"Wherever they turn, residents in and around Santa Fe Springs, California, contend with toxic hazards." "Proposed hazardous waste oversight changes are years behind schedule and fail to account for a community’s health risks from pollution, environmental groups warn."

"Indigenous organizations from across the Amazon and Latin America sent a letter Monday to the United Nations warning that organized crime — including illegal mining, drug trafficking and logging — is driving violence and accelerating environmental destruction in rainforest communities. However, they urged governments to avoid heavily militarized responses in Indigenous territories."

"Legislation that would reduce plastic waste in New York is advancing in the state Legislature amid a contentious debate over chemical recycling." "Environmentalists and some state lawmakers say the process does more harm than good. Plastics producers are pushing back."

"Earlier this year, a proposal from the New Hampshire House sought to pause the practice of applying PFAS-containing sewage sludge to farmland in New Hampshire. But over the course of multiple packed hearings and after a handful of amendments, the bill’s provisions have changed shape, sparking concern among some early supporters."

"The U.S. Geological Survey announced a massive lithium deposit in the Appalachian Mountains, large enough to replace years of imports of the mineral." "While the figure is an official USGS estimate, extracting the mineral poses major technical and environmental challenges."

"One of the world's largest sources of climate-warming methane gas is a landfill protruding from hills on the outskirts of Chile's capital of Santiago, a recent study by the UN environment agency shows."

"Soil at a public golf course in Washington where the Trump administration dumped debris from the demolition of the White House East Wing has tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals, according to data released by the National Park Service."

"Residents proved their tap water carries sewage and bacteria. Federal funding dried up anyway."

"Lee Zeldin started off his tour of congressional hearings this week with a bang. The EPA administrator appeared Monday before the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees his agency to defend a fiscal 2027 budget proposal that would slice the agency down to $4.2 billion — or more than half of its enacted funding."

"EPA’s independent federal watchdog found the agency’s process for inspecting large hazardous waste generators was inconsistent, leaving one-fifth of sites without oversight during a five-year period."