July 26, 2025

Information collected & summarized by:

EPA Exemptions Shield Petrochemical Plants from Pollution Limits

President Trump has opened a two-year regulatory exemption for 25 chemical manufacturers, including 12 in Louisiana, allowing them to bypass the EPA’s new Hazardous Organic National Emission Standards (HON Rule). The proclamation, aimed at promoting “American chemical manufacturing security,” delays limits on toxic emissions such as ethylene oxide and chloroprene designed to cut airborne pollutants by over 6,200 tons per year and reduce cancer risk by up to 96%.

Critics, led by Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr., call the move “appalling” and a threat to public health, noting facilities like Denka Performance Elastomers in LaPlace have faced EPA and DOJ enforcement actions over cancer-linked chloroprene leaks.

San Francisco Seeks to Ban Natural Gas in Major Renovations

San Francisco supervisors are advancing a proposal to outlaw natural gas in residential and commercial buildings undergoing major renovations, effective as soon as next year. Sponsored by Board President Rafael Mandelman, the ordinance builds on the city’s 2020 gas ban for new construction and defines major work as altering over two-thirds of walls or ceilings or replacing key mechanical systems.

Key points:

Impacts roughly 785,000 sq ft of home and 250,000 sq ft of commercial renovations annually

Exemptions for EPCA-covered appliances, affordable housing, seismic retrofits and food-service areas

Estimated to cut 45,000 metric tons of CO₂ and reduce indoor benzene emissions

The Land Use and Transportation Committee will review the measure Monday, following commission recommendations to delay enforcement to 2027 and broaden carve-outs.

You may also like

Immigration Insights

269 new followers today

UFC Fight Digest

315 new followers today

Civil Rights Chronicle

313 new followers today

View More Topics

New York Charts Plan for First Nuclear Plant in 40 Years

Late June, Albany — Governor Kathy Hochul has directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to study the construction of a one-gigawatt nuclear reactor—enough to power one million homes—by 2040, marking the state’s first new nuclear station in nearly forty years. With the Indian Point plant and aging fossil-fuel units offline, Hochul warned that without a “radical” increase in clean baseload capacity, New York risks rolling blackouts as manufacturing, data centers and electrification drive up demand.

Key points:

1 GW capacity to power 1 million homes by 2040

Retirement of Indian Point and slow renewables growth raise reliability concerns

NYPA to define reactor technology, site, financing and partners

India Tops World in Plastic Pollution

India now ranks as the world’s largest plastic polluter, producing 9.3 million tons of plastic waste each year—surpassing China and the United States. Uncollected refuse, nearly 50 percent of the total, pours into landfills, rivers and the ocean.

Almost 40 percent of plastics are single-use.

Over 60 percent of coastal waste ends up at sea.

Ten rivers, including the Ganges, account for 90 percent of river-borne ocean plastic.

Despite bans on single-use items and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, enforcement gaps threaten to undercut India’s cleanup efforts.

Colorado Infrastructure Earns C-Minus, Roads and Schools Lag

Colorado’s infrastructure systems received a C-minus grade in the 2025 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, matching the state’s 2020 score and falling just below the national average of C. Roads and schools drew the lowest marks, each earning a D-plus, as only 34% of roads are in good condition and schools face over $13.5 billion in repair needs.

The report warns that aging assets, climate-driven pressures and funding constraints under TABOR demand urgent action. Civil engineers recommend clear communication with residents and investment in full life-cycle asset management to shore up Colorado’s built environment.

Our recommendations from Nail

Wildlife Watch

Stay informed about the latest developments in wildlife conservation, environmental changes, and remarkable wildlife encounters. Our newsletter aims to inspire and educate readers about the importance of protecting our planet's biodiversity.

Fishing

Your weekly resource for the latest updates and reviews on fishing products and gear, alongside vital environmental information and insights into commercial fishing practices. Stay informed about innovations in fishing gear and the impact of fishing on ecosystems.

Trump Exempts Petrochemical Plants from EPA Toxic Emission Limits, Sparking Health Fears