Podcasts about Environmental quality

The economic case for climate-smart transformationKatie McGinty is the vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls. In this episode she shares insights from her remarkable career spanning both public service – including as the first woman to chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Clinton – and private sector leadership.Challenging the persistent myth that environmental initiatives harm the bottom line, Katie explains how sustainability and economic success are not opposing forces but complementary strategies, demonstrating through real-world examples how Johnson Controls achieves significant carbon reductions while generating substantial cost savings for clients.Key themes include:The importance of systems thinking in environmental solutions.How buildings can be transformed from climate problems to climate solutions.The power of technological innovation through efficiency, electrification, and digitalization. Drawing from her unique background in chemistry, policy, and business leadership, Katie illustrates how bringing diverse perspectives together catalyzes creativity and transforms environmental challenges into competitive advantages and economic opportunities. Sustainability, she contends, is becoming “strategy essential” for businesses.This podcast is part of an ongoing series of interviews with executives. The executives' participation in this podcast are solely for educational purposes based on their knowledge of the subject and the views expressed by them are solely their own. This podcast should not be deemed or construed to be for the purpose of soliciting business for any of the companies mentioned, nor does Deloitte advocate or endorse the services or products provided by these companies.

With Earth Day this week, KYMN is covering some of the local organizations that are working to preserve the planet.  Today, KYMN speaks with Michael Provancha, Chair of the City of Northfield’s Environmental Quality Commission, and Risi Karim, Assistant to the City Administrator, about the city’s environmental and sustainability efforts. 

With Earth Day this week, KYMN is covering some of the local organizations that are working to preserve the planet. Today, KYMN talks with Chair of the City of Northfield's Environmental Quality Commission, Michael Provancha, and Assistant to the City Administrator Risi Karim about the city's environment and sustainability efforts. 

Oregon lawmakers are considering HB 3018, which would require thousands of Oregon businesses – from hospitals to restaurants to food producers – to compost their food waste. Nationwide, an estimated 15% of methane gas pollution is created by food and other organic waste decomposing in landfills. The bill would also try to reduce the amount of food being tossed out in the first place by requiring foods sold in Oregon to be more clear about when a product is safe to eat. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality has estimated that 70% of the food thrown away could be safely eaten. We get two perspectives on the proposals: Charlie Fisher is the state director of Oregon State Public Interest Research Group and helped write the bill. Jason Brandt is the president and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant And Lodging Association and has concerns about the bill.

