water pollution
Newsletter
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Wisconsin oil spill fuels doubts over Enbridge’s pipeline safety
A recent Enbridge oil spill in Wisconsin has intensified concerns about the safety of the company’s Line 5 pipeline project, despite state assurances of minimal risk.
In short:
- Enbridge’s Line 6 pipeline leaked nearly 70,000 gallons of oil in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, raising questions about spill detection and response.
- The spill occurred just days before state officials approved permits for the controversial Line 5 project.
- The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and environmental groups are challenging these permits, citing ongoing trust issues and environmental risks.
Key quote:
“The close to 70,000 gallons of leaking crude oil from Enbridge’s Line 6 in Jefferson County shows why we have challenged DNR’s approval of the Line 5 reroute and why we have specifically challenged DNR’s conclusion that the risk of a Line 5 spill is small.”
— Tony Wilkin Gibart, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates
Why this matters:
Oil spills threaten ecosystems, water sources and Indigenous lands. Recent incidents suggest pipeline safety measures are unreliable, raising broader concerns over fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental justice.
Read more: Why Indigenous women are risking arrest to fight Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline through Minnesota
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Petrochemical plants send millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year: Report
“This is not normal.”
Nearly 70 petrochemical companies across the nation, including 30 in Texas, are sending millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year due to weak or nonexistent regulations, according to a report published by the watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project.
The report analyzed wastewater discharges from petrochemical companies that produce plastics across the U.S., finding that a majority of the facilities had violated Clean Water Act permits and few were punished. In addition, only a few states are regulating some of the hazardous chemicals or substances of concern, and there are currently no limits set from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for these contaminants in effluent water guidelines for the plastics industry.
In the past 30 years, plastic production at petrochemical facilities has skyrocketed. The EPA estimates that plastic production in 1990 was at 17,130 tons, and by 2018 it had doubled, reaching 35,680 tons. Producing these plastics results in industrial wastewater discharges, some of which contain pollutants unregulated by federal wastewater guidelines. If the pollutant does have limits, they have been set by individual states.
The report found the following pollutants:
- Dioxins, recognized as one of the most toxic classes of compounds by the World Health Organization, can be a byproduct of producing plastics like poly-vinyl chloride, or PVC. Out of the 17 facilities that produce PVC, only three have site limits set by states.
- 1,4 dioxane, classified as a potential carcinogen, only had limits set at two facilities.
- An estimated 9.9 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.9 million pounds of phosphorus (known as nutrient pollution when combined) enter waterways from these plants annually, and can cause toxic algal blooms and fish-killing low-oxygen zones. Only one facility had limits for phosphorus pollution and none had total nitrogen limits.
- Plastic pellets, known as nurdles, are entering waterways in 27 states.
- Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are not currently considered in wastewater samples for petrochemical plant permit applications.
A majority of the facilities have poor compliance records. Out of the 70 facilities, 83% had violated the Clean Water Act at least once in the last three years (58 facilities violated permits, yet only 8 were penalized). Nearly 40% of the facilities were operating on water pollution control permits that are outdated, “but have been administratively continued by state agencies,” according to the report.
Outdated Clean Water Act regulations
The Clean Water Act, issued by the EPA in 1972, has historically been enforced through effluent water guidelines. The petrochemical facilities in the report are regulated under a category of guidelines for organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers.
“The (plastics) industry has experienced significant, rapid growth in recent decades and is continuing to grow,” lead author of the report and research director at the Environmental Integrity Project, Kira Dunham, told EHN. “But…wastewater discharges are being regulated by standards from over 30 years ago.”
This category of guidelines Dunham mentions has not been updated by the EPA since 1993, despite requirements for the agency to “periodically” update guidelines in accordance with technological updates for pollution control.Texas petrochemical pollution
With 17 of the 30 facilities in Texas, the Houston area — known as the petrochemical capital of the U.S. — is the number one exporter of petrochemicals in the nation.
Nearly one-third of these Texas facilities discharge wastewater into the Houston Ship Channel. Earlier this year, EHN investigated community member concerns about wastewater contamination potentially entering dredge material removed from the channel. Independent analysis from Healthy Port Communities, a collaborative of Houston-based environmental groups, noted high levels of dioxins in the soil surrounding dredge material.
“Some of the places touched on in the (Environmental Integrity Project’s) report might have one major facility that has this… pattern of discharging pollutants into waterways,” Kristen Schlemmer, senior legal director of Houston- based water justice group Bayou City Waterkeeper, told EHN. “I don't want to discount that … but it at least makes it clear who you can focus on to address the problem. Whereas in Houston, we have so many different facilities that are polluting into our waterways, that it often just makes it seem like that's normal, and that's just the way things are going to be.”
Schlemmer added that these concerns for pollution related to wastewater discharges are heightened by disasters, like this year’s derecho storm and Hurricane Beryl, in which water grows contaminated across large portions of the region. Beyond climate disasters, the Houston region is prone to chemical disasters and the state averages about one chemical release a week based on 2023 data.
“I'm hoping through this work to show that this is not normal, and (to) raise the bar in terms of what our expectations are for the facilities that live in our backyards,” Schlemmer said. “If they're not going to comply with the law …I want them to … know that they're going to be facing legal action, either from us or for government regulators.”
Earlier this year, the Environmental Integrity Project sued the EPA along with Bayou City Water Keeper, the Center for Biological Diversity and nearly 300 water justice groups in the Waterkeeper Alliance. In the original intent to sue, the group states that the EPA “has failed to perform its mandatory duty under (the Clean Water Act) ... to biennially submit state water quality reports and an analysis thereof … to Congress.”
