"At a May-June meeting in Paris, the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) agreed to create, and submit by November, a first draft of an international plan to end plastic pollution by 2040. The United States declined to join the 58-nation “High Ambition Coalition” to create a legally-binding cradle-to-grave plan to address plastic production and use."

"If the words “public utilities commission” put you to sleep, you’re not alone. These are the government agencies that regulate utilities — companies that supply us with electricity, gas, water and more. All 50 states have them — and as boring as they sound, their work affects our daily lives."

"Reporting from six Black cities highlights that while the country’s water woes are widespread, blanket solutions fail to address communities’ distinct issues."

"Like the tobacco industry before it, the chemical industry managed to keep PFAS’s health risks hidden from the public for decades. A new peer-reviewed study dissecting PFAS producers’ public relations strategies provides a smoking gun timeline composed of industry studies and comments from DuPont and 3M officials showing they knew the dangers, but publicly insisted the chemicals were safe."

"Hazy skies, the fiery, red sun, and the smell of smoke caught the attention of residents from Maryland to New England on Tuesday. The air quality spiked to very unhealthy levels across the Northeast on Wednesday morning as wildfire smoke from Canada poured into the region."

"President Joe Biden is awarding $115 million to support needed investments to rebuild Jackson, Mississippi’s water infrastructure, theGrio is first to report. The federal dollars are part of $600 million in appropriations funding approved by Congress last year."

"House conservatives blocked debate on legislation against gas stove rules Tuesday afternoon in protest of their leadership team."

"Thousands of low-income, Latino residents in Texas still do not have safe drinking water. In one El Paso colonia, residents see the benefits of solar distillation."

"SINGAPORE - Oil prices jumped more than $1 a barrel on Monday after the world's top exporter Saudi Arabia pledged to cut production by another 1 million barrels per day from July, counteracting macroeconomic headwinds that have depressed markets.

Brent crude futures were at $77.64 a barrel, up $1.51, or 2%, at 0014 GMT after earlier hitting a session-high of $78.73 a barrel.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $1.41, or 2%, to $73.15 a barrel, after touching an intraday high of $75.06 a barrel."

"After a rocky start to a week of negotiations, around 170 countries agreed to develop a first draft by November of what could become the first global treaty to curb plastic pollution by the end of next year.