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Scientists agree that agricultural soils can be part of the climate solution, but their estimates about how much soils could slow warming vary widely. The post Scientists agree: Soil health matters but climate mitigation potential still uncertain first appeared on Growing Returns.

To better understand areas of scientific agreement and disagreement about the climate mitigation potential of cropland soil carbon, EDF asked American University to survey 31 soil carbon scientists working in academia, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. These are the results.

A study from EDF and Kaiser Permanente scientists, published in the journal Atmospheric Environment, finds that long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution is associated with higher health care costs for older adults.

This calculator from EDF converts abstract greenhouse gas emissions numbers into equivalent activities from our daily lives to make the data more meaningful.

U.S. Representative A. Donald McEachin (VA) today introduced the “Technology Assessment for Air Quality Management Act” to strengthen hyperlocal air quality insights and improve understanding of the health impacts of air pollution.

The Iowa Watershed Approach offers a strategy for reducing flood risk and improving water quality in the state of Iowa. The post Iowa’s Watershed Approach provides a model for tackling big challenges on the Mississippi River. first appeared on Growing Returns.

EDF scientists say leakage risk has been overlooked and understated; warn careful measures are needed to achieve promised advantage

A new EDF map is making it easier to access information about the communities across the country who are impacted by pollution from small oil and gas wells with leak-prone equipment. There are over half a million wells across the country that are producing less than 15 barrels of oil and gas a day. But …

The gas can contribute to climate change. It’s prone to leak dangerously and often dirty to produce.

Paper co-authored by EDF scientists addresses the critical need for scientists to play an active role in helping guide protocol development and to conduct relevant research on the voluntary carbon market for agricultural soil carbon sequestration.

Video footage of low-producing oil & gas well emissions.

Commercial U.S. fleets are going big on electric trucks, according to a new EDF analysis of class 2b-8 fleet announcements, which finds a nearly 8,500% increase in zero-emission fleet deployments and commitments since 2017. To arrive at this eye-popping stat, EDF tracked public announcements of leading fleet commitments to deploy zero-emission trucks, as well as …

On May 19, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced four incongruous actions in response to petitions submitted by EDF and others asking the agency to ban the use of more than two dozen ortho-phthalates (phthalates) in food packaging and processing equipment.

EDF, together with regional partners, works toward healthy ecosystems and oceans that benefit coastal communities. These organizations held the virtual seminar, “Climate change-resilient fisheries in the Caribbean,” with a focus on Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Report from Trove Research, supported by  Environmental Defense Fund, shows that growing corporate demand for carbon credits could aid tropical forest countries in achieving their national climate obligations.

In a new report released by EDF, scientists found that fine particle pollution, primarily generated by burning fossil fuels, is especially rampant — and deadly — in Black, Hispanic, and low-income communities. But there is a way for all of us to breathe easier. The Environmental Protection Agency could tighten its standard.

This post was co-authored by EDF’s Michael Panfil and Romany Webb of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Initiative on Climate Risk and Resilience Law have released a new Electric Resilience Toolkit to support policymakers and …

EPA’s proposed TSCA rule to limit risks from chrysotile asbestos uses a higher “acceptable” cancer risk for workers than the rest of the population Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy When it comes to drawing the line on cancer risks, should workers be treated differently than the general population? Of course not. Unfortunately, EPA’s …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safer Chemicals This is the second in our Unleaded Juice blog series exploring how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets limits for toxic elements like lead, arsenic, and cadmium in food and its implications for the agency’s Closer To Zero program. When developing its draft action levels for lead in …

Part 2 of a 2-part series: Unrestricted approvals of new chemicals, with low fees  Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy In its recently issued ‘State of TSCA’ report, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) tries to turn back the clock on how EPA assesses and mitigates the risks of toxic chemicals under the Toxic Substances …

Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy; Lauren Ellis, MPH, Research Analyst; and Lariah Edwards, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow  The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) recently filed comments on EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Collaborative Research Program to Support New Chemical Reviews (Collaborative Research Program). The Collaborative Research Program is a multi-year scientific partnership between the …

Samantha Liskow, Lead Counsel, Healthy Communities; and Lauren Ellis, Research Analyst, Environmental Health EPA has committed to address the urgent issues presented by PFAS, a harmful class of human-made chemicals that are used widely in everyday products. Last July, as part of this effort, EPA called on companies to voluntarily withdraw some 600 PFAS that …

Tom Neltner, Senior Director, Safery Chemicals The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released draft action levels for lead in juice, proposing to reduce lead limits from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb for apple juice and 20 ppb for all other juices. However, the draft limits don’t go far enough to protect …

Part 1 of a 2-part series: Minimizing or ignoring chemical risks Maria Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy  In its recently issued ‘State of TSCA’ report, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) tries to turn back the clock on how EPA assesses and mitigates the risks of toxic chemicals. The chemical industry group looks to return …

By Douglas Rader, Jamie Collins and Edith Widder, CEO & Senior Scientist, Ocean Research & Conservation Association People of a certain age will recall being mesmerized—perhaps terrified!—by a television series called “The Twilight Zone,” which ran 156 episodes from 1959 to 1964. The show, which focused on people’s experiences at the edge of reality, is …