Parts Per Billion

Firefighters Will Be Suing, Getting Sued Over PFAS Feb 10, 2023

It's well known that using PFAS-laden firefighting foam caused big problems for the military, but it's sometimes overlooked that civilian firefighting agencies are facing many of these same problems.

Bloomberg Law reporters Pat Rizzuto and Andrew Wallender are finding more instances of litigation against fire departments over their use of this foam. And they say the main US firefighters' union is now partnering with law firms after cutting ties with companies that make PFAS-coated protective gear—a sign that lawsuits from individual firefighters may soon follow.

Pat and Andrew join this episode of our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about this new frontier of PFAS litigation and why revelations about contaminated protective gear are stirring up strong emotions from the firefighting community.

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States Scramble on Water Rights Pact as Deadline Nears Jan 20, 2023

As a multidecade megadrought continues in the West, the Colorado River Basin is drying up. Today we’ll talk about what that means for the millions of people who depend on that water. And we’ll look at what states and regulators are doing to ensure that communities get the water they need to survive.

Seven western states are frantically working to reach an agreement on how to divvy up the available water ahead of a Feb. 1 deadline—at which point the federal government has suggested it would impose its own rules to fix the problem.

That's the topic of discussion on today's Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast. Bloomberg Law’s water and public lands reporter, Bobby Magill, explains what's at stake—and which states might get first dibs at the dwindling water supply.

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An Energy Regulator Crossed Manchin, Now He's Gone Jan 06, 2023

About a year ago, Richard Glick was chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and was poised to get renominated to a new term. Today, he's out of the job.

Glick's plans to more closely scrutinize gas pipeline projects ran afoul of the powerful chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.). Without Manchin's support, the Biden administration couldn't get Glick's nomination through the Senate.

Bloomberg Law reporter Daniel Moore spoke to Glick shortly before his term at FERC expired and he joins our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about what went down and about how losing Glick will affect the Biden administration's climate change goals.

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Fusion Is Promising, but Isn't a Near-Term Solution Dec 16, 2022

News of the world's first nuclear fusion reaction with a net energy gain created a lot of excitement, and justifiably so—fusion could one day be an infinitely renewable, carbon-free energy source.

Policy makers, including President Joe Biden, said they want to see a fusion reactor providing electricity to the American grid within 10 years. But scientists say that timeline is probably too ambitious, if not impossible.

On today's episode of our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg News reporter Will Wade explains the promise of nuclear fusion power, what a realistic timeline for its development looks like, and whether it might draw research funding away from other renewable energy projects.

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Big Tech Is Now a Big Player in US Energy Markets Dec 02, 2022

Companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta are now some of the country's largest consumers of electric power. And as Bloomberg Law's Daniel Moore reports, they're starting to wield their strong purchasing power.

Big Tech companies are pushing the energy industry to bring more renewable power projects online, Moore says, and they're also hiring energy lobbyists to achieve these goals in Washington.

Moore joins our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about where the tech industry wants the country's electric grid to go and what that means for both utilities and ratepayers.

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Manchin Still a Huge Factor on Energy in New Congress Nov 18, 2022

The 117th Congress is coming to a close at the end of this year and, now that most of the midterm races have been called and partisan control of both chambers decided, we have a pretty good idea of what the dynamics will be in the new 118th.

Bloomberg Government energy reporter Kellie Lunney joins this episode of Parts Per Billion, our environmental policy podcast, to talk about what to expect on Capitol Hill for the next two years. For one, she says, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) will maintain considerable influence over the chamber as his party's surprising performance in the midterms means he'll continue to lead the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Even if Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) wins the December runoff against Republican Herschel Walker and becomes the Senate's 51st Democrat, Manchin could still jam things up for his party on any number of issues.

Lunney also talks about what could happen during the lame duck session currently under way, and specifically about whether any environmental provisions will hitch a ride on two huge pieces of must-pass legislation.

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EV Mineral Demand May End Alaska Natives' Way of Life Nov 07, 2022

The Biden administration has made it crystal clear that, to solve climate change, we need to source more of the critical minerals that go into electric batteries--and we need to source them domestically.

One potentially huge source of these minerals is in northern Alaska. But what will that mean for the Alaska Natives who have been living off of the land there for centuries?

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law reporter Bobby Magill tells us about his trip to northern Alaska and why the Native population there feels so ambivalent about this modern day gold rush.

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A New Low-Key Climate Czar for a New Climate Policy Era Oct 21, 2022

Ali Zaidi, the White House's new climate czar, doesn't have the name recognition of his predecessor, Gina McCarthy. But maybe that's the point.

McCarthy was instrumental in getting the Inflation Reduction Act, and its billions of dollars for climate projects, through Congress and to President Joe Biden's desk. But now the task turns to getting that money out the door in a quick-but-not-too-quick manner, and the White House thinks Zaidi is the technocrat for the job.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, our environmental policy podcast, we talk about the new national climate adviser with Bloomberg Law reporter Stephen Lee. Lee tells us what Zaidi will be tasked to do and how he'll get it done while working alongside climate officials such as John Kerry, John Podesta, and others.

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'Forever Chemicals' Here to Stay, Despite Alternatives Oct 07, 2022

Because it's so effective, PFAS-laden firefighting foam isn't easy to replace. However, there are indications that PFAS alternatives might finally be ready for prime time.

The Department of Defense is expected to change its policies early next year to allow for the use of non-PFAS foams, while some states are also pushing civilian firefighters to phase in the use of these new foams.

On this episode of our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law reporters Pat Rizzuto and Andrew Wallender talk about why this may not be as big of a breakthrough in the fight against PFAS contamination as it may seem. They say the PFAS alternatives will at least initially be hard to come by—especially if the military uses its massive purchasing power to buy them all up. There's also the matter of safely disposing of existing stocks of firefighting foam, which will be a challenging task in itself.

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RGGI Still Thriving Despite Revolving Door Membership Sep 23, 2022

It's been nearly 20 years since a handful of northeastern states got together to start a cap-and-trade program for their power sector's greenhouse gas emissions.

Since then, the membership of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, has been anything but static. New Jersey left under former Republican Gov. Chris Christie, then rejoined under his successor. Virginia and Pennsylvania joined RGGI recently, but the current and likely future governors of those respective states are far from enthusiastic about it, signaling potentially more departures to come.

However, RGGI has stood firm amid the swirling political winds and made meaningful reductions in emissions, according to William Shobe, an economist at the University of Virginia. Shobe spoke to Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Kay about why he thinks this markets-based approach to climate change has fared better than similar programs in other states—and in other countries.

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Nevada Lithium Mine a Boon for EVs, But at What Cost? Sep 05, 2022

Electric vehicles are seen as one of humanity's best hopes at fighting climate change, and that means humanity will need to build a whole lot of lithium ion batteries.

Unsurprisingly, the price of lithium is skyrocketing and the Biden administration is eager to develop domestic sources of the ultra-light metal. One of its best hopes here is a proposal to build a $1 billion open-pit lithium mine in a remote area of northern Nevada called Thacker Pass.

But while producing more lithium may have broad environmental benefits, a new mining operation could cause acute environmental harms to the farmers, ranchers, and tribal communities in and around Thacker Pass. Bloomberg Law reporter Daniel Moore traveled there to find out what's happening on the ground and to speak to the people who could be most affected by this politically popular mine project, and he tells us about it on our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion.

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New Climate Dollars Get Cheers, Shrugs From States Aug 24, 2022

The Inflation Reduction Act contains billions of dollars to help states fight climate change and achieve other environmental goals, but only some state lawmakers have plans to spend this money.

Bloomberg Law reporter Zach Bright spoke with three Democratic state legislators in Democratic-controlled states about how they'd like to allocate the money their states will be getting. But Bright also says states with Republican-controlled statehouses, where fighting climate change isn't as high of a priority, may end up leaving these federal dollars on the table.

On this episode of our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bright lays out what states can do with the climate funding they'll be getting through the IRA. He also talks about how the bill has provisions in place that can partially circumvent conservative statehouses.

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What Manchin Got for Backing Democrats' Climate Bill Aug 03, 2022

Joe Manchin, the West Virginian who represents the crucial 50th Democratic vote in the Senate, surprised Washington last week with a dramatic about-face. Just weeks after rejecting his party's climate legislation, he reversed course and announced he'd reached a deal with Democratic leaders to send a climate bill to the president's desk.

However, it later became clear that, in exchange for his support, Democrats granted Manchin numerous pro-fossil fuel provisions, including a measure that would essentially force the Biden administration to open up more federal lands for oil and gas drilling.

On this week's episode of our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law reporter Bobby Magill joins us to break down the legislative horse trading that led to Manchin's reversal and also about whether environmental activists can stomach the latest additions to the bill.

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Manchin Likely Just Put an End to Big Climate Bills Jul 20, 2022

It's still technically possible for Congress to pass President Joe Biden's climate policy agenda sometime this year. But most people on Capitol Hill, including some Democrats, say Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) just essentially delivered a death blow to this agenda last week.

Though Democratic leadership already scaled down their climate legislation earlier this year to accommodate him, Manchin announced he couldn't support even this more modest package, citing this month's high inflation numbers.

It's still possible Congress could send something to Biden's desk after it returns from its August recess. But Ari Natter, who covers energy on Capitol Hill for Bloomberg News, says Manchin's move likely closes the window on ambitious climate legislation for the rest of this year—and possibly for the rest of Biden's term. Ari joins us to explain why on our environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion.

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Can the Pentagon be Ready, Lethal, and Also Green? Jul 06, 2022

A group of 12 Republican senators criticized the Pentagon's Climate Adaptation Plan last year, saying its focus in that area distracts from its mission of fielding a "ready and lethal force."

But the Defense Department, and its commander in chief, counter that the exact opposite is true.

They contend its many climate initiatives—everything from shoring up flood-prone installations to electrifying its fleet of tanks and armored vehicles—actually make the military more capable, not less.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, our environmental policy podcast, Bloomberg Law reporter Stephen Lee talks with us about what the department is doing to both prepare for climate change and to reduce its own emissions, and about whether the charges that the agency is taking its eye off the ball have any merit.

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With PFAS Science, the More We Know, the Worse It Gets Jun 22, 2022

Scientists and environmental regulators have been studying PFAS for years now, but new details are still coming out that make these so-called "forever chemicals" seem even more hazardous than previously thought.

Earlier this month, the EPA said it's unsafe to be exposed to essentially any amount of PFOA and PFOS, the two most well-known PFAS chemicals. The agency set a new non-binding health advisory for these two chemicals at less than one tenth of one part per trillion. The EPA's prior standards set in 2016 were thousands of times higher this and, furthermore, current PFAS sampling technology can only detect concentrations of four parts per trillion and above.

Bloomberg Law chemicals reporter Pat Rizzuto joined our environmental podcast to talk about why the agency took this extraordinary step, where the science on PFAS chemicals is heading, and what this will mean for regulators grappling with this ongoing environmental problem.

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ESG Funds Are Finding It's Not Easy Being Green Jun 08, 2022

If it was ever easy to be the manager of an ESG fund, it certainly isn't any more.

