July 21, 2025

While ostenibly attempting to improve air quality in China and across East Asia, regulators may have inadvertently contributed to a rise in global warming, according to a new study. Fewer aerosol emissions, which can also be used as a method to cool the Earth by absorbing sunlight, could increase temperatures by roughly 0.05 degrees Celsius each decade beginning in 2010, the study authors said. The findings were published Monday, July 14, in Communications Earth & Environment.

July 14, 2025

Nepal is facing increasing air pollution.  Air pollution has reduced the life expectancy of the average Nepali by 3.4 years. Diseases caused by air pollution cause nearly 26,000 premature deaths annually.

July 7, 2025

There is an 80 yard deep cave in Yongshun, Hunan province, full of garbage. The mountain of mainly domestic waste at the bottom of the cave was about 30 yards wide and 15 yards high...

June 30, 2025

In Italy, a court has sentenced former executives of a chemical manufacturer to prison terms of up to 17 and a half years for polluting groundwater. The court in the northern city of Vicenza on Thursday handed down the sentences to 11 officials out of 15 defendants who were executives at the company. The remaining four were acquitted. The 11 officials were found guilty for their roles in contaminating groundwater with PFAS from a chemical plant.

June 23, 2025

In Congress, “Foreign Pollution Fee Act” - pollution tariffs...

June 16, 2025

Thailand’s Pollution Control Department said sediment samples taken from rivers in the north of the country had found unsafe levels of heavy metals, which it said had been caused by upstream mining operations. Thai media reports have linked the problem to the operations of Chinese mining firms

June 9, 2025

In China pollution pressure is shifting towards western areas that are not prioritised in air pollution control policies. In Q1 2025, although average PM2.5 levels in China declined by 5%, provinces such as Guangxi, Yunnan, and Xinjiang saw significant increases of 32%, 14%, and 8%, respectively. Notably, these rises were not driven primarily by weather, but by structural emission growth.

June 2, 2025

Two Hawaii beaches are among the most polluted in the country, and 13 more have unsafe bacteria levels more often than not

May 26, 2025

Hypocrisy in Maine? A solar company has been fined almost $236,000 by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for polluting the Kennebec River during construction of a 5 megawatt array in Embden

May 19, 2025

In Iraq, residents in northern Basra are grappling with a “deadly pollution crisis,” fueled by the unchecked expansion of oil operations near residential areas. With rising cancer rates, contaminated water sources, and degraded soil, local communities say they are living in “an increasingly uninhabitable environment.”May 12, 2025

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won a $60 million settlement against businessman David Polston and his companies, Inland Environmental and Remediation, Inland Recycling, and Boundary Ventures. “I will not allow rogue corporations to pollute Texas’s land and rivers by illegally dumping dangerous chemicals that kill our wildlife and hurt the environment,” Paxton said-in-a-statement. “Companies that do business in Texas have a duty to take care of the land and follow the law. If you mess with Texas, you will face the consequences."

May 5, 2025

Bakersfield, Calfornia tops the list for worst short-term particle pollution for the third straight year. “Bakersfield also continues to be the metropolitan area with the worst level of year-round particle pollution in the nation, as it has been in 25 of the 26 years of reporting in ‘State of the Air’ — although city residents are exposed to 77 fewer days each year, or two and a half months’ worth, with unhealthy levels of ozone, on average, than they were in 2000.

April 28, 2025

Researchers found Los Angeles-Long Beach has the most ozone, or smog pollution in the U.S. Five regions in California were among the top 10 most polluted areas. Visalia ranked second, Bakersfield-Delano third, Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran fifth and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad eighth

April 21, 2025

In India the Kerala High Court is currently hearing a public interest petition filed by the Green Action Force, which demands the formation of a dedicated Periyar Basin Authority to enforce river conservation

April 14, 2025

Authorities and environmentalists in Zambia worrythe long-term impact of an acid spill at a Chinese-owned mine that contaminated a major river could potentially affect millions of people after signs of pollution were detected at least 60 miles downstream. The spill happened on Feb. 18 when a tailings dam that holds acidic waste from a copper mine in the north of the country collapsed

April 7, 2025

More than 1 million metric tons of discarded munitions lie scattered across the floors of the North and Baltic seas. As these devices corrode, they are releasing carcinogens and other toxins into the marine environment. Scientists monitoring pollution have found that these chemicals are now ubiquitous in some German Baltic waters.