Clean Wisconsin has been keeping track of the many attacks on bedrock environmental safeguards being carried out by the Trump Administration. Dozens of rules and regulations that protect our air, water, land, endangered species and more are being targeted. With so much happening in such a short time, how do you know what's important, what's just a lot of bluster, and what's even legal?  Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guest: Brett Korte, Clean Wisconsin attorney Resources for You: Running list of attacks on environmental safeguards 1/20 Freeze All In-Progress Standards  EO - Freezes in-progress climate, clean air, clean water (including proposed limits on PFAS in industrial wastewater) and consumer protections. 1/20 Energy Emergency Declaration EO - Authorizes federal government to expedite permitting and approval of fossil fuel, infrastructure, and mining projects and circumvent Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act requirements. 1/20 Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement EO - Reverses the US' international commitment to tackling climate change and reducing pollution. 1/20 Revokes Biden Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Executive Actions EO -  Reverses U.S. commitment to fight climate change and its impacts, and protect overburdened communities. 1/20 Attacks on Clean Car Standards EO -  to stop clean car standards that required automakers to reduce tailpipe pollution from vehicles beginning in 2027. 1/20 Resumes LNG Permitting EO - Expedites Liquid Natural Gas export terminal approval over analysis finding exports raise energy costs for consumers. Attacks Climate and Clean Energy Investments from IRA and BIL EO - Freezes unspent funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and directs agencies to reassess. 1/20 Attacks NEPA Protections EO - Rescinds order requiring White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to assess environmental and community impacts and allow community input into federal infrastructure projects. 1/21 Expands Offshore Oil Drilling EO - Reopens U.S. coastlines to offshore drilling. 1/21 Terminate American Climate Corps EO - Ends all programs of the American Climate Corps, which created thousands of jobs combatting climate change and protecting and restoring public lands. 1/21 Freezes New Wind Energy Leases EO - Withdraws wind energy leasing from U.S. waters and federal lands. 1/21 Open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other Alaska Lands for Drilling EO - Reopens sensitive federal lands and waters in Alaska to drilling. 1/28 EPA's Science Advisory Panel Members Fired Memorandum - Acting EPA administrator James Payne dismisses members of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and Science Advisory Board, which provides independent expertise to the agency on air quality standards and sources of air pollution. 1/28 EPA Suspends Solar For All Grants Memorandum - The EPA halted $7 billion in contractually obligated grants for Solar For All, an Inflation Reduction Act program that delivers clean energy and lower prices to vulnerable communities 1/31 Trump administration scrubs "climate change" from federal websites Memorandum - Mentions of climate change have been removed from federal websites such the Department of Agriculture, which includes the Forest Service and climate-smart agriculture programs, and the EPA. 2/3 Trump requires removal 10 existing rules for every new rule EO - The order requires that when an agency finalizes a new regulation or guidance they identify 10 existing rules to be cut. 2/3 Interior secretary weakens public lands protections in favor of fossil fuel development Sec Order - After Trump's "Unleashing American Energy" executive order, Interior Secretary Burgum ordered the reinstatement of fossil fuel leases, opened more land for drilling, and issued orders weakening protections of public lands, national monuments and endangered species, and overturned advanced clean energy and climate mitigation strategies. 2/5 Energy secretary announces review of appliance efficiency standards Sec Order - Energy Secretary Wright ordered a review of appliance standards following Trump's Day One order attacking rules improving the efficiency of household appliances such as toilets, showerheads, and lightbulbs as part of a secretarial order intended to increase the extraction and use of fossil fuels. 2/5 Army Corps of Engineers halts approval of renewables Guidance via DOD - The Army Corps of Engineers singled out 168 projects – those that focused on renewable energy projects – out of about 11,000 pending permits for projects on private land. Though the hold was lifted, it was not immediately clear if permitting had resumed. 2/6 Transportation Department orders freeze of EV charging infrastructure program Memorandum - A Transportation Department memo ordered the suspension of $5 billion in federal funding, authorized by Congress under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, for states to build electric vehicle chargers. 2/11 SEC starts process to kill climate disclosure rule Memorandum - The acting chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission paused the government's legal defense of a rule requiring companies to identify the impact of their business on climate in regulatory findings. The rule was challenged in court by 19 Republican state attorneys general and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright's Liberty Energy, among others. 2/14 EPA fires hundreds of staff Memorandum - The Trump administration's relentless assault on science and career expertise at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continued today with the firing of almost 400 staff who had ‘probationary' status. 2/14 DOE issues the first LNG export authorization under new Trump administration DOE Secretary Wright issued an export authorization for the Commonwealth LNG project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, despite a 2024 DOE report finding that unfettered LNG exports increase energy bills and climate pollution. 2/18 Trump issues order stripping independent agencies of independence EO - Trump signed an executive order stripping independent regulatory agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of their independence, moving them to submit proposed rules and final regulations for review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and granting the attorney general exclusive authority over legal interpretations of rules. The order is likely to be challenged as Congress created these agencies specifically to be insulated from White House interference. 2/19 Zeldin recommends striking endangerment finding Memorandum - After Trump's "Unleashing American Energy" executive order, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has told the White House he would recommend rescinding the bedrock justification defining six climate pollutants – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride – as air pollution to be regulated by the Clean Air Act. 2/19 Trump administration moves to rescind all CEQ regulatory authority Rulemaking - The Trump administration has moved to rescind the Council on Environmental Quality's role in crafting and implementing environmental regulations, revoking all CEQ orders since 1977 that shape how federal agencies comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the government to consider and disclose environmental impacts of its actions. 2/19 Trump directs agencies to make deregulation recommendations to DOGE EO - Trump issues executive order directing agencies to work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to make recommendations that will accelerate Trump's efforts to dismantle regulations across the federal government as part of his 10 out, 1 in policy. Among the protections likely to be in DOGE's crosshairs are those that keep polluters from ignoring environmental laws and protect clean air and water. 2/19 FEMA staff advised to scrub "changing climate" and other climate terms from documents Memorandum - A Federal Emergency Management Agency memo listed 10 climate-related words and phrases, including "changing climate," “climate resilience,” and “net zero," to be removed from FEMA documents. The memo comes after USDA workers were ordered to scrub mentions of climate change from websites. 2/21 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Director Placed on Administrative Leave Guidance - According to media reports, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has put the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) director on administrative leave. The GGRF is a $27 billion federal financing program that addresses the climate crisis and is injecting billions of dollars in local economic development projects to lower energy prices and reduce pollution especially in the rural, urban, and Indigenous communities most impacted by climate change and frequently left behind by mainstream finance. 2/27 Hundreds fired as layoffs begin at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Guidance - On Thursday, February 27, about 800 employees at NOAA, the agency responsible for the nation's bedrock weather, climate, fisheries, and marine research, were fired in the latest round of Trump administration-led layoffs. The layoffs could jeopardize NOAA's ability to provide life-saving severe weather forecasts, long-term climate monitoring, deep-sea research and fisheries management, and other essential research and policy. 3/10 Energy secretary says climate change a worthwhile tradeoff for growth Announcement - Speaking at the CERAWeek conference, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration sees climate change as “a side effect of building the modern world,” and pledged to “end the Biden administration's irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate change." 3/10 Zeldin, Musk Cut $1.7B in Environmental Justice Grants Guidance - EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the cancellation of 400 environmental justice-related grants, in violation of a court order barring the Trump administration from freezing "equity-based" grants and contracts. 3/11 EPA eliminates environmental justice offices, staff Memorandum - EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin ordered the closure of environmental justice offices at the agency's headquarters and at all 10 regional offices and eliminate all related staff positions "immediately." The reversal comes just days after the EPA reinstated environmental justice and civil rights employees put on leave in early February. 3/12 EPA Announcement to Revise "Waters of the United States" Rule Announcement - The EPA will redefine waters of the US, or WOTUS, to comply with the US Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Sackett v. EPA, which lifted Clean Water Act jurisdiction on many wetlands, Administrator Lee Zeldin said 3/14 Zeldin releases 31-rollback ‘hit list' Memorandum (announced, not in effect as of 4/10) - EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to dismantle federal air quality and carbon pollution regulations, identifying 31 actions ranging from from soot standards and power plant pollution rules to the endangerment finding – the scientific and legal underpinning of the Clean Air Act. 3/14 EPA halts enforcement of pollution rules at energy facilities Memorandum - According to a leaked memo, the EPA's compliance office has halted enforcement of pollution regulations on energy facilities and barred consideration of environmental justice concerns. The memo states: "Enforcement and compliance assurance actions shall not shut down any stage of energy production (from exploration to distribution) or power generation absent an imminent and substantial threat to human health or an express statutory or regulatory requirement to the contrary.” 3/14 Trump revokes order encouraging renewables EO - Trump signed an executive order rescinding a Biden-era proclamation encouraging the development of renewable energy. Biden's order under the Defense Production Act permitted the Department of Energy to direct funds to scale up domestic production of solar and other renewable technologies. 3/17 EPA plans to eliminate science staff Memorandum - Leaked documents describe plans to lay off as many as 1,155 scientists from labs across the country. These chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists are among the experts who monitor air and water quality, cleanup of toxic waste, and more. 3/16 EPA invites waivers on mercury pollution and other hazardous pollutants Memorandum - The EPA invited coal- and oil-fired power plants to apply for exemptions to limits on mercury and other toxic pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Mercury is an extremely dangerous pollutant that causes brain damage to babies and fetuses; in addition to mercury, pollution from power plants includes hazardous chemicals that can lead to cancer, or damage to the lungs, kidneys, nervous system and cardiovascular system. 4/3 Trump administration adds "deregulation suggestion" website A new page on regulations.gov allows members of the public to submit "deregulation" ideas. The move is the latest in the Trump administration's efforts to slash public health, safety, and climate safeguards, and comes soon after the administration offered companies the opportunity to send the EPA an email if they wished to be exempted from Clean Air Act protections. 4/8 Series of four EOs to boost coal  EO - Under the four orders, Trump uses his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. Trump also directed federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining and prioritize coal leasing on U.S. lands. In a related action, Trump also signed a proclamation offering coal-fired power plants a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene. 4/9 Executive Order Attacking State Climate Laws EO - Directs the U.S. Attorney General to sue or block state climate policies deemed "burdensome" to fossil fuel interests — including laws addressing climate change, ESG investing, carbon taxes, and environmental justice. 4/9 New expiration dates on existing energy rules EO - The order directs ten agencies and subagencies to assign one-year expiration dates to existing energy regulations. If they are not extended, they will expire no later than September 30, 2026, according to a White House fact sheet on the order. The order also said any new regulations should include a five-year expiration, unless they are deregulatory. That means any future regulations would only last for five years unless they are extended. 4/17 Narrow Endangered Species Act to allow for habitat destruction The Trump administration is proposing to significantly limit the Endangered Species Act's power to preserve crucial habitats by changing the definition of one word: harm. The Endangered Species Act prohibits actions that “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect” endangered plants and animals. The word “harm” has long been interpreted to mean not just the direct killing of a species, but also severe harm to their environment  

