Energy & Environment — EPA told to regulate rocket fuel chemical in drinking water

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View Online Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story  EPA must regulate perchlorate, court says A federal court on Tuesday tossed a 2020 decision from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to regulate a chemical that's used in rocket fuel and linked to thyroid issues.  © AP Photo/Ric Francis The Trump administration in 2020 said there was not a "meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction" for addressing perchlorate, which may also harm fetal brain development.    The Biden administration upheld that decision last year.   But a court on Tuesday nixed that determination. The court decided that the Safe Drinking Water Act did not give the EPA the authority to reverse a 2011 decision in favor of issuing drinking water standards for perchlorate.   A concurring opinion from the court disagreed on the statutory authority question but said that the agency was working with a "biased dataset that was selectively updated" and that its decision was based on inadequate health goals.    The EPA said in 2020 that the number of people who could be consuming the chemical at concerning levels could be between 26,000 and 620,000.   Read more in a full report at TheHill.com. Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, we're Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future: Nuclear regulator OKs New Mexico spent fuel facility opposed by state, federal officials The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Tuesday announced it issued an interim license for a facility in New Mexico to store spent nuclear fuel.   Full Story 9 states, DC and NYC call for federal action on gas stoves Nines states as well as the cities of New York and Washington, D.C., are calling on the federal government to issue regulations related to gas stoves.  Full Story Long Beach, Calif., unveils plans for biggest wind turbine facility at any US seaport Southern California's Port of Long Beach unveiled plans Tuesday to build the biggest offshore wind manufacturing facility at any U.S. seaport, aiming to churn out turbines as tall as the Eiffel Tower. The future Pier Wind hub will accommodate the assembly of floating offshore turbines — a relatively new technology deployed in coastal zones where the water is too deep to support conventional structures fixed to the seafloor.  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read on The Hill: Possible meteorite smashes through roof of New Jersey home: police HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (WPIX) – A metallic object believed to be a meteorite struck the roof of a home Monday in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, police said.  Full Story What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: An Illinois law required schools to test water for lead. They found it all over the state (The Chicago Tribune) Climate Change Forces a Rethinking of Mammoth Everglades Restoration Plan (Inside Climate News)   Chinese investment in Europe shifts to greenfield battery projects - report (Reuters)   'Mind-boggling' methane emissions from Turkmenistan revealed (The Guardian) On Tap  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: EPA Administrator Michael Regan will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in hearing on the agency's budget. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will hear from state attorneys general on ESG. Officials will the Energy Department will testify before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and CHIPS bill. The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on climate change featuring former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R), former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad. What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Biden says he's considering 14th Amendment as debt ceiling option President Biden on Tuesday said he has been looking at the 14th Amendment as a way to unilaterally work around the debt ceiling, though he acknowledged it will not be a viable short-term solution with the nation on track to default without congressional action by June. Read more DeSantis signs bill that bans Chinese citizens from buying land in Florida Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed multiple bills on Monday that prohibit Chinese citizens from purchasing land in the state. Read more Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: Putting regenerative solutions in the Farm Bill would benefit us all   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Energy & Environment page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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