March 31, 2025

Iraq's Tigris River is facing an environmental and public health crisis as escalating pollution threatens to transform the historic waterway into a source of disease and death.

March 24, 2025

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2021 ruling that Exxon Mobil must pay $14.25 million for air pollution violations at its Baytown facility.

March 17, 2025

In Taiwan the Ministry of Environment said it has requested the Keelung City Government to investigate claims that Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) concealed excessive heavy metal contamination in soil during renovations at the Hsieh-ho Power Plan

March 10, 2025

In Ghana a Chinese firm, Wangkang Ceramics Company Limited, located in Eshiem, Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis, Western Region, has been issued a one-week ultimatum to cease illegal activities polluting River Anankore in Inchaban. The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, issued the ultimatum after Earnest Hoffman, an officer from the Water Resources Commission (WRC) at Ghana Water Company Limited, briefed him on the company’s violations

March 3, 2025

The Zambian government has announced an independent investigation into the ongoing pollution of the nation’s waterways, particularly in the Copperbelt region, as concerns mount over environmental damage linked to mining operations. Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha called for stricter oversight of storage facilities, including tailings dams, following multiple pollution incidents. During a visit to Mimbula Mine in Chingola, he emphasized the need for enhanced safety measures after an emergency heap leaching pond collapse contaminated the Chabanyama stream

February 24, 2025

Beijing will share its best practices in battling air pollution with its sister city Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently signed by the environment authorities of these two cities.  The Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and the Environment Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration signed, via video, the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Quality Monitoring and Management Cooperation, doing so against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations.  This MoU, spanning a time frame of three years, states that Beijing will share its best practices with Bangkok.
Yeah.

February 17, 2025

Shell is in court facing accusations of being responsible for oil pollution in Nigeria, which has deprived thousands of access to clean water and devastated agriculture and fishing. Lawyers assert that numerous leaks and spills from Shell’s pipelines and infrastructure have severely harmed the environment in the Bille and Ogale communities of the Niger Delta.

February 10, 2005

In India, Delhi continues to grapple with severe air pollution, ranking as India’s second most polluted city for the fourth consecutive month in January 2025, according to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The national capital recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 165 micrograms per cubic metre, exceeding the safe limits prescribed by global health standards

February 3, 2025

Tech: In Cyprus, the authorities have identified the source of sewage pollution in Limassol’s Polemidia dam using drone technology,

January 27, 2025

Activists are suing Colorado's air quality commission for failing to protect vulnerable communities from pollution.  Major air polluters in the state have been able to pay a fee instead of monitoring their emissions to keep residents safe

January 20, 2025

UN Diplomats Get Exempted from Congestion Pricing in NYC UN Refuses Press Questions

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 10 – United Nations diplomats have gotten themselves exempted from NYC's $9 Congestion Price payments, even as for example lower income residents of the NYCHA Al Smith Houses and lower Manhattan small businesses complained without recourse about having to pay them. 

   In a notice tucked into the Federal Register of January 6, the US State Department ostensibly notified the public of "exemption from charges assessed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York for entry into its designated 'Congestion Relief Zone' for foreign missions and certain international organizations. This benefit extends to members and personnel of and representatives to such foreign missions and international organizations." 

  Perhaps exemption for other countries' ambassadors is understandable, if those countries similar exempt US diplomats. But why allow already overpaid UN staff - and officials like Antonio Guterres and his bloated UN Security detail - to not pay what other New Yorkers - and for example New Jersey residents - pay? 

  UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric refuses to answer Inner City Press' written questions, after having it thrown out of the UN; Melissa Fleming has ignored a request for dialogue on press freedom from pro bono law firm Quinn Emanuel.  

   Will this change going forward? Watch this site.

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January 13, 2025

The District of Columbia on January 10 filed a lawsuit against the federal government over pollution in the Anacostia River, arguing it has inflicted “catastrophic harm” on the mostly poor and minority communities living along the urban waterway

January 6, 2025

The Biden administration granted California permission Friday to enforce its zero-emission rules for lawn mowers and leaf blowers

December 30, 2024

Maryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex often used for raincoats and other outdoor gear, alleging its leaders kept using “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks associated with them.