Agencies who handle the federal permitting process for roads, bridges and other infrastructureprograms are on the hook to modernize the technology that runs these systems and share data more easily. President Donald Trump's latest executive order says the Council on Environmental Quality has 45 days to develop a Permitting Technology Action Plan that will include initial technology and data standards.  The action plan also will provide a roadmap for creating a unified interagency permitting and environmental review data system. Agencies then will have 90 days to implement the data and technology standards and minimum functional requirements for the new interagency system. CEQ also will  lead an interagency Permitting Innovation Center that will design and test prototype tools that could be implemented as part of thePermitting Technology Action Plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Agencies who handle the federal permitting process for roads, bridges and other infrastructure programs are on the hook to modernize the technology that runs these systems and share data more easily. President Donald Trump's latest executive order says the Council on Environmental Quality has 45 days to develop a Permitting Technology Action Plan that will include initial technology and data standards.  The action plan also will provide a roadmap for creating a unified interagency permitting and environmental review data system. Agencies then will have 90 days to implement the data and technology standards and minimum functional requirements for the new interagency system. CEQ also will  lead an interagency Permitting Innovation Center that will design and test prototype tools that could be implemented as part of the Permitting Technology Action Plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In energy policy circles, the word “resilience” often refers to future-proof systems or infrastructure designed for the transition away from fossil fuels. But resilience means something different to the communities that have been built on those conventional energy sources.  Without a policy strategy, communities whose economies are dependent on fossil fuels aren't well positioned to thrive in – or perhaps even survive – a clean energy transition.  So how can economic resilience improve livelihoods in fossil fuel dependent communities? Are the near-term risks and economic impacts these communities face underappreciated? And what does this all mean in today's political environment?  This week host Bill Loveless talks to Emily Grubert and Noah Kaufman, two scholars at the Resilient Energy Economies initiative, a collaboration between the Bezos Earth Fund, Resources for the Future, and the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA. Emily is a civil engineer and environmental sociologist. She is an associate professor of sustainable energy policy in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. She also worked in the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy under the Biden administration. Noah is an economist who has worked on energy and climate change policy. He is a research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He also served as a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers under President Biden and as the deputy associate director of energy and climate change at the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Obama. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Erin Hardick, Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been used since the 1940s to manufacture a wide range of products, from nonstick cookware to firefighting foam, clothes and electronics. PFAS have also been described as “forever chemicals” because they easily disperse and persist in the environment, where they’ve been found in drinking water, soil, air and even the food supply. This week, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality opened public comment on its proposed rulemaking to regulate six types of PFAS compounds, adding them to the list of more than 800 hazardous substances the agency already regulates. Exposure to certain levels of PFAS may increase the risk for some types of cancer, lead to developmental delays in children, among other adverse health effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Last April, the EPA designated two PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances and created the first-ever, national drinking water standard for six PFAS chemicals. Sarah Van Glubt is a cleanup project manager for the Oregon DEQ. She joins us to share what the proposed PFAS regulations would allow for, including testing and cleanup 

CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights How do we scale proven solutions in health care, climate resilience, and public health to create lasting impact? In this episode,  Joe McCannon, former Director of Sustainability for the Council on Environmental Quality in the Executive Office of the President of the United States, discusses scaling impactful solutions in public health, climate change, and health care resilience. Joe highlights three key challenges: providing clinical guidance for climate-related health issues, keeping health care facilities operational during disasters, and reducing healthcare's environmental impact. He emphasizes the importance of showcasing successful sustainability efforts and leveraging policies like the Inflation Reduction Act to drive change. To tackle large-scale problems, he advocates for understanding harm and solutions, fostering collective action, leading with strong values, setting clear goals, and rejecting powerlessness. Despite challenges, Joe urges bold, proactive action, emphasizing that this is a moment for courage and innovation. Tune in for an eye-opening conversation with Joe McCannon on the strategies, challenges, and innovations needed to drive large-scale change and build a healthier, more resilient future! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works Nancy Albright has the latest news on what the flooding rains have done to Lexington's infrastructure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kruser talks about what countries actually might benefit from Trump's tariffs, the Keeneland Spring Meet getting postponed, and Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works Nancy Albright joins the show to talk about the damage done by the flooding rains in hour 1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Airdate 3/27/25) Elected to represent the 25th Senate District in November 2024, Senator Sasha Renée Pérez has been appointed to serve as the Chair of the Senate Education Committee. She also serves on the Senate Committees on Budget, Environmental Quality, Human Services, Public Safety and the Joint Committee on Arts. In addition, Senator Pérez will serve on a newly created Affordability Working Group to push forward an affordability plan aimed at improving the lives of working Californians and seniors. On this podcast she talks about her work to rebuild Altadena.https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/ https://www.instagram.com/sashareneeperez/