Demand for these environmentally friendly investment options is skyrocketing, but scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission is increasing along with it. Late last month, BNY Mellon paid the agency $1.5 million to settle a claim that it misled investors about how it applies ESG principles to some of its mutual funds. Also, the SEC released proposed regulations imposing new requirements on funds that advertise themselves as ESG.

Will all of this have a chilling effect that may halt or even reverse the rapid growth of this area of investing? To find out we, hear from two attorneys who represent fund managers that work on ESG investments.

George Raine and Robert Skinner are partners at the firm Ropes & Gray who specialize in the financial services industry. They spoke with Bloomberg Law's Andrew Ramonas about why the SEC is doing what it's doing, and why it's more important than ever for ESG fund prospectuses to be bulletproof.

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PFAS Litigation May Bring Down More Companies May 25, 2022

DuPont, a company founded shortly after the turn of the 19th century, has gone through a merger and several spinoffs in recent years, still existing more or less in name only.

And while there were many reasons for these moves, the weight of liability from the chemicals collectively known as PFAS undoubtedly played a factor.

But DuPont isn't the only company that could be brought low by PFAS suits. Bloomberg Law's Andrew Wallender did a deep dive on PFAS litigation data and found that plaintiffs here are widening their scope and pursuing other companies, including, most prominently, 3M.

On this episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Andrew speaks about what he learned from looking at this litigation data and how 3M and the other targets of these suits will try to defend themselves.

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Rural Utilities Can't Get EPA Funds. Can They Survive? May 11, 2022

Last year's infrastructure bill gave the EPA a deluge of cash to hand out to water utilities for infrastructure upgrades. But some of the smallest and neediest water utilities in the country may not see much, if any, of it.

There are thousands of struggling water systems, many in remote, rural areas, that serve just a few hundred people. Many are in the Catch-22 situation of desperately needing federal money, but simply not having enough expertise and manpower to apply for it.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, our environmental law podcast, reporter Bobby Magill talks about his recent trip to New Mexico to speak to some of these small utilities. He says some are acknowledging their limitations and partnering with larger nearby utilities—even though this can mean a painful loss of local control.

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Energy Infrastructure Now More Impervious to Activists May 02, 2022

It's never easy for environmental activists—whether global, national, or local—to stop the construction of a big energy infrastructure project. But now, it may be nearly impossible.

For an example, look to southwestern Louisiana. Fossil fuel companies are building new liquefied natural gas terminals there as fast as they can, with explicit approval from a Biden administration that desperately wants to replace Russian's energy dominance overseas. And these terminals are being built in an economically depressed region where fossil fuel jobs can represent a ray of light.

Against these types of headwinds, what's an activist supposed to do?

That's the topic of discussion on today's Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast. Bloomberg Law's Daniel Moore traveled to Louisiana and talked to residents living near current and future LNG terminals about how the facilities are affecting the Gulf Coast's environment. And Daniel explains why advocates for renewable energy there are having a tough time making their case in the current economic and geopolitical climate.

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Democrats Torn Over Pursuing Low-Carbon Fuel Policies Apr 13, 2022

Here's yet another complicated and confusing question about the transition to a post-greenhouse gas world: Is what's billed as low-carbon gasoline good or bad for the environment?

That's the question lawmakers in several Democratic-led states are asking themselves, and no easy answers are appearing.

New Mexico, New York, and Minnesota, to name a few, have debated new standards that would encourage the adoption of more climate-friendly auto fuels, either through blending with ethanol or with another type of biofuel. But in all of these states, these measures failed amid opposition from environmentalists, who say a new fuel standard would simply delay the abandonment of fossil fuels altogether.

On today's Parts Per Billion, our biweekly environmental law podcast, we hear from reporter Zach Bright about why low-carbon fuel standards are struggling to gain traction at the state level, despite support from high-level Democrats. Bright also talks about the states that have managed to adopt their own standard, and how they did it.

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ESG Investors Get Big Win With New SEC Climate Rule Mar 30, 2022

Some good news for ESG investors, and even better news for accountants: the Securities and Exchange Commission just unveiled a new proposal that would force public companies to disclose mountains of climate change information.

The proposal goes far beyond requiring disclosure of the fossil fuels a company itself uses: It would also have companies report out the carbon footprint of their supply chains and even, in some cases, of the customers who use their products.

On today’s On The Merits, our weekly legal news podcast, we hear from Bloomberg News sustainability editor Eric Roston about what’s in this SEC proposal and why, for so-called “green investors,” this has been a long time coming. We also hear from Bloomberg Tax’s Amanda Iacone about why these disclosure rules could be a boon for accountants. After all, someone has to audit all of those new corporate climate statements.

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Ukraine Invasion Hurts U.S. Nuclear Power in a Big Way Mar 16, 2022

If you thought Russia's invasion of Ukraine hurt the oil market, wait until you hear what it's doing to uranium.

Before last month's invasion, Russia and its allies supplied nuclear power plants in the U.S. with half of their uranium, and 100% of a special type of uranium needed for smaller, next generation power plants.

That entire supply chain has obviously been thrown into question since then, and that has huge implications for not only the future of nuclear power but also for climate change.

On today's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law reporter Daniel Moore about the Biden administration's attempts to find a new source of uranium for the country's nuclear reactors and about whether a decline in nuclear power would mean a rise in fossil fuels.

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Justices Give EPA Glimmer of Hope in Climate Case Mar 02, 2022

The Supreme Court heard oral argument in West Virginia v. EPA on Monday, a case that could result in the narrowing of the agency's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

But, to some surprise, a few of the court's conservative justices posed tough questions to the attorney arguing against the EPA, which may indicate they're open to siding with the agency in this case.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast, we're joined by Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Hijazi to break down what happened at the high court on Monday. Jennifer explains why, even if the court doesn't end up siding with the EPA, the agency has likely avoided the potential worst-case scenario some had feared going into the argument.

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Charging Station Locations a Big Obstacle to EVs Feb 16, 2022

Electric vehicles, or EVs, represent one of the most promising climate change solutions. But is America ready?

To get the country ready, President Biden and Democrats in Congress gave states more than $7 billion to install electric vehicle charging stations across the country. But, as Bloomberg Government’s Lillianna Byington found, an Eisenhower-era law means these charging stations can’t be built on highways, as many EV advocates had hoped.

On today’s episode of our Parts Per Billion podcast, Lillianna explains why road-tripping EV drivers will have to get off of the highway to charge up. She also talks about some of the other obstacles EVs must overcome before overtaking their gas-powered predecessors.

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Climate Regulation Hinges on Case at Supreme Court Feb 02, 2022

The Supreme Court said 15 years ago that the EPA has not only the authority but also the obligation to regulate greenhouse gasses. Now, in a case coming before the court later this month, that landmark ruling may get overturned.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast, Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Hijazi explains the stakes of West Virginia v. EPA, which the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Feb. 28. She talks about the circuitous route the case took to get to the highest court in the land, and how it may end up overturning, or at least gutting, the famous Massachusetts v. EPA opinion from 2007.

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Lead Pipe Money to Ooze, Not Flow, Out of EPA Jan 12, 2022

Last year's infrastructure bill made a landmark $15 billion investment in lead pipe removal, and even more funding may be on the way to get this toxic metal out of the country's drinking water system.

But, according to two Bloomberg Law reporters, this money may be much slower than expected in getting to the communities that need it.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast, Bobby Magill and Paige Smith explain why Congress' funding allocation is a pivotal—but definitely not final—moment in the EPA's war on lead. For one, drinking water systems don't have a comprehensive inventory of where lead is still in use. And for another, it's far from clear whether the country has enough plumbers and pipefitters to actually achieve the goal of total lead pipe eradication.

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Competing Climate Rules Worry Federal Contractors Dec 29, 2021

Federal contractors are going to have to share more information about their greenhouse gas emissions with the public, under new General Services Administration reporting requirements the White House introduced earlier this month.

However, this isn’t the only climate reporting rule these contractors will have to mind. The Securities and Exchange Commission is about to release its own reporting rules early next year, and no one seems to be sure where or whether the two rules will overlap.

On today’s episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental news podcast, Bloomberg Law’s Andrew Ramonas explains how these dueling climate rules could open federal contractors up to serious legal liability—especially if these firms provide conflicting data to different federal agencies.

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Air Polluters Can't Ignore Citizen Science Anymore Dec 15, 2021

It used to be that taking an air quality sample required expensive, bulky equipment and teams of people to operate. Now devices that monitor air quality can be bought on Amazon and worn on your wrist.

This is a gamechanger for so-called "fenceline communities," or areas that abut factories and other heavy emitters of air pollutants because it allows area residents to collect their own data. It's also a gamechanger for the companies responsible for those emissions, as this data could be admissible in court.

On today's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law reporter Jennifer Hijazi talks about how fenceline communities are collecting air quality data and how this data could change the way the Clean Air Act functions.

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Can Taxes and the Free Market Solve Climate Change? Dec 01, 2021

Time is running out to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, and activists and scientists say global efforts like those seen at the recent COP26 meeting aren't moving nearly fast enough.

Can a carbon tax or some other type of carbon pricing scheme use the power of market forces to speed up this process? And if so, are these options even politically or logistically viable?

Those are the questions we ponder on today's episode of our podcast, Parts Per Billion. Sanjay Patnaik, director of the Brookings Institution’s Center on Regulations and Markets, speaks to Bloomberg Tax reporter David Hood about how a carbon tax might work in the U.S. And Frank Eich, an economist with U.K. consultancy CRU, speaks to reporter Michael Rapoport about whether carbon pricing could function across international borders.

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Talking COP26: Major Breakthrough or All for Naught? Nov 17, 2021

The 26th annual summit of the UN's climate change arm just wrapped up in Glasgow, Scotland, but it's unclear whether what came out of the event will be nearly enough to stave off the worst consequences of climate change.

Bobby Magill was in Glasgow covering COP26 for Bloomberg Law and he joins our podcast, Parts Per Billion, to walk us through how to interpret the pact that was reached last week. He also talks about how covering this year's COP was unique—not only because it was the first to take place during the Biden administration, but also because pandemic restrictions made it tricky for some developing countries to participate.

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Biden's PFAS Cleanup Plan: Who Will Pay For It All? Oct 27, 2021

The Biden Administration just released a road map for how it's going to deal with the problem of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." The plan calls for establishing new standards for these chemicals in water and soil, but it's less clear on where the money will come from to achieve these standards.

On today's episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Pat Rizzuto talks about what's in the PFAS road map and why federal officials are still struggling to get a handle on how much it will cost to solve this emerging environmental problem.

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UN Climate Conference: Everything You Need to Know Oct 13, 2021

Later this month we'll see the kickoff of COP26, the 26th meeting of the UN's main climate change arm. Not only is this the first of these annual meetings to take place during the Biden administration, but it's also one in which the nations of the world are expected to lay out exactly how committed they are to achieving the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

On this week's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg News' Jess Shankleman, who'll be attending the conference in Glasgow, Scotland. She'll go over the stakes for this year's conference, who's expected to be attending, and whether this UN process is moving too slowly to have a meaningful effect on climate change.