Just last week, the EPA released its biannual preliminary plan for effluent limitations guidelines and the announcement states that the EPA plans to conduct new studies that will clarify the impact of discharges from certain industries on waterways. The plan is open for public comment here.
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Aging Russian tankers sink in Black Sea, spill oil
A Russian tanker broke apart and sank in the Black Sea during a storm, spilling thousands of tons of oil, while a second tanker ran aground nearby, raising concerns of environmental damage.
In short:
- The Volgoneft-212 tanker carrying 4,300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil broke in half off Crimea's coast amid severe weather.
- One crew member died, while 12 others were rescued, and a second tanker, Volgoneft-239, carrying 4 tons of fuel oil ran aground.
- Ukrainian officials blamed Russia for negligence, citing the tankers' age and the storm’s intensity.
Key quote:
“These are quite old Russian tankers. You can’t go to sea in such a storm.”
— Dmytro Pletenchuk, Ukraine navy spokesperson
Why this matters:
The oil spill threatens the Black Sea’s fragile marine life, already harmed by ongoing military conflict. Aging infrastructure and reckless operations pose long-term environmental risks in the region.
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Credit: Sang Hyun Cho/Pixabay
Trump administration puts environmental justice funding in jeopardy
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition plans suggest potential cuts to environmental justice programs, threatening gains made under the Biden administration’s Justice40 initiative to combat pollution in vulnerable communities.
Amudalat Ajasa and Anna Phillips report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Biden directed 40% of pollution-reduction funding to disadvantaged areas through the Justice40 initiative, boosting projects like solar installations and clean buses.
- Trump’s allies propose eliminating EPA’s environmental justice programs, questioning their necessity and focusing on deregulation.
- Advocates fear reduced pollution enforcement and halted community grants, particularly in areas like Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.”
Key quote:
“Environmental justice and civil rights is not something [Trump’s] administration wants to support or further or advance. They want to obliterate it.”
— Matthew Tejada, former EPA official
Why this matters:
Pollution disproportionately harms low-income and non-white communities, increasing health risks like premature death from air pollution. Rolling back environmental justice efforts could worsen inequities, leaving vulnerable populations with less protection against industrial pollution.
Related: California's environmental justice protections may weaken under Trump
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Concerns grow over potential lead risks in Asheville’s water after hurricane
Two experts urge Asheville residents to conduct widespread testing for lead in drinking water following a treatment suspension caused by Tropical Storm Helene.
In short:
- Two independent experts recommend residents in homes built before 1988 use bottled water until lead tests are completed, citing potential risks from a lapse in corrosion control.
- The city of Asheville assures its water meets EPA standards but acknowledges lead detected in seven schools' water systems after stagnant water samples were tested.
- Officials emphasize flushing pipes to reduce lead exposure, noting it could take months to rebuild protective pipe coatings.
Key quote:
“We need a broad investigation of the lead levels at the tap of residences, schools and businesses who source their water from Asheville City Water.”
— Sally Wasileski, UNC Asheville chemistry department chair
Why this matters:
Lead exposure is a significant health hazard, especially for children, as it can cause developmental and neurological harm. Residents in older homes or with outdated plumbing face higher risks, requiring clarity and transparency from officials to ensure safe water access.
Read more: Hurricane Helene's water crisis leaves lingering doubts for Asheville residents
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Wetland destruction could raise Michigan flood costs by billions annually
Federal wetland protection rollbacks threaten Michigan with $4.77 billion in annual flood damage as climate change amplifies risks, a report warns.
In short:
- Michigan's 6.4 million acres of wetlands reduce flooding, but weakened Clean Water Act protections leave them vulnerable to pollution and destruction.
- The loss of wetlands exacerbates flooding in under-resourced communities and could cost Michigan billions in flood damage annually.
- Restoring wetland protections and funding sustainable farming through federal programs like the farm bill could mitigate flood risks and carbon emissions.
Key quote:
“Even if it’s not your home that gets flooded after a nearby wetland was destroyed, as a taxpayer, you help fund the National Flood Insurance Program, which covers about five million people.”
— Stacy Woods, research director for the Union’s Food and Environment Program and author of the report
Why this matters:
Wetlands play a critical role in flood prevention, carbon storage and biodiversity. Their destruction risks public safety, worsens climate impacts, and disproportionately harms marginalized communities. Strengthening conservation policies could protect both ecosystems and communities from escalating flood and environmental costs.
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How the plastic industry undermines democracy by blocking bans
Companies that profit from plastics are pushing forward laws to keep Americans hooked on disposable plastic products
On a cool, sunny day in March 2020, Ted Harris towed a large net from a boat in Clinton Lake in Kansas and retrieved a sample of microscopic debris in the water.
Harris, an associate research professor at the University of Kansas, was participating in a global study, published in 2023, that looked for microplastics in lakes all over the world.
Tiny plastic particles with a diameter less than 5 millimeters (nanoplastics are much smaller, ranging from 1 to 1,000 nanometers), these particles are harmful to tiny organisms in lakes like zooplankton, that mistake them for food. Larger animals like fish eat the zooplankton, causing the plastic particles to accumulate up the food chain. People can be exposed by eating fish from these lakes. Once in our bodies, they cannot be digested or broken down. “They either get passed through us or they get stuck somewhere inside,” Harris said.
Scientists found microplastics in every lake tested, including Clinton Lake, which is near Lawrence, Kansas and is a popular spot for party boats, swimming and fishing.
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