The Trump Administration has taken a large whack at the National Environmental Policy Act (often better known by its acronym, NEPA). NEPA is the federal environmental law that requires that the federal government understand and acknowledge the environmental impacts of its actions and provide an opportunity for public engagement on projects. While a bedrock federal environmental law, the law itself is vaguely worded. Thus, implementing regulations (issued by the Council on Environmental Quality in 1978) have been important to its application. Through these regulations, we have NEPA as we know it—"major federal projects" and "cumulative impact analysis" and so on. All that changed on January 20th. Through Executive Order, Trump revoked the authority of the Council on Environmental Quality to issue regulations and the agency has withdrawn the long-standing rules. Now we are in a legal limbo: NEPA still exists (Trump can't veto a law that has already been approved) but the rules implementing NEPA are gone. What are we to do?Jan Hasselman of Earthjustice and Melodie Meyer of EPIC join the program to discuss this major turning point in federal environmental law. Support the show

Ethan Klein, an emerging technology policy adviser during the first Trump administration, has been nominated to be the White House's chief technology officer, the Office of Science and Technology Policy confirmed Tuesday. After serving in the first Trump White House, Klein completed a PhD in nuclear science and engineering at MIT, where he worked to develop nuclear tech for arms control and nonproliferation with funds from a fellowship through the National Nuclear Security Administration. Klein also spent time at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which is operated for the NNSA and focuses on weapons development, stewardship and national security. Klein has been pursuing an MBA at Stanford, while working as a summer associate for the Aerospace and Defense group within Lazard, a financial advisory and asset management firm. If confirmed as CTO, Klein would fill the same role that Michael Kratsios did during the first Trump administration, which went unfilled for the entirety of the Biden administration. The Department of Government Efficiency's increasingly vast power across the government likely makes it subject to U.S. records law, a federal judge said Monday in a ruling that ordered the Elon Musk-led group to begin processing requests on an expedited timeline. In a 37-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper concluded that DOGE — the rebranded U.S. Digital Service — “is likely exercising substantial independent authority much greater than” other components within the Executive Office of the President that are covered by the Freedom of Information Act, subjecting it to the same rules. Cooper noted as examples that the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Council on Environmental Quality are both covered by FOIA due to the substantial independent authority they wield when it comes to the evaluation of federal programs. 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.

Jordan is the Environmental Specialist II | Wastewater & Water Community North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in Charlotte North Carolina. In this episode she detailed her career path, emphasizing the importance of internships and entry-level positions, and shared experiences highlighting accountability and regulatory work.  We discussed professional development strategies, the need for better knowledge transfer between generations in the environmental field, and concerns about AI's environmental impact. Give the show a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Has your Soil Conservation District ever considered taking on a 319 Watershed Project? Are you curious to learn the benefits of implementing a local watershed project?-Joining Hannah in this episode is Emilee Novak with the ND Department of Environmental Quality and Chance Porsborg, a watershed coordinator with the Morton County Soil Conservation District!-Go ahead grab a cup of joe and settle in as we converse about serving, preserving, and conserving across the Great Plains, you don't want to miss out!-Emilee NovakNPS Program CoordinatorWatershed Management Program701-328-5240  ejnovak@nd.gov

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) landscape is shifting fast. With major developments like Eagle County, Marin Audubon, Section 5 of President Trump's Unleashing American Energy Executive Order, and several critical cases on the horizon, the way NEPA is applied and interpreted is set for a major transformation. Join Susan Jane Brown (Silvix Resources) in a thought-provoking discussion with Ted Boling (Perkins Coie Partner, former member of the Council on Environmental Quality) and Dinah Bear (former General Counsel of the Council on Environmental Quality). Together, they'll break down these pivotal changes, what they mean for environmental policy, and how NEPA's role may evolve in the years ahead. Don't miss this essential conversation for legal professionals, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of environmental law.

The state Department of Environmental Quality is considering whether a more intensive effort is needed to clean up arsenic contamination at Arrowstone Park in Deer Lodge.

Curious about the new generation of nursing students?  Join Kellye', Marcela, Sam, and Maritess as they welcome National Student Nurses Association President Ethan Slocum to the show to share his thoughts, insights, and perspectives about the next generation of student nurses you won't want to miss!    Learn more about the National Student Nurses Association at www.nsna.org    SPECIAL GUEST Ethan Slocum serves as the 73rd president of the National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA), representing over 50,000 pre-licensure nursing students nationwide. A fourth-year nursing student at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Ethan is on track to graduate with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May 2025. Following graduation, he plans to specialize as a pediatric critical care nurse in Cleveland. Since his election as president in April 2024, Ethan has had the privilege of addressing influential bodies such as the American Nurses' Association General Membership Assembly, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In these forums, he advocates for transformative changes to improve the future of nursing and patient care. He represents nearly 72 years of NSNA student policy resolutions, which collectively call for reform across numerous areas of the healthcare system. Through his leadership and advocacy, Ethan aims to elevate the state of nursing and nursing education, working toward a more equitable and progressive future for all pre-licensure nursing students across the United States.   MEET OUR CO-HOSTS Samantha Bayne, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC is a nursing professional development practitioner in the inland northwest specializing in medical-surgical nursing. The first four years of her practice were spent bedside on a busy ortho/neuro unit where she found her passion for newly graduated RNs, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional governance. Sam is an unwavering advocate for medical-surgical nursing as a specialty and enjoys helping nurses prepare for specialty certification.    Kellye' McRae, MSN-Ed, RN is a dedicated Med-Surg Staff Nurse and Unit Based Educator based in South Georgia, with 12 years of invaluable nursing experience. She is passionate about mentoring new nurses, sharing her clinical wisdom to empower the next generation of nurses. Kellye' excels in bedside teaching, blending hands-on training with compassionate patient care to ensure both nurses and patients thrive. Her commitment to education and excellence makes her a cornerstone of her healthcare team.   Marcela Salcedo, RN, BSN is a Floatpool nightshift nurse in the Chicagoland area, specializing in step-down and medical-surgical care. A member of AMSN and the Hektoen Nurses, she combines her passion for nursing with the healing power of the arts and humanities. As a mother of four, Marcela is reigniting her passion for nursing by embracing the chaos of caregiving, fostering personal growth, and building meaningful connections that inspire her work.   Eric Torres, ADN, RN, CMSRN is a California native that has always dreamed of seeing the World, and when that didn't work out, he set his sights on nursing.  Eric is beyond excited to be joining the AMSN podcast and having a chance to share his stories and experiences of being a bedside medical-surgical nurse.   Maritess M. Quinto, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CMSRN is a clinical educator currently leading a team of educators who is passionately helping healthcare colleagues, especially newly graduate nurses. She was born and raised in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States with her family in Florida. Her family of seven (three girls and two boys with her husband who is also a Registered Nurse) loves to travel, especially to Disney World. She loves to share her experiences about parenting, travelling, and, of course, nursing!   Sydney Wall, RN, BSN, CMSRN has been a med surg nurse for 5 years. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2019, Sydney commissioned into the Navy and began her nursing career working on a cardiac/telemetry unit in Bethesda, Maryland.  Currently she is stationed overseas, providing care for service members and their families.  During her free time, she enjoys martial arts and traveling. 

