Environmental Health

"Efforts to expand production and exports of ethane—a natural gas byproduct used to make plastics—were criticized by groups that told the Department of Energy Tuesday that any job gains wouldn’t benefit regions bearing the brunt of environmental damage."

"Heat kills in the big city. So does lack of air conditioning. Of the roughly 70 New Yorkers directly killed by heat exposure in their own homes over the past decade, the majority — some 80% — did not own air conditioners, and those who did weren’t running them when they died."

"Although the formaldehyde assessment has grave implications for public health, Trump administration officials refused to allow the EPA to release it."

"Governments should take advantage of the third postponement of a United Nations biodiversity summit tasked with striking a global deal to protect nature by boosting ambition and finance for conservation and restoration, environmentalists said Thursday."

"Community organizers and New York residents hope high-resolution maps of hot spots in the Bronx and Manhattan will result in more equitable development."

"During the first hurricane season of the coronavirus pandemic, emergency officials warned residents in low-lying coastal areas to pack masks in their evacuation bags. This year, they’re urging everyone to be vaccinated."

"Survivors of the powerful earthquake that shook Haiti scrambled for shelter, food and medical supplies Wednesday as officials acknowledged that the deadly temblor had disrupted vaccination efforts. The aftermath of Tropical Storm Grace continued to snarl already feeble relief efforts, worsening a dire humanitarian crisis and fueling anger."

"Minnesota pollution control and natural resources officials on Wednesday released a $700 million plan to improve the drinking water for 14 Twin Cities communities whose groundwater was contaminated due to decadeslong chemical disposal by 3M Co."