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'Exxon Knew' Movement Arrives on Capitol Hill Sep 29, 2021

Attorneys and environmental activists have been trying for years to prove that Exxon Mobil Corp. and other fossil fuel companies knew about—and covered up—the fact that their products cause climate change. Now, it appears that members of Congress are joining the effort.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast, Bloomberg Law reporter Jennifer Hijazi talks about the documents top Democrats in Congress are demanding from the fossil fuel industry ahead of an important hearing next month and about where this all could eventually lead.

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The Politics of New York's Ban on Gas-Powered Cars Sep 15, 2021

New York's new governor, Kathy Hochul (D), just took a major step toward an all-electric future by signing a bill that would ban the sale of gas-powered cars in her state by 2035.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we talk with Bloomberg Law's New York correspondent, Keshia Clukey, about why Hochul signed this bill so quickly after taking office. Keshia also talks about how lawmakers are hoping their neighbors enact similar laws so that New Yorkers aren't tempted to shop for cars across state lines.

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Hurricane Ida Walloped Gulf's Energy Infrastructure Sep 01, 2021

The Gulf Coast region is crucial for the energy industry, with a huge portion of the country's oil refining and petrochemical manufacturing clustered there. And now it's reeling after a direct hit from Hurricane Ida.

On this episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we talk to two Bloomberg News energy reporters about how the region is handling this. Kevin Crowley talks about the risks now faced by the Gulf Coast's petroleum industry, while Josh Saul fills us in on the slow and painstaking effort to bring the region's power grid back online.

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Infrastructure Bill Reignites Superfund Tax Debate Aug 25, 2021

The Senate-passed infrastructure bill aims to revive nineties-era taxes on chemical companies and importers to pay for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated sites.

While the bill still needs to clear the House, the chemicals industry claims the Superfund tax provisions are unfair because they impact a small subset of the industrial sectors that contributed to pollution. But advocates say the return of the “polluters pay” doctrine is a step in the right direction to clean up toxic sites.

On this week’s episode of Parts Per Billion, corporate tax reporter David Hood talks to Steve Jawetz, a principal at the environmental law firm Beveridge and Diamond PC, who argues the tax is unfairly targeted. David also talks to Danielle Melgar, an advocate with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s “Zero Out Toxics” program, about how this tax is a victory for environmental groups.

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Reining in the Wild, Wild West of ESG Investing Jul 28, 2021

ESG investing has quickly grown into an important institution on Wall Street. But what types of rules govern whether an investment can tout itself as good for the environment, social justice, or corporate governance?

It may surprise you, but there aren't that many.

On today's episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law reporter Andrew Ramonas about why this is the case and about the efforts underway in both the public and private sectors to establish a stronger set of rules over who gets to don the ESG halo.

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Air Pollution Rules Buckle Under Brutal Heat Waves Jul 14, 2021

Extreme heat waves are breaking out all across the country, and some environmental activists are questioning whether this unprecedented summer is making the EPA's air pollution regulations obsolete.

On today's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Hijazi explains how high heat can both trigger more pollutant emissions and also intensify the pollution already in the air. And she explains why the EPA's cap-and-trade system for managing these pollutants is having trouble keeping up.

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Biden Climate Deadlines Come and Go With No Action Jun 30, 2021

Shortly after taking office, President Joe Biden gave his federal agencies numerous climate-related tasks to complete within the first few months of his presidency—like making a plan to buy more electric vehicles or stand up a youth-led climate corps.

By and large, the agencies have accomplished few if any of these tasks so far.

On today's episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law White House reporter Courtney Rozen talks about why the executive branch is missing all of these climate deadlines and about why this does not necessarily spell doom for Biden's larger, long-term climate goals.

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Struggling Coal States Take 'Woke' Neighbors to Court Jun 16, 2021

It's no secret that the coal industry is struggling, with renewable energy continuing to get cheaper and a glut of natural gas flooding the market. The governors of some coal-producing states are now trying to halt this downward spiral by taking their neighbors to court.

On this episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law correspondent Tripp Baltz outlines the arguments these states are making. He says these Republican-led states are blaming the potential shuttering of coal-fired power plants on renewable energy mandates pushed by, as one governor put it, "woke, overzealous regulators."

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EV Tax Breaks Can Save Carmakers, Mich. Lawmaker Says Jun 02, 2021

Electric vehicles have slowly been gaining market share over the past few decades. But Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) says car buyer tax credits that recently expired must be reinstated to accelerate this trend.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, our weekly environmental podcast, Kildee speaks with Bloomberg Tax's Kaustuv Basu about how Democrats in the House, Senate, and White House are crafting a bill that would not only bring back these tax credits but also change who can take advantage of them. He also talks about how U.S. automakers need EV incentives to avoid once again falling behind their foreign competitors.

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Electric Truck Batteries Too Heavy for Rickety Roads May 19, 2021

The average road and bridge in the U.S. is in poor shape, and has been for some time. That could pose a serious obstacle for the makers of electric heavy-duty trucks—and for the states that have laws mandating their adoption in the coming decades.

Currently, a battery that can power one of these trucks would add more than two tons to the weight the vehicle. And data about how much damage this could do to the country's highway infrastructure is spotty at best.

On this week's episode, Bloomberg Law reporter Emily C. Dooley talks about her recent story on the electric truck industry. She says the industry, and electric vehicle regulators, are banking that technological advancements will make these batteries lighter in the coming decades. If not, Dooley says, electric vehicle adoption goals may be very, very difficult to achieve.

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The Other Powerful Joe—Manchin—Rules on Climate Change May 05, 2021

It's almost impossible for Democrats to pass any legislation through Congress without all 50 Democratic Senators signing on. That means Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), arguably the most conservative Democrat in the chamber, is very, very powerful.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we talk to Bloomberg Government's Kellie Lunney, who recently traveled to the Mountain State to learn about what Manchin's constituents want him to do to on fossil fuels and other climate policies. Lunney says Manchin, and his also-very-powerful counterpart, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), may not actually block every piece of climate legislation that the Senate will consider.

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'Tiger King' Suits: New Spin on Old Environmental Laws Apr 21, 2021

The Endangered Species Act typically wasn't used to go after people who run wild animal petting zoos. But that was before "Tiger King."

Today on our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Maya Earls talks about how the Netflix show has led activist groups, and even some federal agencies, to think differently about how to use decades-old environmental statutes in new ways.

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What's Regan Going to Do and How Is He Going to Do It? Apr 07, 2021

Michael Regan is the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency and Bloomberg Law's Stephen Lee had an exclusive interview with him this week.

On this episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, Stephen tells us what he learned from speaking with Regan and about the background of this not very well known cabinet official. Stephen also talks about why Regan is prioritizing tighter limits on auto emissions, an about face from the policies of his predecessor.

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The Law Firm That Cashed in on Fossil Fuel Failures Mar 24, 2021

Record-low prices gave the fossil fuel industry a horrible year financially in 2020. But Kirkland & Ellis, the law firm that handled a huge percentage of the industry's bankruptcy filings, made money hand over fist.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law reporter Roy Strom, who analyzed a database of large bankruptcy filings and found that this firm soared above its rivals in 2020 thanks to the energy industry's slump.

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Texas Freeze Led to Pollution, But Likely No Fines Mar 10, 2021

Industrial sites in Texas spewed much more air pollution than normal as a result of the frigid temperatures there last month and the ensuing infrastructure failures.

What kind of liability will these sites face from these emissions? Probably not much, according to Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Hijazi. The environmental reporter joins our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about the "act of God" provisions in state and federal air pollution regulations that shield emitters from penalties and fines, and about whether these provisions may tighten under the Biden administration.

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Texas Energy May Stay the Course Even After Freeze Feb 24, 2021

To an outsider, it seems like the state of Texas now has no choice but to make huge changes to its energy policies, with last week's freeze-induced power outages and utility failures becoming nothing short of catastrophic. But Rachel Adams-Heard isn't too sure about that.

The Bloomberg News energy reporter and Texas native says, after the state finishes cleaning up from this disaster, it may very well decide the costs of bolstering its power grid against another deep freeze are simply too high.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Rachel talks about all the system failures that led to last week's catastrophe and why the Lone Star state must decide just how far it's willing to go to prevent this from happening again.

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Florida and Georgia Fight Winner-Take-All Water War Feb 17, 2021

The first argument on the Supreme Court's docket when it returns Feb. 22 from its winter break Feb. 22 is a fight over water rights between Florida and Georgia.

Bloomberg Law Florida correspondent Jennifer Kay says the dispute is so contentious that, if the states were sovereign countries, warfare might be the only way to resolve it.

The heart of the conflict is a watershed that spans across both states. Florida says Georgia is using so much freshwater that it's making a famous oyster habitat too salty. Georgia denies this, and says a ruling against it would damage its agriculture industry.

For this week's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Jennifer breaks down the heart of the conflict, and we hear from people living in these states who will be most affected no matter what the justices decide.

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Biden May Give Wall Street More Climate Data, and Fast Feb 10, 2021

President Biden's nominee to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission hasn't even been confirmed by the Senate yet. But Bloomberg Law's Andrew Ramonas says the agency may not wait for a permanent leader to begin pushing companies to disclose more climate change information to their investors.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Andrew about climate disclosure actions the SEC can take in the coming days and weeks. And Andrew also talks about how environment-minded investors are positively giddy about the policy changes a Biden administration could make.

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Climate Suits Pushing Tort Law Into Uncharted Waters Feb 03, 2021

A group of big cities are seeking damages from the fossil fuel industry over the costs of climate change. These suits against some of the biggest names in the energy world are taking a very old legal idea—the tort—and trying to adapt it to a new environmental problem.

On this week's episode of our environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from two lawyers involved in this litigation, one representing the plaintiffs and the other with the defendants.

Plaintiffs' attorney Katie Jones, with the San Francisco-based firm Sher Edling, talks about the oil and gas companies' role in climate change and why they should be forced to remunerate her clients. And Gibson Dunn's Ted Boutrous, who's defending Chevron in these suits, says the plaintiffs' arguments push the idea of a tort claim way beyond its logical limits.

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Election Plot Puts Environment Official in Spotlight Jan 27, 2021

A little-known environmental official from the Trump administration made big headlines when it was reported he worked with the President in a failed attempt to oust the acting Attorney General earlier this month in order to bolster baseless claims of election fraud.

The official, Jeffrey Bossert Clark, denied taking any actions against then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. But Bloomberg Law's Ellen Gilmer says these reports have seriously damaged Clark's career moving forward. For this week's episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Ellen about how Clark got tied to the effort to delegitimize the election and whether he's now all but unemployable in the legal world.

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After Flint, Uptick in Environmental Indictments Unlikely Jan 20, 2021

The former governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder (R), was hit with criminal charges last week over his role in the drinking water contamination crisis in the town of Flint. He is fighting the case and his attorneys say the charges are "wholly without merit."

Will this usher in a new era where elected officials could be thrown in prison if an environmental catastrophe occurs on their watch? Not likely, says Bob Percival, a law professor at the University of Maryland who leads the school's environmental law program. We spoke to Percival about why prosecutions like Snyder's are so rare for our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion.

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Supreme Court Fills Up Docket With Environmental Cases Jan 13, 2021

The Supreme Court has not been shy about wading into some pretty thorny environmental disputes. Including the two cases it took up last week, the justices now have six environmental cases outstanding on their docket.

On this episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law's Ellen M. Gilmer, who summarized all of these cases and broke down their individual story lines. She also talks about arguments in a climate change case that the Supreme Court will hear one day before President-elect Biden will officially take office.

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Carbon Capture Gets Federal Money, But Is It Needed? Jan 06, 2021

Tucked away in the stimulus bill that the President just signed was nearly half a billion dollars for research into carbon capture technology.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law's Bobby Magill about why this money was added into to the bill, where it will go, and why it probably won't make a significant dent in our climate change problem.

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Save the Everglades, Eat Python for Christmas Dinner Dec 23, 2020

Invasive Burmese pythons are becoming a real problem in Florida’s everglades, where they have no natural predators and are causing plummeting populations of native species like foxes and rabbits. State wildlife officials have encouraged the hunting of these massive snakes, but the problem still persists.

Now, according to Bloomberg Law correspondent Jennifer Kay, officials are trying a different tack: convincing Sunshine Staters to start eating python meat.

On the latest episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, Jennifer explains to us why Florida is getting increasingly desperate to eliminate pythons and whether encouraging Floridians to eat snakes could actually work.

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Biden Environmental Plan Rests on the Backs of Lawyers Dec 16, 2020

The Biden administration is staffing up quickly and it seems like there's a new headline almost every day about the President-elect's choice for one cabinet position or another. But less attention is being paid to the lower-level attorneys, even though the new administration's entire environmental agenda largely depends on them.

On this episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we talk to Bloomberg Law's Ellen M. Gilmer about how these regulatory attorneys will be trying to help their agencies win in court and about how the attorneys can avoid getting a reputation as a sort of statutory killjoy.

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Electric Vehicles Good for Climate, Bad for Taxation Dec 09, 2020

Teslas and other electric vehicles may be helping to solve the problem of climate change, but they're also creating a new problem for state and federal transportation budgets. That's because these budgets are funded largely from revenue generated by taxes on gasoline.

But if gas-fueled cars are being phased out, where will funding come from build new roads or even just to maintain existing ones? We posed this question to Sahas Katta, the CEO of an automobile tech startup who is working with several states on developing new ways to tax vehicle use. Katta spoke to Bloomberg Law correspondent Michael Bologna.

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Firefighting Gear Opens a New Front in PFAS Legal War Dec 02, 2020

Much of the litigation over toxic PFAS chemicals, at least thus far, has focused on the spraying of PFAS-laden firefighting foam. But now, a new avenue of lawsuits has opened up over the use of PFAS-coated firefighting gear.

Bloomberg Law reporters Andrew Wallender and Fatima Hussein join our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about suits over these jackets, gloves, and other protective equipment. And they also explain why some of the firefighters filing the suits are now at odds with their own firefighting unions.

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Introducing: Black Lawyers Speak Nov 27, 2020

Despite decades of work to educate more Black lawyers, the percentage of Black associates and partners in firms across the U.S. remain very low, and well below those of other professional careers. Big Law firms across the board are ramping up social justice efforts as the nation engages in a renewed dialogue on race and equality. But some have accused firms of using minorities as “diversity props” to impress clients and misrepresent their inclusiveness to potential employees. So what are law firms doing to fix their lack of diversity?

Hosts Adam Allington and Lisa Helem, along with reporters Ayanna Alexander, Ruiqi Chen, and Meghan Tribe, interviewed lawyers across the industry, from corporate general counsels to top Am Law 200 lawyers to current law students, each sharing their experience navigating the legal space as a person of color. We try to answer what law firms are doing to recruit more diverse classes of lawyers, and how they are addressing barriers to entry for Black lawyers.

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Biden Environment Goals Collide With Divided Congress Nov 25, 2020

President-elect Joe Biden will begin his first term in a much weaker position than former President Barack Obama faced when beginning his first term. Regardless of the outcome of January's Senate runoff elections in Georgia, Biden will not enjoy the large majorities in Congress that Obama did.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Law reporter Dean Scott about how this situation will be the primary factor shaping Biden's environmental agenda.

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Arctic Drilling Push Comes Down to Trump's Final Days Nov 18, 2020

The Trump administration may need every single minute of its four-year term to accomplish its goal of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer A. Dlouhy about how the administration is in a race against the clock to auction off leases in this environmentally sensitive area of northeastern Alaska. Jennifer says there's so little time that it's possible the auctions may take place on Inauguration Day, just hours before President-elect Biden takes office.

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The Morning After and Federal Agencies Hang in Balance Nov 04, 2020

It's the morning after the elections and we don't know who the next President of the United States will be. But, despite that, we do have some idea of how things might change for the federal agencies that regulate the environment.

On this special episode of our weekly environmental podcast, Parts Per Billion, we speak with three Bloomberg Law reporters about exactly how environmental policy could shift and about who would be on the shortlist to lead the EPA and the Interior Department.

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Post-Soviet Treaty Complicates EU's Climate Ambitions Oct 28, 2020

The European Union is on a continent-wide push to reduce its carbon emissions. But some environmentalists say this goal is threatened by a nearly 30-year-old treaty enacted in response to the fall of the Soviet Union.

On this episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, we hear from Stephen Gardner, Bloomberg Law's Brussels correspondent. He explains how a treaty meant to spur energy investment in post-Soviet republics has turned into a powerful tool of Europe's fossil fuel industry.

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States Are Taking Action, Slowly, on Nonstick Chemicals Oct 21, 2020

Several states—including the biggest, California—have moved to partially or fully ban the use of nonstick chemicals known as PFAS in firefighting foam. But many of these bans won't take effect for years or, in some cases, many years.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we talk with Bloomberg Law California correspondent Emily C. Dooley about the Golden State's own recently enacted PFAS ban and its long, winding journey through the state's legislature.

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Trump's Wetland Dispute Slogs On at Bedminster Course Oct 14, 2020

President Donald Trump has been in a nearly decade-long dispute with New Jersey environmental officials over some relatively minor wetlands violations at his signature golf course there. Though these violations were minor, they bring up some interesting questions about what happens when a President in charge of making environmental policy decisions is also personally affected by those decisions.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we talk to Bloomberg Law's Stephen Lee about what's going on at the President's golf course and why managing this or any golf course is environmentally tricky.

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Oil Wildcatters a Wild Bunch in Oil-Poor Nevada Oct 07, 2020

The federal government is granting leases that allow oil drilling on huge amounts of federal land in the state of Nevada. This is despite a fossil fuel market with highly depressed prices—and despite scant evidence that any oil actually exists below the Silver State.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we talk with Bloomberg Law's Bobby Magill about the colorful bunch of so-called "wildcatters" who are not only willing but eager to search for oil in Nevada's vast public lands.

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Do EPA Chemicals Protections Protect 'Cancer Alley?' Sep 30, 2020

There's a section of the Gulf Coast in the South that has significantly higher rates of cancer than other parts of the country. This section, nicknamed "Cancer Alley," is also home to dozens of chemical factories and petroleum refineries.

Today on Parts Per Billion, we talk with Bloomberg Law's Pat Rizzuto about how the EPA calculates the risk of toxic chemical exposure in areas like Cancer Alley and about how some activists are using the agency's own data to prod it to change.

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How Ginsburg, and Her Absence, Affect the Environment Sep 23, 2020

Though she may be better known for her work on gender equality, late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a substantial impact on environmental law.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion we hear from Bloomberg Law's Ellen M. Gilmer about some of Ginsburg's most notable environmental opinions and about how these types of cases may fare at the high court after her death.

For more on this topic, check out a column written earlier this week by Harvard Law School professor Richard Lazarus.

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Air Quality Gadgets Fly Off Shelves in Smoky, Hazy West Sep 16, 2020

One sign of how bad the wildfires have gotten along the West Coast is that the newest must-have tech gadget there is a personal air quality sensor.

These devices send data on air quality to any smartphone or computer and, with wildfire smoke blanketing cities up and down the coast, manufacturers say demand is off the charts.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion we speak with Laura Bliss, a reporter with Bloomberg's CityLab. She reported on the rapid adoption of these devices in communities affected by wildfires and about the way they're responding to a desire for real-time data that federal regulators can't provide.

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EPA Racial Justice Plan Has Interestingly Timed Debut Sep 09, 2020

EPA chief Andrew Wheeler rolled out a new plan recently that addresses issues of environmental justice, when pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities and people of color.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Stephen Lee joins us to explain what's in this plan and why the timing of its rollout, just a couple months before Election Day, may not be a coincidence.

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Markey Win Shows Green New Deal Far From Irrelevant Sep 02, 2020

Prospects for the Green New Deal legislative package were looking dim after it was introduced in Congress early last year. But since then it's had some surprising ripple effects.

For example, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) used his early support of the Green New Deal to fend off an intra-party challenge from Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Markey beat Kennedy by more than 10 percentage points in their state's Sept. 1 primary.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, environment reporter Dean Scott explains how Markey used his environmental credentials to hold onto his seat and how the Green New Deal may play a significant role on Capitol Hill for years to come.

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California Fighting Massive Wildfires With Blackouts Aug 26, 2020

California's power companies are trying to stop wildfires by imposing targeted blackouts in high risk areas. Their hope is that this will prevent a downed live wire from sparking a conflagration.

This strategy was effective a tamping down fires last year, but in the year of Covid-19, many worry the solution will be nearly as bad as the problem.

On this episode of our podcast, Parts Per Billion, California correspondent Emily C. Dooley talks about how power companies are struggling to ensure people fighting the pandemic don't lose power, and also about whether there may be a long-term solution that doesn't require ad hoc power shutoffs.

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Arctic Drilling a Bittersweet Prize for Oil Industry Aug 19, 2020

Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a decades-long dream of the energy industry, is closer to reality than ever before after the Trump Administration announced it will start auctioning off drilling rights as early as this year.

But these drilling rights could easily be slow-rolled—or even outright canceled—if Democratic nominee Joe Biden becomes President next year, according to Jennifer A. Dlouhy, an environmental reporter with Bloomberg News. And beyond that, the oil industry is facing record-low prices, with many firms struggling to simply stay in business, Dlouhy said. Will anyone even want to drill in the Arctic?

Dlouhy joins our podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about what exactly the Trump Administration did with ANWR and why so much of the refuge's future depends on the outcome of this November's elections.

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Investigating the Killing of an Environmental Activist (Podcast) Aug 12, 2020

Parts Per Billion is on a short vacation this week. But while we’re gone, we wanted to share with you the first episode of a new podcast from our colleagues at Bloomberg News.

The podcast is called Blood River and it’s about the search to find the killers of Honduran environmental activist Berta Caceres, who was assassinated in her home country in 2016. Blood River follows a four-year quest to find her killers – a twisting trail that leads deep into the country’s circles of power.

You can subscribe to Blood River on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

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Biden Win Would Be Game Changer for Climate Lawsuits Jul 29, 2020

We don't know what environmental policy will look like under a potential Biden administration, but we do know that the Democratic presidential candidate has signaled he wants to get much more involved in a series of high profile climate change lawsuits.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Ellen M. Gilmer looks at what it would mean if a Biden Justice Department starts assisting cities and states in their legal fight against fossil fuel giants.

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Introducing: Blood River Jul 27, 2020

The killers of Berta Caceres had every reason to believe they’d get away with murder. More than 100 other environmental activists in Honduras had been killed in the previous five years, yet almost no one had been punished for the crimes. Bloomberg’s Blood River follows a four-year quest to find her killers – a twisting trail that leads into the country’s circles of power.

Blood River is out now.

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Polluted Town Says EPA Declaring Premature Victory Jul 22, 2020

Much of the town of East Chicago, Ind., is a federal Superfund site, having endured decades of pollution from a now-shuttered lead smelter.

Recently, the EPA said cleanup work there has been successful and is moving to take a large swath of East Chicago off of its Superfund list, a compilation of country's most polluted sites. However, some residents of the town, which is predominately Black and Hispanic, say they weren't consulted on this decision and don't think their community is safe yet.

On this episode of our podcast, Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Sylvia Carignan talks about how the EPA's Superfund program works and why some disadvantaged communities feel that it has too much of a top-down orientation.

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EPA Funding May Get Snarled in Campaign Brinkmanship Jul 15, 2020

Funding for the EPA, the Interior Department, and all other federal agencies expires on Oct. 1, the end of the government's fiscal year. But House Democrats may have a strong incentive to try to push this deadline past November's elections into the lame duck session of Congress.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Capitol Hill reporter Kellie Lunney talks about how lawmakers are crafting spending bills for environmental agencies and also explains the complicated game theory at play in this pivotal election year.

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Big Pipeline Projects Get Rapid Fire Bad News Jul 08, 2020

Just within the past few days, two big energy pipeline projects suffered major legal defeats and another one was abandoned by the company pushing it.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law's Ellen M. Gilmer updates us on this fast-moving news and explains why the litigation strategy of environmentalists who oppose these projects is now paying off big time.

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Water Shortage Hits Tribes, But Is Mining to Blame? Jul 01, 2020

With the coronavirus spreading rapidly, several American Indian reservations in the Southwest are experiencing extreme water shortages, a problem worsened by poor water infrastructure.

Though no one denies the acuteness of the problem, what is in dispute is who's to blame. Activists and environmentalists in these communities say decades of water-intensive coal mining has caused a dramatic drop in their aquifer. But the company that ran these now-shuttered coal mines disagrees.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Law correspondent Tripp Baltz explains the effect this dispute is having on these tribal communities and why Congress may be about to step in.

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Bird Killing Plan Uses 'Sully' Plane Crash as Rationale Jun 24, 2020

The Trump Administration is putting forth a proposal that would eliminate, in some cases, the penalties for killing protected bird species. And, according to Bloomberg Law reporter Bobby Magill, it got pretty creative in justifying why it believes this move is necessary.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Magill explains how the administration cited 2009's "Miracle on the Hudson" plane crash as a reason why allowing more birds to be killed might be a good thing.

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Even Pandemic Can't Stop Shift to Renewable Energy Jun 17, 2020

You would think that record low fossil fuel prices would spell certain doom for the future of solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy. But you'd be wrong.

At least, that's according to Albert Cheung, the head of global analysis at the research group Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Cheung joins Parts Per Billion to talk about why the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic likely won't stop renewable energy from slowly but steadily replacing other forms of energy in the coming decades.

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For PFAS Plaintiffs, Delays Starting to Add Up Jun 10, 2020

The litigation over the toxic nonstick substances known as PFAS—or also known by their nickname "forever chemicals"—was already going to be pretty complicated. But now the pandemic has dialed that complexity up to a whole new level.

On this week's episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Ellen M. Gilmer talks about the delays these high stakes lawsuits have suffered in recent months and about whether one side in these types of disputes benefits more than the other when court deadlines get postponed.

And to check out our new landing page that collects all of Bloomberg Law's reporting on PFAS, click here.

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California Climate Rules Not Made for Pandemic Times Jun 03, 2020

California has some of the most aggressive climate change regulations of any state in the country. But, with greenhouse gas emissions plummeting due to the economic shutdown, those regulations may actually be backfiring.

On this week's episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg News reporter David R. Baker explains how the Golden State's so-called "cap-and-trade" system for greenhouse gasses is struggling to function in a pandemic-afflicted world.

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Coronavirus Is in Air, on Surfaces and Even in Sewage May 27, 2020

The human body isn't the only place the coronavirus can be found. Pieces of the pathogen can be found throughout the environment, even in the waste we flush down the toilet.

On this week's episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Sylvia Carignan explains how environmental testing for the coronavirus might work and why scientists are asking the EPA to get to work developing a standard method of testing.

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Is EPA Trying to Help Older Workers, or Exploit Them? May 20, 2020

The EPA has a program to hire older workers to perform administrative, and sometimes more complex, duties. It's meant to help the seniors get some work experience and earn some income, but the workers' wages are drastically lower than those of their younger colleagues.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Stephen Lee explains who these workers are and why they continue working at the agency despite their low pay.

Read more of Stephen's reporting on this issue here.

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Where Crude Oil Goes When There's Nowhere to Store It May 13, 2020

The price of oil is at a once-unthinkable low due to the coronavirus pandemic and its accompanying drop off in demand. In fact, the global supply of crude outstrips demand by so much that simply finding a place to store it all is becoming a problem.

This sudden shift in oil markets could have huge ramifications for the environment, as faulty or haphazard oil storage is a particularly acute source of pollution.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we hear from Rachel Adams-Heard, a Bloomberg News energy reporter based on Houston, about some of the environmental risks of ultra-cheap oil and about whether, if the price of crude continues to fall, illegal dumping may all of a sudden become financially attractive.

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GMO Debate Could Be Upended by Engineered Mosquitoes May 06, 2020

The prospect of the wide release of genetically engineered mosquitoes got much closer to reality recently when the EPA gave a biotech company permission to conduct a mosquito field trial in the Florida Keys.

The environmental impacts of releasing GMO insects into the wild could be significant, but perhaps more significant is their potential to rid the world of mosquito-borne diseases. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Adam Allington explains what these mosquitoes are engineered to do and why their public health properties might lead people to rethink their unease with GMOs.

Read more about the mosquito field trial here. And check out Adam's six-part podcast on threats facing bees and other pollinators here.

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'Tiger King,' Virus Make Wildlife a Bipartisan Issue Apr 29, 2020

A strange confluence of events involving a hit Netflix TV show and a global pandemic originating from the animal trade has all of a sudden turned wildlife trafficking into a prime time topic on Capitol Hill.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Dean Scott explains why both Republicans and Democrats now view a crack down on the sale of wildlife as a winning political issue heading into this fall's elections.

Read more reporting on this issue here.

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Toxic Cleanup Slowdown Hits Low Income Areas Hardest Apr 22, 2020

The EPA took action earlier this month to allow cleanup work at some toxic Superfund sites to slow down or even stop during the coronavirus pandemic.

The agency did this to protect the workers cleaning up these sites, who may not be able to social distance on the job or to even find the necessary protective gear. But the move also negatively affects the neighborhoods near Superfund sites, many of which contain a disproportionate amount of public housing.

On this week's episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Sylvia Carignan explains what this Superfund order means and why these sites tend to be located in low income communities.

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Why Interior's Post-Virus Plan is Lots of Hunting Apr 15, 2020

The Department of the Interior wants Americans to celebrate the (presumptive) end of the coronavirus pandemic this fall by going out to federal lands and hunting some animals.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Bobby Magill explains why the department wants to open up millions of acres of public wildlife refuges for hunting and what this could mean for the environment.

Click here to read more of Bobby's reporting on this issue.

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Pandemic's Effects on Environment Are Good, Bad, Weird Apr 08, 2020

The massive scope of the coronavirus pandemic is having some strange effects on the environment. For example, some sewer operators are reporting an increased rate of blockages caused by a pile up of those "flushable" sanitizing wipes everyone is using.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with California correspondent Emily C. Dooley about some of the strange environmental trends that have popped up in her state and elsewhere as a result of the pandemic and its economic aftermath.

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Virus Strains Waste Industry, Regulators Weigh Relief Apr 01, 2020

The waste management industry is about to get a deluge of medical waste as the coronavirus pandemic ramps up in the U.S. This deluge is also coming at a time when many of its employees will likely be getting sick.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Sylvia Carignan talks about how the industry is asking for some leniency from environmental regulators and about how that leniency could affect the environment.

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Judges Struggle With Environmental Cases Amid Pandemic Mar 25, 2020

Environmental problems persist, so federal judges hearing environmental cases are struggling to make sure this litigation doesn't grind to a halt.

On today's episode of Parts Per Billion, legal reporter Ellen M. Gilmer talks about the many virus-related delays in these cases and about one case over the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in which a judge decided a hearing must go on.

(Note: After the recording of this episode, the judge in the Dakota pipeline case issued a ruling. Visit news.bloombergenvironment.com for breaking news coverage.)

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EPA Grudgingly Embraces Telecommuting Amid Pandemic Mar 18, 2020

The EPA under the Trump administration has frowned upon allowing its own employees to work from home—that is, until a global pandemic suddenly changed the agency's mind.

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporter Stephen Lee talks about the EPA's approach toward telework, how the coronavirus has altered that approach, and about the Trump administration's attempt to bring private-sector management philosophies into the government.

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Gun Toting Ranchers May Win With Trump Grazing Policy Mar 11, 2020

A group of heavily armed ranchers made headlines a few years ago by getting into a tense standoff with law enforcement during their protest of federal grazing policies.

Though those Obama-era protests more or less fizzled out, Bloomberg Environment's Bobby Magill says now the Trump administration may be poised to give the angry ranchers nearly everything they wanted. Magill joins our podcast, Parts Per Billion, to talk about the proposal to change grazing rules on federal lands and what its environmental impact could be.

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Honey Bees Get Attention, But Native Bees Need Help Feb 28, 2020

Problems with honey bees have grabbed headlines, but scientists say we should really be tracking the health of native bee species.

That's one of many topics discussed at a recent annual conference in Seattle for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS. Bloomberg Environment's Adam Allington was at the conference and held a live taping of our special six-part podcast series, Business of Bees. Host: David Schultz. Producers: Jessica Coomes, Marissa Horn, Josh Block.

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Dominion, Duke Hike to Supreme Court in Trail Dispute Feb 18, 2020

Two energy companies, Dominion and Duke, want to build a pipeline underneath the famed Appalachian Trail, but environmentalists want them to go take a hike. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we head out to the trail with Bloomberg Environment's Ellen M. Gilmer and find out what this dispute is about and why it's heading all the way to the Supreme Court. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Josh Block.

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Introducing Downballot Counts Feb 10, 2020

This week, we're sharing an episode of the newest weekly podcast from Bloomberg Industry Group, Downballot Counts. It's a podcast about the 2020 U.S. House and Senate elections and the fight to control Congress. The series is hosted by Bloomberg Government Senior Elections Reporter Greg Giroux and Elections Team Leader Kyle Trygstad. Subscribe to Downballot Counts wherever you get your podcasts.

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FDA, EPA in Turf War Over Toxic Medical Device Gas Jan 31, 2020

There's a particular chemical gas that the medical device industry uses to sterilize its instruments and, unfortunately, that gas happens to be extremely toxic. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, reporters Amena H. Saiyid and Ayanna Alexander explain how the FDA and the EPA are at a loss for how to deal with this gas and they lay out the stakes of new environmental regulations for the healthcare industry. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Jessica Coomes and Anna Yukhananov.

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We Track PFAS Litigation So You Don’t Have To Jan 10, 2020

There are dozens upon dozens of lawsuits out there over the potentially toxic substances known as “Forever Chemicals.” On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we bring in Bloomberg Environment’s best PFAS reporters and have a roundtable discussion about the suits that could have the biggest impact on the legal landscape in 2020. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Jessica Coomes and Anna Yukhananov.

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While You Were Merry, Christmas Tree Farmers Worried Dec 27, 2019

An ongoing environmental issue may make it harder to acquire your annual holiday conifer. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, agriculture reporter Adam Allington tells us about how the move to ban a powerful pesticide may make life harder for Christmas Tree farmers. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Pipelines, Tolls, and Franz Kafka in Federal Court Dec 13, 2019

One of the most senior judges in the U.S. says a federal agency's pipeline approval process is a bureaucratic nightmare straight out of a Kafka novel. Bloomberg Environment's Ellen Gilmer joins Parts Per Billion, to talk about this process and about how a lawsuit challenging it could make it much easier for environmental groups to block the construction of these interstate pipelines. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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The Global Stakes of Saving the Alaskan Rainforest Dec 06, 2019

There's a fight going on right now over saving the rainforest, but it might not be the rainforest you're thinking of. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Environment's Bobby Magill talks about the Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska and how its future could affect the environment not just locally but literally across the entire planet. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Years-Long Fight Against PFAS Coming to a Theater Near You Nov 20, 2019

Reporter David Schultz sits down with lawyer Rob Bilott, who is portrayed by Mark Ruffalo in the new film, “Dark Waters,” to talk about his crusade to hold DuPont Co. accountable for chemical contamination that a West Virginia farmer believed was killing his cattle.

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The Farmer Who Got Punished for Reporting Pollution Nov 05, 2019

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Environment's Pat Rizzuto tells us about what happens when people discover their land has been polluted with PFAS chemicals and why there are strong incentives for them to stay quiet. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Feud With Trump Fouling the Air in California Oct 15, 2019

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Toxic Waste Case at SCOTUS Affects Big Business, Small Town Sep 30, 2019

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we do a super-deep dive into a case that the Supreme Court will be hearing in its upcoming term. The case questions how far big businesses must go to clean up their pollution, and we hear from residents of the tiny Montana town where the lawsuit originated.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Fighting the War Against Military Pollution Sep 20, 2019

Waging war—and keeping the peace—can be a dirty business. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), the congressman in charge of the Pentagon's environmental cleanup, about how the military is doing on this difficult issue and about negotiations over what could be a landmark bill to address PFAS contamination.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Congress Lurches from "Must Pass" to "Must Pass" Sep 09, 2019

Congress is back in town and, just this month, it will be facing several bills that all carry the unofficial designation of "must pass." Bloomberg Environment's Capitol Hill reporter Dean Scott joins Parts Per Billion to talk about what this "must pass" tag means and whether any environmental bills will hitch a ride on these quick-moving pieces of legislation.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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New Federal Lands Manager Wants to Sell Federal Land Aug 07, 2019

The new acting head of the Bureau of Land Management, Bill Pendley, has some strong views about how federal lands should be managed: he'd like to see them all sold off On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Environment's Bobby Magill talks about how Pendley's appointment indicates the Trump administration is taking an uncompromising approach to long-simmering tensions over land use in the West.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Alaska Swelters as Scientists Sweat Funding Cuts Jul 12, 2019

Alaska is sweltering through a record heat wave that many are attributing to climate change, but climate scientists at the state's largest university may see their funding cut in the near future. Bloomberg Environment's Maya Goldman talks about why Alaska's governor is cutting this funding and about the tough fiscal choices climate change is forcing lawmakers to make.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn & Jessica Coomes.

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California an Unusual Underdog in Fight With Feds Jun 25, 2019

California doesn't usually find itself in the underdog role, but that's exactly where it is in its ongoing legal battles with the Trump Administration over the rollback of environmental protections. Emily Dooley, Bloomberg Environment's California correspondent, joins Parts Per Billion, to discuss how the Golden State's political leaders are struggling to stay aggressive in the courtroom against their much larger and more powerful foes.

Host: David Schultz

Editors: Marissa Horn & Jessica Coomes

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As Climate Heats Up, So Do Shareholder Meetings Jun 19, 2019

Big oil and gas companies like Chevron and Exxon Mobil are facing off more frequently with activist shareholders who want to force these companies to address climate change. Kevin Crowley, an energy reporter with Bloomberg News, joins Parts Per Billion to talk about what these activists are trying to do and how they may be losing some battles, but winning the overall war.

Host: David Schultz.

Producers: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Kids Climate Suit Could Be 'Trial of the Century' Jun 06, 2019

The eyes of many in the legal world are glued to a lawsuit from a group of children who are suing the federal government over climate change. But as climate reporter Abby Smith tells us, these kids have a long way to go before they get their day in court.

Host: David Schultz.

Producers: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Bees Are Big Business, Believe It or Not May 17, 2019

Bees are a symbol of industriousness, but they've also been the cause of no small amount of panic in recent years amid reports that the flying honey makers may be going extinct. We took a deep dive into these issues with our new special podcast series, Business of Bees, and its producers join Parts Per Billion to talk about what they’ve learned.

Host: David Schultz.

Producers: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Action on Climate in House, But Not Enough for Some May 08, 2019

The House passed its first major climate change bill in a decade last week, but few environmentalists are cheering. Bloomberg Environment's Tiffany Stecker joins Parts Per Billion to talk about where Congress is at on climate change and where it may be heading in the months and years to come.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Jessica Coomes, Marissa Horn.

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Forget Carbon Neutral, Let's Go Carbon Negative Apr 22, 2019

Scientists have developed ways to suck greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. So climate change is solved then, right? Bloomberg Environment's Abby Smith tells us why this technology isn't yet ready for widespread use and why the government's policies toward what some call "carbon capture" aren't totally coherent right now.

Host: David Schultz

Editors: Jessica Coomes, Marissa Horn

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Saving Water—and Money—With the Power of Plumbing Apr 03, 2019

San Antonio's water utility has discovered a way to help its low-income residents and simultaneously conserve water: it sends a plumber out to their house, for free. On the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with the official who runs this program in San Antonio to learn about the intersection of water affordability and water conservation.

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The Pro-Tax, Anti-Climate Denialism Republican Mar 19, 2019

Alex Flint believes climate change is real and the best way to deal with it is to raise taxes on carbon emissions. He's also a Republican. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with Flint about how a carbon tax would work, how it could appeal to conservatives, and why he thinks the carbon tax in the Democrats' Green New Deal won't become a reality.

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How to Sell a Power Plant No One Wants to Buy Mar 06, 2019

The owners of Arizona's Navajo Generating Station are having a hard time finding someone who wants to take the power plant off their hands before its lease expires at the end of the year. But while few if any want to buy the plant, there lots of people who don't want to see it close. Bloomberg Environment's Stephen Lee joins us to talk about why the future of the largest coal-fired power plant west of the Mississippi is so uncertain.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Regulatory Future Murky for 'Forever Chemicals' Feb 22, 2019

Bloomberg Environment's Sylvia Carignan joins Parts Per Billion to talk about the future of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," a family of man-made substances that have been found in groundwater across the country and have been linked to numerous health problems.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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Wheeler Likely to Breeze Through Senate Jan 31, 2019

The President wants Andrew Wheeler to be the permanent chief of the EPA, but first he'll have to get through the Senate. Bloomberg Environment's Dean Scott joins us to talk about how Wheeler's nomination will almost certainly succeed, although the vote may be pretty close.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Jessica Coomes and Marissa Horn.

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Mercury Rising in Debate Over EPA Mercury Limits Jan 24, 2019

Mercury's not just for thermometers anymore—it also comes out of power plants. Bloomberg Environment's Amena Saiyid joins us to talk about what the EPA is doing about mercury pollution from power plants and which special interests are pushing the agency which way on this issue.

Host: David Schultz.

Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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No Clear Path Forward on Climate After Poland Jan 08, 2019

The United Nations’ recent climate change conference in Poland didn’t yield much in the way of breakthroughs. That raises the question: How long before catastrophic climate impacts become unavoidable? Bloomberg Environment’s Bobby Magill joins us on our podcast to summarize what went down in Poland and what that means for how the world will respond to global climate change. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Jessica Coomes and Marissa Horn.

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The Surprisingly Sturdy Legacy of Ryan Zinke Dec 20, 2018

Ryan Zinke is gone from President Trump's cabinet, but Bloomberg Environment's Stephen Lee says he won't soon be forgotten. Lee joins us to talk about the long-lasting consequences of Zinke's 22 months atop the Department of the Interior, and who may potentially be his successor. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Jessica Coomes and Marissa Horn.

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The EPA’s Disastrous Disaster Response Dec 13, 2018

How well did the EPA handle last year’s hurricanes and wildfires? Bloomberg Environment reporter Sylvia Carignan found a copy of the agency’s “warts and all” self-assessment of its disaster response, and she said it contains a lot of warts. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Jessica Coomes and Marissa Horn.

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UN's Climate Conference Convenes in Poland, and So Do We Dec 05, 2018

The UN's 24th annual climate change conference begins in Poland this week amid increasing signs that a global environmental catastrophe is afoot. Bloomberg Environment's Bobby Magill is there and he spoke with the head of the UN's General Assembly about what needs to happen to fix this problem, or at least prevent it from getting significantly worse. Host: David Schultz. Producer: Jessica Coomes. Editor: Marissa Horn.

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Talking Pesticides on Turkey Day Nov 21, 2018

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we have Bloomberg Environment’s Tiffany Stecker on to talk about the pesticides that might be in your food. Specifically, she talks about a particularly potent bug-killing chemical that hasn’t gone away in the developing world, even though the U.S., Europe, and other developed areas have largely declared it unsafe. Host: David Schultz. Editors: Marissa Horn and Jessica Coomes.