Good morning. House Republicans could delay their budget resolution markup. DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard is up next for a potential confirmation vote this week. And the Council on Environmental Quality's regulatory abilities are now in question. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.

Good morning. House Republicans could delay their budget resolution markup. DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard is up next for a potential confirmation vote this week. And the Council on Environmental Quality's regulatory abilities are now in question. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.

In Oregon's salmon-rich Tualatin River, a water quality trading credit program is being implemented to address the river's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for temperature impairment. Hear about why this unique approach was selected and how it works, as well as how trading provides broader ecological benefits. About our guests: Brian Creutzburg is the alternative compliance specialist at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Jamie Hughes serves as the program manager in the Regulatory Affairs Department at Clean Water Services.

Jack welcomes Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works Nancy albight to the studio to provide an update for the city of Lexington and to address your calls and concerns on #LEX. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Steve Bannon, arguably the master designer of MAGA, has announced intent to "take down" Texas-based billionaire and current Trump puppetmaster Elon Musk: https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/5081681-steve-bannon-says-he-will-take-down-the-truly-evil-elon-musk/ Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller may be on a collision course, with Miller opposing Patrick's sworn blanket ban of THC products from Texas: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/texas-agriculture-commissioner-says-regulation-could-be-alternative-to-banning-thc/287-984da04c-6419-4012-9803-c9c2ed88e8a2 ...While former Texas Governor Rick Perry goes on the Joe Rogan podcast to push the psychedelic drug ibogaine, which he believes holds promise as a treatment for brain injuries, addiction, and PTSD: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/rick-perry-joe-rogan-ibogaine-20014985.php Just as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or TCEQ brings on a new leader, it's under fire for recent denials of formerly-routine public meetings on emissions permit renewals: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jZAUiocksOMUvQdsKaS7iYL2HUm1leBHUnjY2q8QSj8/edit?tab=t.0 A compound intended to house recently-released January 6th convicts is being built in the Texas Hill Country near Luckenbach: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/planned-sanctuary-for-january-6-prisoners/ The number of people leaving Texas in protest of our political climate and policies is beginning to rival the number of people arriving from elsewhere: https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/meet-10-liberals-who-fled-texas/ The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Lucero Marquez is the associate director for federal climate policy at American Progress. She previously worked as a research consultant for the Evans School Policy Analysis and Research Group investigating development policy through a climate change lens and as an air dispersion modeler for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She earned her Bachelor of Science in meteorology from Texas A&M University and her Master of Public Administration in environmental policy from the University of Washington. The Inflation Reduction Act's investment in manufacturing and clean energy jobs is starting to pay off, and millions of individuals are benefiting from tax credits to help transition to clean energy. Lucero and CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli for a discuss the importance of the Inflation Reduction Act and why we need to keep its climate provisions intact in 2025.

Wildfires like those hitting southern California take an enormous social and psychological toll on victims and observers alike. We hear how people and communities can heal from the “climate trauma” brought by wildfires and other disasters linked to the climate crisis. Also, President-elect Trump's stated plans to again remove the U.S. from the Paris Accord would be just the latest whiplash in a decades-long trend of U.S. inconsistency on the climate. What's ahead for global and domestic climate policy over the next four years. And the Carter Presidency left a legacy of environmental action, ranging from major habitat protection to trying to address the then largely unrecognized threat of fossil fuels to climate stability. Gus Speth chaired the White House Council on Environmental Quality under Jimmy Carter and joins us to recall pivotal moments and ponder what might have been if the solar-panel-loving President had won a second term. This episode of Living on Earth is sponsored in part by AirDoctor – the air purifier that is designed to filter out 99.99 percent of dangerous contaminants so your lungs don't have to – including allergens, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, mold spores – even bacteria and viruses – To get your AirDoctor, go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code EARTH  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the mid-1980s, Marion county has been sending its trash to an incinerator, now known as Reworld Marion Inc. It’s the only one in the state, and the county has partnered with it from the beginning. The company recently filed objections with Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality around environmental regulations the state passed aimed at improving human health by reducing toxic emissions from the facility. Several months ago Reworld announced it would be closing its Oregon facility and would not be accepting any more trash as of Dec. 31, 2024.  The county had to turn instead to the Coffin Butte Landfill in neighboring Benton County. But that landfill is filling up and has applied to expand its capacity. It’s also been under scrutiny for methane leaks that environmental groups, lawmakers and regulators say have not been adequately addressed. Joining us to discuss the problems inherent in current waste disposal methods are: Lisa Arkin, the executive director of Beyond Toxics, which is part of the state’s Clean Air Coalition; and Oregon State Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, a Democrat whose district covers South Salem and unincorporated parts of Linn, Benton and Marion Counties.