December 23, 2024

  On December 20, Inner City Press live-tweeted oral arguments in SDNY about congestion pricing here

December 16, 2024

A  pipeline company will pay a six-figure fine over violations of the Clean Air Act on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Environmental Protection Agency officials say Arrow Pipeline failed to meet several federal regulations during an inspection last year. The issues include observing smoke and hydrocarbon emissions from several gas compressor stations and failing to meet records management requirements. The EPA says Arrow has corrected the violations and will pay a $450,000 penalty.

December 9, 2024

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international treaty on plastic pollution wrapped up its fifth session, known as INC-5, on 1 December without reaching agreement. 
Just another UN failure...

December 2, 2024

In Iran, “according to statistics, about 40,000 people fall victim each year due to air pollution and $12 billion in damage is inflicted on the country," Tasnim News Agency reported Health Minister Mohammadreza Zafarghandi saying on Friday.   Air pollution was one of the health concerns discussed at a meeting of the Academy of Medical Sciences on Friday, attended by Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

November 25, 2024

In Houston after months of investigation in the Fifth Ward, one part of the study done by Union Pacific and the Environmental Protection Agency say there are no toxic levels of chemicals in the area where a cancer cluster was identified years ago. Fifth Ward residents are very frustrated with these findings considering they say they’ve been searching for answers for years. The cancer cluster was officially identified back in 2019, but they say it dates back decades.

November 18, 2024

Pennsylvania and other states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are unlikely to meet their 2025 pollution commitments to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution

November 11, 2024

UN climate summits are at risk of “undue corporate influence" and "fossil fuel industry capture”, two corruption watchdogs warned, as oil and gas producer Azerbaijan prepares to host the Cop29 in November.

November 4, 2024

    . A New York judge criticized state Attorney General Letitia James’ pollution lawsuit against PepsiCo as “predatory” in his ruling to dismiss the state's 2023 complaint, which targeted the beverage giant’s supposed role in the pollution of the Buffalo River.  The attorney general’s office conducted a study which found that more than 17% of the trash in the Buffalo River came from PepsiCo products. By its count, the next highest contributor was McDonald’s at 6%.   But New York Supreme Court Justice Emitio Colaiacovo found that James ultimately failed to show that PepsiCo should have warned customers about the risks of the plastics found in its packaging, ruling that company had “no duty” to do so.  “There is no duty to warn of an obvious danger of which the product user is actually aware or should be aware as a result of ordinary observation or as a matter of common sense,” Colaiacovo wrote in a 19-page decision

October 28, 2024

DC's Office of the Attorney General filed a civil lawsuit against Fort Myer Construction Corporation on Oct. 17 for repeated violations of the District’s Water Pollution Control Act.

October 21, 2024

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a Biden administration regulation aimed at limiting pollution from coal-fired power plants to remain in place as legal challenges play out. The justices rejected a push to block the Environmental Protection Agency rule, marking the third time this month the majority has left an environmental regulation in place for now. One justice, Clarence Thomas, dissented....

October 14, 2024

The United States Supreme Court will not hear an emergency appeal effort by power plant owners and utility companies that had begged the high court to halt new pollution rules set out by the Biden administration and EPA.  In a one-page order, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts declined to hear the case, essentially leaving in place new toxic air pollution standards that will fall heavily on Montana’s Colstrip plant.

October 7. 2024

Neighbors of Bitcoin Mine in Texas File Nuisance Lawsuit Over Noise Pollution The incessant humming sound from thousands of fans cooling off computers that mine Bitcoin has enraged the community.

September 30, 2024

"As Azerbaijan readies to host the United Nations COP29 climate talks, residents near the capital, Baku, say oil pollution is posing a toxic hazard. The country's fossil-fuel resources have made it a leading player on the international market but people who live near the rigs complain that oil spills are ignored while state officials focus on promoting the country as a clean, thriving economy. "

September 23, 2024

In Houston, Texas the liquid natural gas pipeline fire in La Porte near Deer Park has been continuously burning and despite some officials stating that there's no air quality risk, some experts said it might lead to some air pollution...

September 16, 2024

The Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), are filing a lawsuit against Bluestone Coke. The environmental groups allege the company is in violation of the Federal Clean Water Act.