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New Congress Will Bring Oversight, Policy Changes Nov 07, 2018

Congress will look very different when it gavels in next year with a new House Democratic Majority and an expanded Republican Senate. On this special post-election episode of "Suspending the Rules," our reporters and legislative analysts break down the implications of a divided Congress for a variety of key issues. In this episode: • Bloomberg Government senior congressional reporter Nancy Ognanovich dives into the election returns and dynamics in the new Congress. • Bloomberg Government health policy reporter Shira Stein discusses what's in store for the Affordable Care Act, "Medicare-for-All," and drug pricing. • Bloomberg Government homeland security reporter Michaela Ross reviews potential moves on immigration. • Bloomberg Environment editor Rob Tricchinelli talks about what the election could mean for climate policy and environmental regulations. • Bloomberg Tax reporter Stu Basu discusses Democrats' tax priorities and plans to seek President Donald Trump's tax returns. Hosts: Adam M. Taylor, Danielle Parnass, Sarah Babbage Engineer: Nico Anzalotta

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Tiny Power Plants, Tiny Chemicals & Tiny Plaintiffs Nov 06, 2018

On this week's episode of our weekly podcast, Parts Per Billion, we get small: small power plants, small amounts of chemicals in your breakfast, and an update on a lawsuit from some small people. Bloomberg Environment's Adam Allington and Bobby Magill join us to discuss the future of coal and the future of litigation that could change the way the government addresses climate change. Host: David Schultz Producers: Jessica Coomes & Marissa Horn

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Are You Smarter Than an Environmental Reporter? Oct 31, 2018

This week, we introduce a new segment on our weekly environmental policy podcast, Parts Per Billion: a news quiz where you can test your knowledge of current events against Bloomberg Environment’s finest journalists. We also hear from one of those journalists, climate reporter Abby Smith, about an on-again-off-again lawsuit from a group of young people who are arguing that the government has a constitutional duty to combat climate change. Host: David Schultz. Producer: Jessica Coomes.

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The New Gold Rush 3 Miles Under the Ocean Oct 12, 2018

The conditions may finally be right for deep sea mining. Demand for rare minerals is peaking thanks to consumer electronics, and technology has developed enough that drilling three miles underwater can be done safely. Or can it? This week on Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Environment's Adam Allington tells us about why some environmentalists and scientists think mining isn't actually better down where it's wetter. Host: David Schultz Editors: Marissa Horn & Nicholas Anzalotta-Kynoch Producers: Rachael Daigle & Jessica Coomes

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The Pentagon's $2 Billion Contamination Problem Aug 30, 2018

There's a new contamination problem that people are calling "the new asbestos." It's per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS. PFAS has been linked to numerous health problems, and cities and towns across the country have been finding them in their water supplies—especially towns or around military bases. Why? Because PFAS was commonly used in firefighting foam that was sprayed liberally on tarmacs and airstrips. Maureen Sullivan is the Pentagon's point person for addressing this mushrooming problem. She said the cost of cleaning up PFAS contamination could exceed $2 billion and take a generation to complete. We spoke to her at the annual conference of the Environmental Council of the States in Stowe, Vt.

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Don't Just Throw Away That Fracking Wastewater Aug 28, 2018

Fracking involves shooting water deep underground to break open oil and gas formations. Most of that water comes back up to the surface eventually. What are we supposed to do with it? Nichole Saunders, an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund, says we need to do A LOT more research before we start using this wastewater instead of just storing it back underground. We spoke to Saunders at the annual conference of the Environmental Council of the States in Stowe, Vt. Check back in later this week for more podcasts from Vermont.

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Climate Solutions, or Maybe Just Wishful Thinking Aug 23, 2018

Some scientists out there are working on a plan to suck greenhouse gasses out of the air. Is this a potentially revolutionary solution to the problem of climate change? Bloomberg Environment's Bobby Magill says don't go popping the champagne corks just yet. In the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, Magill talks about the struggle to make carbon removal viable—not just technologically, but also economically and even morally viable.

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Taking Plastic Straws Out of the Ballgame Jul 25, 2018

It seems you can't go a week anymore without someone announcing they're banning plastic straws in the name of reducing water pollution. As Bloomberg Environment's Sam McQuillan reports, even the sporting world is getting into the act. For the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, we talk with Sam about why sports stadiums are announcing bans on plastic straws and about the star power behind this nascent movement.

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Who Is Brett Kavanaugh? Jul 10, 2018

Brett Kavanaugh is the man of the hour. The federal appeals court judge was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Trump, who called him “one of the finest and sharpest legal minds in our time.” Bloomberg Environment reporter Fatima Hussein says Kavanaugh has a lengthy and interesting record on environmental issues. For the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, Fatima breaks down what a possible “Associate Justice Kavanaugh” would mean for air, water, soil, and more.

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More Money, More Problems for Polluted Real Estate Jul 05, 2018

More money is always better, right? Well, not when it comes to redeveloping polluted real estate. On the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, we hear from Bloomberg Environment reporter Sylvia Carignan on why larger redevelopment grants from the EPA may actually hurt small, rural communities.

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Solar Offers Promise to Puerto Ricans Frustrated With Utility May 24, 2018

Many Puerto Ricans are fed up with their government-run electric utility, with sporadic outages still occurring more than eight months after Hurricane Maria. Bloomberg Environment reporter Rebecca Kern just returned from the island, and she found that demand there for residential solar power is through the roof. But, as she tells us in the latest episode of Parts Per Billion, even solar panel installers are saying storm-fatigued residents are raising their hopes too high.

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Worker Safety at the Push of a Button May 07, 2018

Hotel workers have to go into what is essentially someone's bedroom by themselves multiple times a day. How do we keep them safe? Some California legislators think they have the solution: panic buttons. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with Bloomberg Environment reporter Fatima Hussein about her recent story on a bill in the Golden State that would require all hotels to provide workers with these personal safety devices.

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They Want to Mine Bitcoins Where?! Apr 30, 2018

One of the nice things about bitcoins is that you can mine them almost anywhere—even on a toxic Superfund site. For this week's episode of Parts Per Billion we explain why these unused, and possibly unusable, contaminated industrial sites might be perfect for bitcoin mining operations.

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EPA's Miles Per Gallon Decision Anything But Simple Apr 03, 2018

The EPA says it's going to revise the federal fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, which environmentalists fear could resurrect the gas guzzlers that used to roam the roads decades ago. For this episode of Parts Per Billion, we give the keys to climate reporter Abby Smith, who tries to explain a very complicated and messy regulatory situation. For one, she says, there's the issue of California, which has the power to set its own efficiency standards for cars and is likely not on board with the Trump administration's efforts to roll those standards back.

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Anyone Want to Buy a Superfund Site? Mar 05, 2018

Sometimes businesses leave toxic waste in their wake when they shut down a factory. What should be done with that contaminated land? That's where the EPA's Superfund program comes in. Its mission is to clean up the land and makes it usable for someone else. But who really wants to buy a Superfund site? For the latest of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg Environment reporter Sylvia Carignan talks about the agency's efforts to make these rehabilitated properties more attractive to potential buyers and why often times that can be a really difficult task.

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Back to Nature in the Big City Feb 15, 2018

Hey big city dwellers, ever wish you could escape the stress of the concrete jungle and visit something that more resembles an actual jungle? Well now, thanks to something called the "biophilic" movement, your wish may be coming true. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we head over to Kingman Island--a nature preserve nestled in the heart of Washington's inner city--to learn more about this movement from Bloomberg Environment reporter Adam Allington.

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Pot and Poison on Illegal Weed Farms Feb 01, 2018

Marijuana is becoming a big business and many are hoping this will eventually drive out the illegal pot farmers and their environmental reckless pest control tactics. However, not everyone is so sure. Legal pot could just create a larger market for the drug, which in turn could make it more lucrative to grow the crop illegally. On this episode of Bloomberg Environment's podcast Parts Per Billion, we speak with reporter Sara Merken about the environmental hazards of growing marijuana and about the future of this crop as it slowly moves out of the shadows.

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New Year, New Environment? Jan 05, 2018

Welcome to 2018! For the latest episode of our podcast, Parts Per Billion, we convene a roundtable discussion among Bloomberg Environment reporters of some of the big policy issues that will be shaping the news in this new year. We touch on everything from energy to chemicals to, of course, climate change. (Note: Due to recording problems, some of the audio in this week's episode is distorted. We apologize for the audio quality.)

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China, Nutella and the Christmas Industrial Complex Dec 21, 2017

Have you noticed that Christmas trees are harder to come by this year? There's a reason for that. That reason is nutty, chocolatey and tastes great on toast. It's Nutella. For this week's episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with global environment reporter Adam Allington about how the soaring popularity of the chocolate spread Nutella, especially in China, is connected in surprising ways to this year's Christmas tree shortage in the U.S.

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There's No Easy Way to Get the Lead Out Nov 08, 2017

It's been almost three years since the lead contamination crisis in Flint, Mich., and the EPA still hasn't updated its regulations on the toxic heavy metal. Why? Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat who represents Flint in Congress, says if it were easy, it would have been done by now. We speak with Kildee about why he thinks water utilities have it too easy under EPA's current regulatory regime.

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Will Corporations Save Us From Climate Change? Oct 16, 2017

It's pretty clear that the federal government is now out of the business of leading the way on climate change. Can America's CEO's fill this leadership vacuum? We speak with Dean Scott about what companies are doing to become more sustainable and whether you really can "do well by doing good."

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Celebrate SCOTUS Day With Parts Per Billion Oct 02, 2017

For attorneys, today is like Christmas, July 4th and Super Bowl Sunday all rolled into one. It's the first day of the Supreme Court's new term! To get you prepared for what to expect, we spoke with John Cruden, who was the top environmental attorney in the Obama Department of Justice. Cruden talks with us about the environmental cases (or lack thereof) that the court has agreed to hear and also about how changes among the nine justices could affect the shape of their rulings.

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After Hurricane, Houston Can't Be What It Was Sep 28, 2017

In some ways, things are returning to normal in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. But in other, very important ways, things will never be back to normal there. We speak with Bloomberg BNA Houston correspondent Nushin Huq, a lifelong resident of the city, about how the cleanup is going a month after the storm and about some of the long-term environmental problems that may trouble Houston for years to come.

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The Frenzy Begins as Congress Returns Sep 05, 2017

Congress returns from a month-long vacation today and it definitely has its work cut out for it: by the end of this month, it has to fund the government, raise the debt ceiling, reauthorize the FAA and provide disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Harvey. We speak with Bloomberg BNA's Dean Scott and Brian Dabbs about all the environmental measures that might get tacked on to these "must pass" bills.

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Finger Pointing on the Farm Amid Weed Killer Calamity Aug 30, 2017

No one's sure who's to blame for the widespread crop damage that was caused by a new weed killer from Monsanto and BASF. Farmers blame the chemical companies, while the chemical companies blame state regulators, and so on and so on. In this episode, we speak with Bloomberg BNA's Tiffany Stecker, who just returned from a visit to the hardest hit area, to sort out what happened here.

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Does Scott Pruitt Hate Pot Smokers? Maybe Not Jul 28, 2017

The EPA recently disappointed many pot growers in states where the drug has been legalized. It reversed course from the Obama administration and refused to approve any pesticides for use on marijuana plants. Why did Pruitt's EPA change the administration's stance on this issue? Was it because he thinks smoking weed is morally wrong? Not necessarily, says Bloomberg BNA's Tiffany Stecker. She tells us that Pruitt may have also been listening to the agency's lawyers.