J.H. Baxter & Co. has faced numerous fines from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for violating state environmental regulations. The Eugene plant treated wood products with creosote and other chemicals from the 1940s until it closed in 2022. Now, the company and its owner are facing federal criminal charges for allegedly boiling off 1.7 million gallons of toxic waste and venting the fumes into the surrounding air.  Christian Wihtol covered the federal charges for Eugene Weekly. He joins us with more details.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Texas transplant Elon Musk, apparently running things for Donald Trump, is pressing Republican members of Congress hard to strike down a stopgap measure that would keep the federal government running over the holidays: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/18/elon-musk-government-shutdown-bill-doge ...Texas Congressman Chip Roy is totally down for a government shutdown for Christmas - he's been gunning for it for years: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/chip-roy-gop-budget-cuts-19984456.php Meanwhile back in Texas, three environmental groups are suing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, accusing them of ignoring their own rules to give Musk's SpaceX a green light to pollute their Cameron County launching area with abandon: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/spacex-tceq-lawsuit-19988870.php Convicted - and pardoned - murderer Daniel Perry is trying to weasel out of a misdemeanor charge of deadly conduct connected to his killing of Black Lives Matter protestor Garrett Foster in 2020: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/daniel-perry-court-deadly-conduct/269-5adb9f1b-c9a1-4e42-a94e-61e84f72780c Holiday shopping for your progressive pals is easy and fun at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

On July 17, 2024, the White House Council on Environmental Quality released a landmark report on new digital tools for modernizing infrastructure permitting and environmental review. The report, which was mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, builds on efforts of the Trump administration to modernize permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act. The report tackles the obstacles created by the lack of transparency in the federal permitting process which needlessly increases the risk to investors while obscuring accountability in the democratic process.Harmonizing and expanding data collection by agencies and making that data publicly accessible in a central repository has been a bipartisan commitment of Congress and presidents going back to the administration of George W. Bush. This report is an important step forward in that effort.During this event, our panel of experts will expound on the necessity of these changes, what the new digital tools add to the permitting process, and what we can expect from the permitting process going forward. Listen to other Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcasts Sign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdown on top issues conservatives need to know about each week: https://www.heritage.org/agenda

Host Jeff Berckes speaks with water professionals from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the City of Boise about their creative approach to the Lower Boise River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nutrients. The City of Boise found an atypical way to meet pollutant reductions identified in the TMDL 40 miles downstream from the wastewater treatment facilities. The location of the Dixie Drain Phosphorus Removal Facility provides a unique opportunity to offset phosphorus inputs to the river system from multiple sources. Instead of more expensive treatment at the wastewater plants, the downstream facility maximizes phosphorus removal from sources along the river's corridor.   About our guests:  Troy Smith is the Wastewater Compliance Bureau chief at the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.  Lauri Monnot serves as the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (IPDES) municipal permit writer with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.  Haley Falconer is the senior manager of Water Renewal Programs with the City of Boise, Idaho.  Kate Harris is the Water Quality Programs manager for the City of Boise, Idaho.   

Nancy Albright Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works for the city of Lexington joins Jack in studio to take your calls and texts on #LEX.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of the NC politics world knows Dr. Jeff Warren as Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger's first science advisor starting in 2011 before he began work at the NC Collaboratory in 2017.   Dr. Warren talks about is policy work for Sen. Berger, his career at what is now the NC Department of Environmental Quality before working in the Senate, the creation of the NC Collaboratory in 2016, teaching science policy at UNC, and how he squares politics, science, and religion.   Plus, Skye and Brian talk about a pair of outstanding Senate and Supreme Court races still counting ballots, big campaign donors, the General Assembly's lame-duck session, House leadership elections, former Labor Commish Josh Dobson's new gig, gubernatorial transition team, #TOTW, and more.   The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.

President-elect Donald Trump has picked former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. POLITICO's Alex Guillén breaks down Zeldin's history on energy and climate issues, why his selection was a surprise, and what EPA might do under his leadership. Plus, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the White House's Council on Environmental Quality cannot issue binding regulations governing federal agencies' environmental reviews. Alex Guillén is an energy reporter for POLITICO Pro.  Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Annie Rees is the managing producer for audio at POLITICO. Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Albright, Lexington's Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works joins Jack in studio for her monthly visit to take your calls and concerns around town on #LEX.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Creature Comforts, Kevin Farrell is joined by Dr. Troy Majure, veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in Jackson and Libby Hartfield retired director of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.Before the lines of our state borders were drawn, many animals walked throughout the area that we now call Mississippi. Prehistoric birds, mammals, and reptiles charted their course throughout the state, and thanks to paleontologists like our guest today, we can peer back through time and guess what these animals might have been like. James Starnes from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is our guest for the hour.To submit your own question for the show, email us at animals@mpbonline.org or send us a message with the Talk To Us feature in the MPB Public Media App. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOM SOTO BIO Tom has been in the impact investing game for a long time. He  was born and raised in East LA to two of the state's most well-respected Latino Civil Rights leaders. His dad was Assemblyman Phil Soto, the first Latino elected to the state legislature in 1962. His mom  was Nell Soto, she too served the last ten years of her life as a member and leader in the California State Senate. Impact runs through Tom's blood. Tom has owned four PE funds, one of which, Craton Equity Partners,  he sold to T.C.W., and leads his  family investment office, Latimer Partners, LLC with his husband of 19 years, Todd Soto. The focus has been at the intersection of energy, climate tech, carbon monetization, renewable energy, and other Fourth Industrial Revolution driven platforms.  He previously served as  Chairman of the New America Alliance, founding Vice Chairman of the LA Clean Tech Incubator, Trustee of the California Science Center, Trustee of the NRDC, and Board Member of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. Tom is also a former member of the board of trustees of the Redwood Mutual Fund, owned by Aspiration, the neo bank. He is a former appointee of President Clinton and served on Obama's Presidential Transition Team focused on the Council on Environmental Quality.   RELATED LINKS D4IR LA Dodgers Foundation California Hydrogen Convention LA Times OpEd GENERAL INFO| TOP OF THE GAME: Official website: https://topofthegame-thepod.com/ RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/topofthegame-thepod/feed.xml Hosting service show website: https://topofthegame-thepod.podbean.com/ Javier's LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/javiersaade  SUPPORT & CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/96934564 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551086203755 Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOPOFGAMEpod Subscribe on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/vLKLE1SKjf6G Email us: info@topofthegame-thepod.com   THANK YOU FOR LISTENING – AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS

