CICC) website Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator, "Smitty's Supply neighbors still wary of fire fallout despite assurances from Landry, EPA" Whitney Miller, WWL Louisiana, "What was in the air and water after the Smitty's Supply fire? Testing under new scrutiny" "Maximillian Alvarez, TRNN, "America's toxic future looks like East Palestine, Ohio, today"    Featured Music:  Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song   Credits:  Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

On Aug. 22, 2025, the small-town lives of residents living near the Smitty's Supply facility in Roseland, Louisiana, changed forever when an explosion occurred at the automotive lubricant plant. The explosion and ensuing fire, which burned for days, triggered evacuations across the area, blanketing homes and businesses with smoke, soot, and oily residue, while spilling petroleum products from the plant into area waterways, including several adjacent ponds and the Tangipahoa River. While the Environmental Protection Agency claims that the area is safe, according to the agency's own chemical monitoring, residents say they've been left behind and kept in the dark as they develop negative health symptoms and their homes remain covered in toxic substances. In this episode, we speak with Arlene Bankston, a farmer and resident of Roseland, and Allie Ponvelle, who lives one town over in Amite, about the slow-moving nightmare they've been living in ever since the massive explosion and chemical fire at Smitty's Supply.Additional links/info: Alene Bankston's Facebook pageAllie Ponvelle's Facebook pagePetition to Close Roseland Montessori School Due to Toxic ContaminationChemically Impacted Communities Coalition (CICC) websiteWesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator, “Smitty's Supply neighbors still wary of fire fallout despite assurances from Landry, EPA”Whitney Miller, WWL Louisiana, “What was in the air and water after the Smitty's Supply fire? Testing under new scrutiny””Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “America's toxic future looks like East Palestine, Ohio, today”Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme SongCredits: Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

Negotiations to end joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran stalled after 21 hours of talks in Pakistan involving Vice President J.D. Vance. In response, President Trump is preparing a U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to strip Tehran of its leverage over global energy markets. Former Deputy National Security Advisor Victoria Coates joins the Rundown to discuss Iran's weakening economy, the strategic advantage of record U.S. energy production ahead of the President's summit with China's President Xi, and how shifting Middle East alliances are helping isolate the regime. Microplastics seem to be turning up everywhere, raising new concerns about their potential impact on our health. The federal government is launching STOMP, the Systematic Targeting of Microplastics. The initiative is a joint effort between the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency to better measure, study, and potentially remove these contaminants. Alicia Jackson, Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, joins the Rundown to discuss what scientists are discovering and what it could mean for the future of public health. PLUS, commentary by FOX New contributor, Joe Concha PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices