Miranda Willson

Trump claims ‘wind mills’ kill whales but quietly torpedoes the… The Interior Department defunds two vital research programs that track North Atlantic right whales near active offshore wind construction sites.

SCOOP from me:

I uncovered that the Interior Department just quietly defunded *two* multimillion dollar research programs studying how whales move and behave near U.S. wind farms actively being built.

Trump blames wind turbines for whale deaths, then cuts vital research on the topic. 🧵

E&E News: Lead pipe projects face delays amid EPA funding holdup The agency said that billions to replace lead pipes will be allotted to states soon, but health advocates said the delay is highly unusual.

EPA "keeps saying it will come soon, and we keep waiting, and now we’re in a shutdown," one environmental advocate said of the funding delay.

The government’s own data rebuts Trump’s claims about wind and solar prices The Trump administration has targeted renewable energy for driving up electricity prices, but POLITICO’s analysis shows states that are growing their wind and solar power typically have lower power co...

Trump & his Cabinet say wind & solar are making electricity more expensive.

Federal data say the opposite.

Our analysis showed states w/ > avg wind/solar generation & > avg acceleration of wind/solar since ‘21 were likelier to have < avg power prices.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

E&E News: State wetland managers lose EPA funding The nonpartisan group that backs state and tribal wetland programs has been forced to reduce staffing and move out of its headquarters.

The Trump administration has ended a longstanding partnership between EPA and a national nonprofit that supports state wetland programs.

The agreement was a major source of funding for the National Association of Wetland Managers, which is now having to cut four of its nine staff positions.

E&E News: Why Trump’s bid to save coal might raise your water bill EPA says delaying wastewater curbs at coal plants will lower electricity prices, but it could spur higher costs for cleaning up drinking water.

Will allowing coal plants to continue with outdated water pollution controls actually save Americans' money, as the Trump administration has said? Maybe not, according to the agency's own cost-benefit analysis.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...

For at least two days last month, federal workers could not clean up the black oily goop in this Louisianan town beca of funding issues and a legitimate threat of gun violence.

My latest:

It's not clear how many projects are affected. But it'll be interesting to see how this plays among lawmakers in flood-prone states.

"It’s important that we come to a sensible, commonsense solution & not one that just says, ‘Nonstructural is all done here,’” Sen. Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said yesterday.

E&E News: Army Corps halts some large-scale flood studies The agency intends to reevaluate whether nonstructural projects, such as home elevations, are a good use of its resources.

Studies on future "nonstructural" flood control projects are paused at the Army Corps of Engineers. Rather than hold back floodwaters through things like levees & seawalls, these projects aim to reduce flood harms, by elevating homes, flood-proofing properties & offering people buyouts.

Katrina inspired a $3B wetlands rebuilding project. Louisiana just killed it. A pillar of the state's coastal restoration plan is dead. Its backers say it would have offered the most effective, natural storm protection.

Katrina inspired a $3B wetlands rebuilding project. Louisiana just killed it.

EPA plans to dramatically reduce wetland protection A proposal shared with staffers Wednesday would shrink the reach of Clean Water Act permitting and oversight.

EPA has proposed a regulation under the Clean Water Act that could eliminate protections for many wetlands and small streams. I obtained slides from a presentation given to agency staff yesterday with details on the rule, which is currently being reviewed by the White House.

Homeowners say the Army Corps and its contractors mishandled L.A. fire debris cleanup Complaints by survivors and internal government reports reveal a number of lapses and inconsistencies in Eaton and Palisades wildfire cleanup.

www.latimes.com/environment/...

GHG booster to Zeldin: Beware ‘public health harms’ of regulations Documents show that fossil energy promoter Alex Epstein asked the EPA administrator to stop using a scientific model to project climate impacts.

@politico.com’s E&E News first reported on the March EPA meeting back in April, and today, @mirandawrites.bsky.social posted an update about the meeting citing the new @nsarchive.bsky.social docs. Read her piece here:
www.eenews.net/articles/ghg...

www.notus.org/climate-envi...

E&E News: Trump 1.0 funded her PFAS study. Trump 2.0 revoked it. A research project on "forever chemicals" was abruptly canceled by EPA in April. The agency still wanted the report, though.

“If we're not going to see this kind of funding from the EPA, where is it going to show up?” Preisendanz said. “PFAS research is so expensive. You can fund the student, but if that student doesn't have money for sample analysis or sample collection, it's not very helpful."

The council member is Elin Betanzo, a Michigan-based water engineer. The council met today to discuss EPA's plan to rescind its drinking water regulation for 4 types of PFAS and extend compliance deadlines for 2 other PFAS -- a shift that Betanzo said she opposes.

E&E News: EPA bars Trump admin critic from expert panel The move sets a “dangerous precedent,” said the engineer and consultant who is a member of the agency's National Drinking Water Advisory Council.

EPA ordered a member of its drinking water advisory council to “cease all work” for the agency after she signed a letter criticizing Administrator Lee Zeldin’s policies. She is now being investigated by EPA.

“Staggering” Water Loss Driven by Groundwater Mining Poses Global Threat A new study finds that freshwater resources are rapidly disappearing, creating arid “mega” regions and causing sea levels to rise.

A looming global water crisis may be under appreciated as climate change takes hold. Today I report on a new study that finds the planet is quickly drying, with mega-regions of water loss now stretching across continents. www.propublica.org/article/wate...

E&E News: Critics blast damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene cleanup “We’re scratching our heads and thinking the recovery activities were actually more damaging than the storm itself," said a North Carolina official.

A coalition of North Carolina fishing guides, wildlife biologists & environmentalists say the colossal FEMA-funded cleanup after Hurricane Helene has left rural stretches of rivers less healthy than they were after the storm and caused more damage to endangered species than the storm itself.

E&E News: Trump admin inks deal with Mexico over sewage crisis Experts described it as a first step toward cleaning up the Tijuana River Valley, if both countries uphold their ends of the pact.

The Trump administration reached an agreement with Mexico to work toward resolving a sewage pollution crisis at the San Diego-Tijuana border. Experts welcomed the news, while noting that there's no silver bullet & that the Mexican Congress still needs to agree to fund infrastructure improvements.

E&E News: Florida proposes Everglades tract for migrant detention "If people get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons," state Attorney General James Uthmeier said.

A 24,960-acre site in the Everglades teeming with wildlife will soon house a "temporary" migrant jail. Gov. DeSantis is citing an emergency order on immigration to move forward quickly. Unclear if environmental permits are needed, but 96% of the site is covered in wetlands, one group says.

‘Forever chemicals’ industry aims to capitalize on AI boom Semiconductor production is impossible without PFAS, spurring fresh concerns about increased contamination tied to the toxic substances.

PFAS manufacturers are making the case that they’re essential to winning the AI race & making semiconductors in the U.S. — a priority under both Trump and Biden. Now, two major chemical plants are seeking to ramp up production, spurring fresh concerns about pollution from the man-made substances.

Infamous PFAS polluter still spewing ‘forever chemicals’ Water utilities far down the Ohio River from Chemours’ West Virginia plant are alarmed by its PFAS discharges. Will EPA step up?

When EPA announced a crackdown on a West Virginia chemical plant in 2023, it was hailed as the first federal action to hold PFAS manufacturers accountable for polluting water. But the plant continues to violate its permit limits for PFAS, which experts say are not very protective to begin with.

E&E News: EPA restructuring spurs questions on ‘forever chemicals’ plans The agency says limits on PFAS pollution are coming. But it's also eliminating the office that works on them.

EPA is dissolving its dedicated research & science team in the Office of Water and dispersing its staff across different departments. The change affects the team that develops standards for industrial pollutants, including toxic PFAS, to prevent them from getting into rivers, lakes and streams.

Environmental regulators from red & blue states say proposed EPA budget cuts could force them to give up their federal permitting authorities.

Republicans have long argued that states, not EPA, should carry out programs under laws like the Clean Water Act. But they need funding to do so.

Rachel Frazin — Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America - with Miranda Willson — at The Wharf

Tomorrow, @mirandawrites.bsky.social and I will be at Politics and Prose at The Wharf

politics-prose.com/rachel-frazin

Rachel Frazin — Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America - with Miranda Willson — at The Wharf

DC friends, in two days you can join me and @mirandawrites.bsky.social for a discussion on PFAS and my new book! See ya soon!!

#BookSky

politics-prose.com/rachel-frazin

E&E News: Capito pushed back after EPA froze toxic pollution grant The agency terminated a grant to address "forever chemicals" in West Virginia due to its connection to environmental justice.

A member of Sen. Capito's staff tried to intervene last month after EPA froze a $1 million grant to help West Virginia address toxic chemical pollution.

The agency still terminated the grant, which focuses on PFAS contamination, because it "no longer supports Administration priorities," EPA said.

Trump admin sets up ‘deregulation suggestions’ webpage It's the latest example of President Donald Trump's push to slash regulations, including rules aimed at protecting public health and the environment.

NEW: "The Trump administration is greasing the path to advance its regulation-busting crusade through a public online submission form." via @mirandawrites.bsky.social
www.eenews.net/articles/tru...

E&E News: Roadblock looms as EPA weighs ‘forever chemicals’ rollback Administrator Lee Zeldin recently questioned new limits on the chemicals in drinking water. A strict "anti-backsliding" requirement could pose challenges.

EPA is reconsidering its first-ever national drinking water rule for PFAS -- toxic chemicals found in many Americans' tap water. Utilities & some senators are concerned about the cost of the rule, Administrator Zeldin said last week.

But experts say it could be tough to weaken the rule. Here's why.

Rachel Frazin — Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America - with Miranda Willson — at The Wharf

DC friends: one month from today I’ll be speaking at Politics and Prose at the Wharf about my book and PFAS more broadly!

Convo will be moderated by my friend and ace water reporter @mirandawrites.bsky.social

Mark your calendars!

politics-prose.com/event/2025-0...