HVAC design and indoor environmental quality is an often overlooked part of home design and construction. Code continues to sluggishly push forward, but doesn't reach a high standard for comfort and efficiency in most home builds. Today's guest is the founder and lead engineer of TE2 Engineering and he works diligently to educate others about how to design beyond code. Ross Trethewey joins us to discuss the key elements of HVAC design, the benefit of heat pumps, and what new technologies are going to drastically change the industry in the near future. Show highlights include:   03;55 Introduction and Background 06:35 Building Science and HVAC Design 8:30 Indoor Environmental Quality and Comfort 11:00 What drives code? Efficiency vs Comfort 21:00 The Benefits and Future of Heat Pumps 30:00 Emerging Technologies in HVAC Design 32:50 Geothermal Systems and Solar Integration 34:45 What's coming up next and how to connect You can learn more about Ross at https://te2engineering.com/. Social media: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Or hit us through our Contact Page at https://buildernuggets.com and we'll make a personal introduction.   To get the most out of this podcast, head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.

Lexington's Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works Nancy Albright joins Jack in studio to answer your calls and comments on #LEX.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 90% of US primary environmental laws are implemented and enforced at the state level. The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) plays a critical role in empowering state environmental agencies and program leaders to improve human health and protect the environment. Elizabeth Biser, ECOS President and Secretary of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, joins the podcast with Ben Grumbles, Executive Director of ECOS, to discuss the importance of state environmental programs, the challenges they face, and how ECOS is building environmental partnerships for success.  ★ Support this podcast ★

The Commish' is back in studio as Jack talks with Nancy Albright Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works for Lexington as they take your calls and concerns on #LEX.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 1 of Flanigan's Eco-Logic - Climate Resolve Series, Ted speaks with Catherine Baltazar, a Policy Analyst and Organizer, and Lia Cohen, a Coordinator for Climate Planning and Resilience, focusing on their work at Climate Resolve, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, building collaborations to champion equitable climate solutions.Catherine was born and raised in LA, and has focused her work around the conditions of the community she grew up in, with limited access to green spaces, just west of downtown LA. She attended Wellesley College, and upon graduating, received a CivicSpark Fellowship, where she worked at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. There she worked on developing an Urban Heat Island Reduction Plan for the County which focused on strategic tree planting, “green space” development and planning, implementation of “cool roof” ordinances and the piloting of cool and permeable pavement projects. This experience allowed her to approach environmental justice from a local government perspective.Lia was also born and raised in LA, sharing that she grew up in a family with lots of siblings and an open door policy, so her values are very much rooted in community care. She attended UCLA, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in International Development Studies and minors in Public Affairs and Environmental Systems and Society. Before joining Climate Resolve, Lia worked as a virtual field organizer for the Ohio Coordinated Campaign, mobilizing turnout in a key swing state during the 2020 election.Ted, Catherine, and Lia discuss current projects that they are working on at Climate Resolve, both background and front-facing community work. Catherine starts with the Boyle Heights Community Plan Update, a plan that is supportive of environmental quality, economic vitality, and urban design that promotes safe and walkable neighborhoods. The draft plan includes many policies that address climate change and build resilience such as tree planting, cool roof replacement, solar panel installation, sidewalk improvements, resilience hubs, and community engagement. Lia also discusses coordinating the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) grant implementation in the City of Commerce, and helping lead project implementation efforts for the Baldwin Hills Community Resilience and Access Plan, as well as the South LA Eco-Lab Transformative Climate Communities grant.They also discuss tools for displacement avoidance, grassroots environmental justice efforts, and creating vibrant communities with access. 

By day Ginger Zamora works as a Public Health Information Officer for the Department of Environmental Quality and by night she is an aspiring salsa dancer. She loves to explore Salt Lake City's food scene, go check out her page @gigieats.slc. Ginger loves building relationships with people, her friendships being her proudest investments and greatest blessings in her life. She is a cheerleader for love and is delighting in her bachelorette season.

The White House convened a crucial meeting today with faith leaders from across the nation to focus on climate, clean energy, and environmental justice. The event, organized by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, brought together religious leaders to explore how communities can benefit from President Joe Biden's clean energy initiatives. Central to the discussion was a direct pay provision from the Inflation Reduction Act, which enables tax-exempt entities, like churches, to access federal clean energy tax incentives directly. Faith leaders were acknowledged for their vital role in reaching communities, especially in promoting the Justice40 Initiative, which ensures that 40 percent of federal investments in climate/clean energy benefit disadvantaged communities. This initiative is part of the administration's broader effort to address the needs of communities historically overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. It includes the Inflation Reduction Act, which is expected to drive $369 billion in climate and energy investments and is a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris administration's plan to build a more equitable future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Josh Wert, watershed management program manager for North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, and Emilee Novak, DEQ nonpoint source pollution management program coordinator, about harmful algal blooms, mitigation efforts and what to be on the lookout for when recreating this summer and fall.

