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New report: Reinstated ‘polluter pays’ taxes should speed up lagging toxic waste cleanup

Toxic threats

New report: Reinstated ‘polluter pays’ taxes should speed up lagging toxic waste cleanup

WASHINGTON -- For more than 20 years, the federal government’s “Superfund” program aimed at cleaning up toxic waste sites has languished for lack of funding. The program was originally funded by a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, but those “polluter pays” taxes expired in 1995. When President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure package (BIF) into law last month, a polluter pays tax was finally reinstated on chemical industries.

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Groups issue new toolkit on lead in school’s drinking water

Clean water

Groups issue new toolkit on lead in school’s drinking water

With the bipartisan infrastructure bill now signed into law, Environment America Research & Policy Center (Environment America's research partner) and U.S. PIRG Education Fund (PIRG's research partner) released a new toolkit for parents and community leaders on Tuesday on how to get the lead out of schools’ drinking water. The infrastructure bill includes $200 million for schools to conduct lead reduction efforts.

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New report: North Carolina among national leaders in solar power growth and energy efficiency progress

Clean energy

New report: North Carolina among national leaders in solar power growth and energy efficiency progress

North Carolina ranks 3rd in the nation for growth in solar power generation since 2011  and is tied in tenth position for growth in improvements in electricity efficiency since 2011, according to a new report released today by Environment North Carolina Research & Policy Center. Renewables on the Rise 2021: The rapid growth of renewables, electric vehicles and other building blocks of a clean energy future documents the growth of six key clean energy technologies across the U.S. over the past decade: solar power, wind power, battery storage, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and heat pumps.

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Thousands urge EPA to protect waterways from pollution

Clean water

Thousands urge EPA to protect waterways from pollution

Nearly 30,000 people are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to end the dumping of PFAS chemicals, and thousands more are telling the agency to dramatically reduce pollution from slaughterhouses. Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund submitted comments from these individuals to the EPA Thursday as the agency considers updating pollution control standards, which is required by the Clean Water Act.  The groups are also calling on the EPA to strengthen standards for other industrial sources -- including power plants and refineries.

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Report examines America’s waste problem over past 3 years

Beyond plastic

Report examines America’s waste problem over past 3 years

Every year, the average American throws out nearly 1,800 pounds of trash. Together, Americans throw out enough plastic each year to fill up the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium --- the largest NFL football stadium --- 565 times over. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a spiraling epidemic of waste, particularly when it comes to plastic.   

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Pathogens pose risk at 87 North Carolina beaches

Clean water

Pathogens pose risk at 87 North Carolina beaches

With North Carolinians returning to local beaches this summer, a new report warns that more work is needed to ensure that all waters are safe for swimming. In 2020, 87 North Carolina beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day and 7 of those beaches were unsafe on at least 25% of the days they were tested according to Safe for Swimming?, Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center’s annual analysis of bacteria testing.  The report comes as Congress considers investments in water infrastructure.

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Duke Energy-backed bill would lock North Carolina into dirty, dangerous fracked gas for decades

Clean energy

Duke Energy-backed bill would lock North Carolina into dirty, dangerous fracked gas for decades

A bill drafted by Duke Energy behind closed doors with legislators was unveiled on Tuesday. The bill would mandate the construction of 3,500 megawatts of new fracked gas plants, locking North Carolina into dirty energy generation for decades. The bill also decreases utility transparency and allows Duke to increase customers’ rates for three consecutive years at a time, requires customers to pay a $50 million subsidy to Duke for a new nuclear reactor permit, and would leave customers paying billions for Duke’s bad investments.

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A Perfect Storm: When tropical storms meet toxic waste

Toxic threats

A Perfect Storm: When tropical storms meet toxic waste

The Environment North Carolina Research & Policy Center and the North Carolina PIRG Education Fund released a report Thursday highlighting the serious threat posed by toxic “Superfund” waste sites in the paths of hurricanes and tropical storms during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.   

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