September 9, 2024

Riverkeeper in a swing states: The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper has sued the city of Atlanta for allegedly polluting the Chattahoochee River. The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says the Clayton Water Facility is discharging illegal levels of pollution. In March of this year, E.coli bacteria in the river was traced back to the facility. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Executive Director Jason Ulseth says the city of Atlanta has allowed operational and maintenance failures at the facility to compound over time, failing to follow through on even the most basic equipment repairs.

September 2, 2024

A former landfill at the Jersey Shore with an already controversial past has been hit with a new $297,000 fine by New Jersey regulators.  The July violation against the owner of Aeromarine — Bayridge Realty Corporation — was issued after inspections showed the facility was not properly closed and improper access was provided to the property, according to a penalty notice

August 26, 2024

Counting the costs: there is anger over the Biden administration’s embrace of carbon capture and storage technology, which collects planet-warming carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks so it can be stored, often in underground wells. Several activists said this can extend the life of dirty facilities because it opens the door for plant operators to argue they are climate-friendly. Meanwhile, their emissions continue to harm those nearby

August 19, 2024

A new study examined the climate effect of the mandated reduction of sulfur in ship exhaust emissions globally since 2020, and it suggests that the shipping regulation has reduced how much light is being reflected back into space, which has likely contributed towards the record warming over the last few years.  International shipping, while invisible to most of us, has a large impact on climate and air quality. There are nearly 100,000 large ships within the global commercial fleet, accounting for over 90% of international trade. Traditionally, ships have burned dirty, high sulfur fuel that emitted large quantities of sulfur gas and aerosol.

August 12, 2024

The New York City subway system is exposing commuters to toxic air that far exceeds health recommendations, a new study has found, with African Americans and Latinos disproportionately impacted

August 5, 2024

Jersey connections: protest at Formosa Plastics’ American headquarters in Livingston NJ led to the arrests of six people on August 2. Formosa Plastics has raised the ire of protesters hoping to bring more attention to the company’s history of pollution in Texas, Louisiana and Vietnam.

July 29, 2024

On July 25 at the UN, hypocritical SG Antonio Guterres intoned, "Extreme heat is having an extreme impact on people and planet.  The world must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures.  Thank you."

Then he flew off to Paris, and then who knows where else, on undisclosed publicly funded vacation. From those allowed in (Inner City Press is banned), now questions, only "Mr. Secretary-General, thank you very much on behalf of the United Nations Correspondents Association for doing this briefing."

July 22, 2024

Noting the plan to build a fourth power plant in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, has been approved by the administration of Governor Phil Murphy, despite opposition from community groups who claim the project would worsen pollution in the area.  Environmentalists and community activists have put pressure on Murphy to halt construction of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission facility, which will provide backup electricity in the event of a power outage. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s compromise would permit PSVC to construct the Ironbound power plant, but only if it could be used in the event of a power outage

July 15, 2024

Marathon Oil Co., which is in deal to be bought by ConocoPhillips in $22.5 billion all-stock deal, has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Government regulators and to pay $241.5 million in penalties over climate- and health-harming emissions in North Dakota.

July 8, 2024

South Carolina environmental groups are suing a Columbia manufacturer for allegedly pumping dangerous "forever chemicals" into the Saluda River, threatening drinking water supplies used by West Columbia and Cayce

July 1, 2024

Water pollution levels in Paris’s River Seine remain much higher than allowed for bathing, data showed on Friday, one month before the Olympics in which the capital’s landmark waterway is meant to be one of the swimming venues

June 24, 2024

there’s clear evidence that the East Palestine train disaster spread pollutants as far as Wisconsin and North Carolina.

June 17, 2024

150 activists crowded in front of Citigroup's headquarters on Greenwich Street near North Moore Street in Tribeca. The protest began the "Summer of Heat on Wall Street," described by organizers as "a months-long campaign of relentless and disruptive protests to end Wall Street funding for oil, coal, and gas." 52 climate activists were arrested for blocking the doors to Citibank's global headquarters in New York City, where 12,000 employees work.

June 10, 2024

Three Colorado environmental groups will sue Suncor Energy over an “egregious” pattern of violations of air pollution rules at the company’s oil refinery north of Denver, activists say...

