Consumer

"The agency obtained research from 3M in 2003 revealing that sewage sludge, the raw material for the fertilizer, carried toxic “forever chemicals.”"

"Insurance companies that stopped providing home coverage to hundreds of thousands of Californians in recent years as wildfires became more destructive will have to again provide policies in fire-prone areas if they want to keep doing business in California under a state regulation announced Monday."

"Melissa Ostroff finds gas leaks for a living, so it was surprising to hear someone say they smelled gas in her own home."

"Even as groundwater levels have rapidly declined in farming regions from California’s Central Valley to the High Plains, the federal government has mostly taken a hands-off approach to the chronic depletion of the nation’s aquifers. But in a new report for the White House, scientists say the country is facing serious and unprecedented groundwater challenges that call for the federal government to play a larger role."

"Maryland is suing Cecil County-based manufacturing giant W.L. Gore & Associates for knowingly polluting the air and surrounding water with toxic Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)."

"Citing a recent ProPublica investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., urged the Environmental Protection Agency in a letter this week to issue a final report on the health risks of formaldehyde that is “science-based” and “as strong as possible,” adding that “the agency has an obligation to protect the public from the chemical.”"

"It may be too late for Donald Trump to follow through on threats to repeal outgoing President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — at least that appears to be the case for the $7 billion Solar For All Program." "The program is set to install solar panels to power nearly a million low-income households over the next five years"

"PFAS chemicals have unexpectedly turned up in well water in rural farmland, far from any industrial areas, airports, or military bases."

"The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes for one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy — seafood — and some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs."

"Trump said late last month that on his first day in office, he would place 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods. The two countries are the leading sources of U.S. oil imports — and if he implements the tariffs, analysts say the action could result in higher gasoline prices."