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Trump a Headache for Pollution Plagued Border Town Mayor Jun 19, 2017

On this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with the mayor of a California border town who's struggling with an international pollution problem. After big rain storms, raw sewage can seep into a river in Mexico that flows across the border into his town. Though the mayor is frustrated with his neighbors to the south, he says Donald Trump's harsh rhetoric is making all of these issues harder to solve.

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What Happens When Empty Desks Run the Government Jun 06, 2017

President Donald Trump blamed Democrats June 5 for “taking forever” to approve his administration’s appointees in a tweet, say that “They are nothing but OBSTRUCTIONISTS!” But, Trump hasn't moved the quickest of the last few presidents on vetting and getting appointees through the confirmation process—in fact, he is the slowest of the last four presidents, according to data collected by the Partnership for Public Service. Of the 559 key positions requiring Senate confirmation, Trump has pushed 40 through the Senate to full confirmation, formally nominated 63 and name dropped 25—however, without a formal nomination. Of the 559 key positions requiring Senate confirmation, Trump has pu So, how can agencies answer to Trump’s calls for deregulation when they have little to no authority or man power to do so?

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The World Reacts to Trump's Paris Withdrawal Jun 01, 2017

On this breaking news episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with international climate reporter Eric J. Lyman about how the major global powers will react to President Trump's decision earlier today to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.

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Sink Local Money Into Drinking Water Systems: GOP Lawmaker May 19, 2017

Infrastructure is one of those things that people like to say shouldn’t be a partisan issue, but maybe the secret of it is that it actually is: Democrats and Republicans have very different ideas about how to pay for it. That’s the highlight of our conversation with Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), chairman of a key environmental subcommittee in the House.

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No Tears from Environmentalists if NAFTA Is Done May 03, 2017

It looks like NAFTA might be going away, or at the very least getting significantly altered. Are environmentalists worried that the controversial deal's environmental provisions will vanish along with it? Actually no. This week, we hear from Bloomberg BNA international reporter Dean Scott on why the green movement never really liked NAFTA and why it wouldn't be that upset if the Trump administration defenestrated the trade deal.

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Why Is Water So Cheap? (Hint: It’s Not) Apr 04, 2017

This week on our environmental policy podcast Parts Per Billion we begin the first in a series on drinking water—specifically, how do we pay for the drinking water infrastructure upgrades the country badly needs? We pose that question to Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on a key environmental subcommittee in the House. He says without a big infusion of federal cash, incidents like the ongoing contamination crisis in Flint, Mich., could become commonplace.

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The Looming Trade War Trump May... Prevent? Mar 21, 2017

The EPA is in a tough place; it's got a deadline coming up in a few days to decide whether it should ban an insecticide used by farmers around the globe. If it does ban the bug killer, that would harm farmers in other countries that want to import their fruits and veggies to the U.S., and it may prompt those other countries to retaliate in ways that harm U.S. farmers. But, if the Trump administration decides not to ban chlorpyrifos, it will be going against mounting scientific evidence—much of it compiled by Trump’s predecessor—indicating that chlorpyrifos isn't safe.

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Who Is Neil Gorsuch? Mar 07, 2017

This week on Parts Per Billion, we’re going to be asking the question that everyone on Capitol Hill is going to be asking in a few days: Who is Neil Gorsuch? If he’s confirmed and takes Antonin Scalia’s long-empty seat, how will that change the way the court rules on environmental issues?

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Will Border Wall Harm Environment? Does That Matter? Feb 21, 2017

Will Donald Trump's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border harm the environment? (Maybe) Will the Trump administration be able to bring its wall into compliance with environmental laws? (Probably not) Will that prevent it from actually building the wall? (Nope)

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Air Pollution's Not Just for Cities Anymore Feb 07, 2017

Think air pollution only happens in big cities on hot summer days? Think again. This week on Parts Per Billion, we speak with Bloomberg BNA's Patrick Ambrosio about the surprising winter air problems some rural areas are facing and how these problems are scrambling environmental politics.

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Confirming All of the Presidents Men Jan 24, 2017

Confirmation season is in full swing at the U.S. Senate, and that's where we are this week. We head to the marble halls of the Greatest Deliberative Body in the World to speak with Bloomberg BNA's Brian Dabbs. He tells us whether lawmakers will confirm Donald Trump's nominees to lead the EPA, Department of Energy and other agencies, and about what the Democrats' chances are in blocking them. (Hint: not good)

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Coming to You From the Newsroom, It's 2017 Jan 10, 2017

To give you a sense of what will be coming down the pike in 2017, this week’s episode ventures out of typical our recording studio and directly into the Bloomberg BNA newsroom. There, we talk with the reporters who live and breathe their environmental policy beats and let them set the stage for a year that will see a new president and a new Congress come into office.

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Celebrating the Holidays with Chemicals Dec 27, 2016

This week, we're taking a holiday look back at one of our favorite episodes from earlier this year on the implications of the new chemicals law. What will the law mean for big companies, small companies and for you and me?

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International Climate Talks and Trump’s Ghost Dec 12, 2016

Even though he wasn't president yet, Donald Trump had a huge impact on the international climate change talks in Morocco a few weeks ago. Bloomberg BNA climate reporter Dean Scott talks about how The Donald influenced the outcome of the talks and where global climate negotiations are headed next.

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Making Abandoned Mines Usable Again Nov 21, 2016

How do you make an abandoned coal mine into something that stimulates a local economy, like a park or a farm, instead of literally just an empty hole in the ground? Mine reclamation may be the answer. And there’s a $1 billion bill in Congress right now that could kick start a wave of reclamation across the economically devastated towns in Appalachia. But there’s a catch: can the bill make it through the House and the Senate with only days left to go before the end of this lame-duck session of Congress?

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Trump Won, Now What? Nov 09, 2016

The results are in: Donald Trump will be our next president and Republicans will maintain control over both chambers of Congress. What will this mean for leadership at the EPA and in key environmental committees on Capitol Hill? We break it all down for you in a special live episode of Parts Per Billion.

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What the New Chemicals Law Means for You and Me Oct 26, 2016

Congress just passed an overhaul of its main chemicals law and some are calling it the most significant piece of environmental legislation in a generation. But what does it mean for you and me? This week, we speak with a consumer products industry leader and an environmental attorney to hear different perspectives on what this new law will mean for shoppers in the marketplace.

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Even In Wet Florida, Aquifers Drying Up Oct 11, 2016

Though it gets more than four feet of rain a year, groundwater aquifers in Florida are growing perilously low, much like in many other states. And that's triggering lots of secondary environmental problems, from toxic algae blooms to sinkholes that can swallow entire homes. This week on Parts Per Billion, we speak with Bloomberg BNA's Amena Saiyid about what's driving this problem and about what she saw on a kayak trip to a shallow Florida river.

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Great Barrier Reef's Problems Both Global and Local Sep 27, 2016

Both climate change and water pollution have made 2016 one of the worst years ever for the Great Barrier Reef. We speak with Bloomberg BNA Australia correspondent Murray Griffin about the economic and political obstacles making it difficult for Australia to stop the damage and fix what's been broken.

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What Is a GMO Anyway? Sep 13, 2016

Congress passed a GMO disclosure law earlier this summer, but food companies are still a little confused about out how to comply. One of the reasons for the confusion: not everyone agrees on what a GMO is or whether we should even call them GMOs. For this episode of Parts Per Billion, we speak with environmental attorney Keith Matthews about what the new law will mean for the food industry, for federal agencies and for shoppers in the grocery aisle.

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Climate Change in a Democratic Senate Aug 30, 2016

It's looking like the Democrats have a pretty good shot at taking back the Senate this fall. If they do, how will they tackle climate change? Do they all agree on what strategies they should pursue? (Spoiler alert: they don't) This is the latest in our series "In the Year 2017" that examines how a new administration and a new Congress will handle environmental issues next year and beyond.

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Flint, the Environment and Civil Rights Aug 16, 2016

What's wrong with the EPA's Office of Civil Rights? What's it doing to reform itself? And could it have prevented the Flint water crisis? We speak with Rachel Leven, Bloomberg BNA's environmental justice reporter, about problems at the EPA's civil rights watchdog and about who has been held accountable for Flint... at least, so far.

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The Graying of American Nuclear Power Aug 03, 2016

Power companies are soon going to have to decide whether to renew the licenses of nuclear reactors that were built in the 1960s. We speak with Bloomberg BNA energy reporter Rebecca Kern about how to keep a nuclear plant running past its sixth decade and whether it's even financially worth it to try.

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What Can Water Utilities Do to Prevent Another Flint? Jul 12, 2016

The second in a two-part conversation with DC Water chief George Hawkins: why water utilities don't have as many options as you might think to address the threat of lead-contaminated water.

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The Future of Water Is Exciting and Unfunded Jun 28, 2016

The first in a two-part conversation with DC Water chief George Hawkins: Where will the money come from to allow water utilities to move into the future while fixing the past and still keep operating in the present? In two weeks: the second part of our conversation in which Hawkins addresses the Flint crisis and talks about new monitoring technology that might help prevent something like it from happening again.

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All Hands on Deck in the War Against Mosquitoes Jun 15, 2016

The U.S. response to the Zika virus outbreak goes way beyond just the CDC. In this episode, we sit down with the top Zika response official at the EPA to talk about how the entire federal government--even the Department of Education--is playing a role.

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Was the VW Emissions Scandal Really Unforeseeable? Jun 01, 2016

We go digging into the sustainability reports VW filed in the years leading up to its emissions test cheating scandal to look for clues that might have indicated something was amiss.

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Canadian Oil, Down But Not Out May 17, 2016

This week, we talk with Bloomberg BNA energy reporter Alan Kovski about why things aren't going as badly as they seem for the Canadian oil industry and why, fresh off their victory on the Keystone pipeline, environmentalists face a tough road ahead with other, larger pipeline mega-projects in the works.

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What's Driving the Environmental Movement in China? May 04, 2016

This week we speak to Michael Standaert, our correspondent in China, about how to cover the environment in a country where it can be hard to get reliable data on just how bad the problem really is. He also talks about the urban/rural divide in China that is shaping how the country goes about cleaning up its air, water and soil.

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Why the GOP Can't Stop the Paris Agreement Apr 21, 2016

Though they may try, it's looking like Republicans in Congress won't be able to stop the Paris climate change agreement. On this episode of Parts Per Billion, Bloomberg BNA climate change reporter Dean Scott explains why the political math is not in the GOP's favor on this issue. He also previews this fall's climate conference in Morocco and talks about what it was like to cover last year's negotiations in Paris.

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The Environment Under President Trump Apr 11, 2016

What would environmental policy look like under President Donald J. Trump? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ On this episode of Bloomberg BNA's Parts Per Billion podcast, we talk to political reporter Anthony Adragna about the uncertainty surrounding what a Trump administration would do on climate change, renewable fuels, power plant emissions and much, much more.

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