June 3, 2024

The reduction of smog particles in China, while beneficial for public health, has contributed to extreme ocean warming events known as "The Blob." Aerosol emissions, which shield the planet from solar radiation, are declining globally, leading to unexpected climate impacts, including more intense regional heatwaves. The cleanup of air pollution in China has altered atmospheric patterns, intensifying warming in the Pacific and potentially leading to larger climatic disruptions

May 27, 2024

Dalita Maje, a small mining community in Dobi Ward, Gwagwalada, located on the outskirts of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, is facing a dire environmental and public health crisis. The activities of mining companies have led to water pollution, and the community's health facilities and schools are in deplorable state, thereby compounding the residents' hardships. Dalita (Maje) and some other communities in Dobi Ward have relied on a local river for daily water needs but their source of water is being contaminated by miners

May 20, 2024

Defenders of Congestion Pricing Say Plaintiffs Too Late and Environmental Justice Is Not Law

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 17 –  Lawsuits against New York City's congestion pricing plan were heard on May 17 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis J. Liman. Inner City Press was there and live tweeted. Thread

May 13, 2024

the lower the index score, the worse the air quality.   The metropolitan area of Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario in California, also known as the ‘Inland Empire’, tops the ranking with an overall index score of just 17.03 – making it the area with the worst air quality. Inland Empire experienced only 54 good air days, where the air quality is satisfactory and air pollutions poses no risk, as well as a staggering 59 unhealthy days for sensitive groups.   Greater Houston, or the metropolitan area of Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land in Texas, comes in second place with an index score of only 28.36. Greater Houston shockingly saw only 38 good days and 21 days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups. 

May 6, 2024

Brooklyn: There weren't many residents out and about on Friday near the site of a massive fire on Bushwick Avenue - but those who were there, were all wearing masks. One lives on the block and says he is worried about the asbestos and chemicals released in the air from the fire. “I can't take the smoke, you know, respiratory things" he explains. He wore a mask Friday

April 29, 2024

Top ten U.S. metro areas with the worst particulate matter pollution in 2024 Fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, is created when things are burned. It can cause asthma attacks, strokes and a litany of long term health problems. 4 8 Bakersfield, CA 1 7 Visalia, CA 2 5 Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA 3 3 2 1 Eugene-Springfield, OR 4 6 San Jose-San Francisco, Oakland, CA 5 9 Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA 6 Sacramento-Roseville, CA 7 Medford-Grants Pass, OR 8 10 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ 9 Fairbanks, AK 10 SOURCE American Lung Association

April 22, 2024

In the spotlight: bonds (loans granted by investors and facilitated by banks) issued by TotalEnergies (1).   Bonds are the French oil and gas major’s main source of financing, and as such enable it to pursue its climate-wrecking strategy by developing new oil and gas projects, ignoring scientific recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The letters come just days after TotalEnergies raised US$4.25 billion on the bond market, with the help of several banks, including BPCE/Natixis, Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank

April 15, 2024

A New Mexico district judge heard oral arguments to dismiss a civil lawsuit alleging that the state has failed to meet its constitutional duty to protect air, water and environment from oil and gas pollution. First District Judge Matthew Wilson said Friday he will issue a written order at a later date to determine the fate of the lawsuit Mario Atencio, et al v. the State of New Mexico, et al. It’s unclear when Wilson’s judgment will come down.

April 8, 2024

NYS says it will hold Northrop Grumman accountable for the ongoing cleanup of the Bethpage Community Park after the recent discovery of six, 55-gallon drums in a cordoned-off area beneath the former ballfield.

April 1, 2024

Leaders of San Diego-based business advocacy groups this week sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for more help with the U.S.-Mexico border pollution problem.  The letter, dated Thursday, asked Biden “to mitigate the severe pollution crisis impacting the Tijuana River Valley

March 25, 2024

EJ in Austin (Texas) - A new study published by researchers at the Dell Medical School at UT-Austin has found that poorer air quality in Austin neighborhoods with a higher population of color triggers more asthma-related trips to the emergency room for Black and Brown Austinites than white residents. The link between asthma symptoms and air quality isn’t new, but this study bears out that longer-term trends of more concentrated air pollution in majority-POC neighborhoods make them less safe to live in

 March 18, 2024

Maine regulators are starting to go after violators of a relatively new law that prohibits the sale of used vehicles that have modifications resulting in more air pollution.  An Auburn auto garage could soon be fined $4,000 for selling a used diesel pickup truck with such modifications, marking one of the first cases in which the state law has been enforced.  Passed in 2021, that legislation was meant to help address a relatively pervasive issue in Maine: the dismantling of systems for limiting the air emissions of diesel trucks. Among the pollutants released by those vehicles are nitrous oxide and a particulate matter known as black carbon.  Many truck owners still remove their emission-control systems to improve the performance of their vehicles — for example, by giving them more torque or fuel economy. That’s particularly the case in Maine, where big, modified pickups are a common sight on rural highways.