Getting to zero by 2050 might be the most difficult challenge humanity has ever taken on. That's because nearly everything we do in our daily lives contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, from how we plug in to how we grow things, make things, get around, and stay cool and warm. Breakthrough Energy is committed to supporting new technologies that change the way we live, eat, work, travel, and make things so we can avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change. Cristina Shoffner manages strategic initiatives for Breakthrough Energy's U.S. Policy & Advocacy team. She leads the policy team's private sector engagement and supports strategy development to advance Breakthrough Energy's efforts towards an ambitious U.S. climate policy agenda that encourages innovation and accelerates the deployment of clean technologies. Cristina joined Breakthrough Energy in January 2021 from the United States Senate, where she served as policy advisor to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and Senate Democratic Leadership. There, she supported Senator Stabenow's energy and environmental policy agenda and responsibilities as chair of the Senate Democratic Policy & Communications Committee. Before serving in the Senate, Cristina was Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs in the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Obama. Show Notes: [2:07] - Cristina shares her background and what drove her to pursue a career focused on energy policy and advocacy. [4:08] - In 2020, Cristina had been working in the Senate but wanted to work in the private sector when she was recruited by Breakthrough Energy. [5:45] - Breakthrough Energy is an impact platform committed to helping the world avoid climate disaster. [7:04] - Cristina describes some of the programs offered by Breakthrough Energy and what the teams in each program work on. [10:21] - Breakthrough Energy has a massive platform of companies and innovators to tap into. [12:32] - The work at Breakthrough Energy is rooted in science and technology. [14:34] - Cristina shares some of the initiatives that she is most excited about. [17:18] - There has been so much legislation passed and it can seem overwhelming and confusing for companies to leverage. [19:23] - There are many Breakthrough Energy innovations that are really exciting and Cristina is very optimistic. [23:04] - What are the biggest challenges across cleantech? [25:20] - Cristina shares some areas that could use some more collaboration with lawmakers. [27:19] - Looking ahead, Breakthrough Energy is optimistic. Links and Resources: Breakthrough Energy Website The White House's Climate Capital Guidebook​ The White House's IRA Guidebook Inflation Reduction Act | U.S. Department of the Treasury Cipher - Climate Tech News Clean Investment Monitor Clean Energy Business Network Funding Database Clean Energy Business Network Insight into Federal Programs blogs: Insight into Federal Programs American Energy Innovators Network Clean Energy for America Blog

Earlier this year, the Washington state Department of Ecology wrote new rules to regulate methane emissions from landfills that surpass federal emission regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality wrote its own rules in 2021 and has been collecting data from landfills for the last two years. About 30% of today’s global warming is driven by methane. Heather Kuoppamaki, senior environmental engineer at DEQ, joins us to share what we know about methane emissions from Oregon’s landfills.

Authorities in Oregon have known for over three decades that groundwater in the eastern part of the state, a rural region where many people rely on domestic wells for drinking water, is contaminated with high levels of nitrates and unsafe to drink – yet, until recently, have done little to address the problem. Until 2022, many people in the region had no idea they had been drinking contaminated water for years. Some still don't know it because the state has tested only about half the affected domestic wells despite a 2023 deadline to finish the testing. Research has linked high nitrate consumption over long periods to stomach, bladder and intestinal cancers, miscarriages, as well as thyroid issues. It is especially dangerous to infants who can quickly develop “blue baby syndrome,” a fatal illness. In May and again earlier this month, three dozen nonprofits and two retired Oregon Department of Environmental Quality administrators sent a letter to Gov. Tina Kotek asking her to make good on her promises to test all domestic wells in the region, find a permanent source of water for those forced to rely on bottled water and take action to clean up the groundwater. Kotek had visited the area after becoming governor.The letter called the nitrate contamination in the Lower Umatilla Basin “among the most pressing environmental justice issues in Oregon.” Most of the population in the region is poor, Latino or Indigenous. Late on Friday, Kotek sent a response. In her letter, the governor said she has directed the Oregon Health Authority to, among other actions, complete the testing of the remaining wells and the retesting of some households identified as being at high risk by June 30, 2025.Kristin Anderson Ostrom, the executive director of Oregon Rural Action, and Kaleb Lay, the group's director of policy and research, talked on Beat Check about why the contamination has taken so long to address, what can be done about it in the short and long term and what the crisis says about Oregon's approach to environmental justice. The eastern Oregon nonprofit, alongside the Morrow County public health department, has been instrumental in testing domestic wells in the region and pushing the state to do more testing and to limit nitrate pollution.Allowing another full year to test the remaining wells and setting the bar low on retesting is not an adequate response, Ostrom said. And the state needs to take substantive action to rein in the sources of pollution, she added. Much of the nitrate contamination comes from farm fertilizer, animal manure and wastewater that are constantly applied to farm fields. “This is an ongoing emergency and it needs to be recognized as one – the lives and health of thousands of our neighbors are at risk and it's the State's responsibility to protect them from further harm,” Ostrom told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. To accomplish this mission, the EPA strives to develop and enforce regulations, provide grants, study environmental issues, sponsor partnerships, teach people about the environment, and publish information to keep the public informed. Surabhi Shah has been working at the intersection of environmental protection and community work for three decades. At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, she has led programs in community revitalization, environmental justice and water quality. Surabhi's leadership in building partnerships with communities, government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector was recognized by the Partnership for Public Service with the Service to America medal for “most admirable contribution to the American people”. Prior to joining EPA, Surabhi held leadership positions at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in their hazardous waste and drinking water programs. Show Notes: [1:14] - Surabhi shares her background and a bit about her work at the EPA. [3:01] - People are trying to make change happen and that's what Surabhi was attracted to at the start of her career. [5:38] - Surabhi shares some of the things she did and had to remember that helped her through working in the government and moving up at the EPA. [8:45] - You can study government, but when you find yourself in an organization, you have to learn the culture. [9:55] - Mentorship is very important and can make the biggest difference. [12:01] - Something that can be tricky is when government policy changes. Surabhi describes some of the different focuses through different administrations. [14:54] - If you want change to last, you have to consider culture. [15:58] - Surabhi demonstrates how we think about change. Can we change the structures and systems that we don't even think about? [20:56] - Grants would also be in the community action roadmap system. [24:54] - Surabhi explains how a roadmap can help advance an agenda based on the current administration. [28:01] - There is a balance that needs to be found to advance an agenda and guide political leadership. [30:03] - Not long ago, we really couldn't talk about climate change. But now there's a huge body of work and a report can quickly change things. [32:31] - How do we make sure that something is an impactful investment when things are constantly changing? [34:38] - You can do exactly what you want to do, career-wise, and keep the climate crisis in mind. [38:29] - Surabhi demonstrates how every career field impacts the climate crisis. Links and Resources: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Website