March 11, 2024

Per a 2021 World Bank report, emissions from Hanoi's 8 million registered vehicles made up 30% of air particulate pollution, and industry emissions another 30%

March 4, 2024

In Illinois distrust of the city of La Salle by a group of citizens has flared up.The group prompted a hearing in front of the Illinois Pollution Control Board

February 26, 2024

With signs with slogans like “East Chicago demands clear air” and “IDEM, let us breathe,” nearly 100 Northwest Indiana residents and environmental advocates gathered to voice anger and frustration at BP Whiting refinery at a Thursday public meeting held by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Held on the campus of Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana, the event was an opportunity for members of the public to weigh in on a pending air permit renewal application submitted by BP for its refinery.

February 19, 2024

The Thai capital Bangkok has recorded dangerous levels of PM2.5, a fine air particulate that can enter the bloodstream, according to Swiss air quality tracking website IQAir. The site found that levels of PM2.5 on February 15, 2024, were more than 15 times higher than the recommended safety standard. Authorities urged workers to work from home for at least a couple of days to avoid the noxious haze.

February 12, 2024

In Nigeria there is worry of an outbreak of waterborne disease in the Ukwu-Nzu community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State following pollution of its two major rivers by the alleged activities of coal miners.

February 5, 2024

the 10 most polluted cities in Africa: Rank    Country    Pollution index    Exp pollution index 1    Cairo, Egypt    90.9    164.0 2    Lagos, Nigeria    89.0    159.0 3    Marrakech, Morocco    83.5    149.3 4    Casablanca, Morocco    82.2    146.6 5    Nairobi, Kenya    79.8    142.3 6    Addis Ababa, Ethiopia    76.1    133.6 7    Alexandria, Egypt    74.3    130.6 8    Tunis, Tunisia    72.5    127.0 9    Johannesburg, South Africa    61.1    106.3 10    Pretoria, South Africa    55.1    94

January 29, 2024

Carbon emissions from Canada’s oil sands are “severely” underreported. Using aircraft-based measures, the study’s authors found that total carbon emissions from Alberta’s Athabasca region exceeded industry-recorded values ​​by 1,900 to 6,300 percent, suggesting that the “traditional” method of calculating pollution “seriously underestimates emissions.

January 22, 2024

Guatemala has approved the alteration of Bluestone Resources‘ (BBSRF) Cerro Blanco gold project near El Salvador's border. What Happened: Bluestone’s stock spiked from C$0.24 to C$0.59, doubling the market cap to C$87.6 million. "After dedicating over two years to obtaining the environmental permit amendment, we are pleased," president, CEO and chairman Peter Hemstead stated in a press release. The goal is to shift the gold project from an underground to an open-pit operation

January 15, 2024

Despite the Nigeria Supreme Court's pro-Shell decision,  Shell still faces challenges in various courts within Nigeria and the United Kingdom. A separate legal battle, involving approximately 1,200 plaintiffs in Nigeria's southwestern city of Akure, revolves around claims of being affected by an oil spill in 2011. Simultaneously, in the U.K., a court ruling permits a group of Nigerian fishermen to proceed with their claims against Shell in another longstanding legal case.

January 8, 2024

Starting in 2026, only cruise ships powered by alternative fuels will be allowed to visit the fjords in Norway. Lawmakers want to protect the unique natural environment and stop marine diesel oil and mass tourism from damaging the ecosystem.

January 1, 2024

According to the 2021 World Air Quality Report, Bangladesh’s air quality remained the worst globally for four consecutive years. Dhaka, the nation’s capital, is the second most polluted capital in the world after New Delhi. The report indicates that particulate matter in Bangladesh is 15 times the limit set by the World Health Organization. Central and South Asia have some of the world’s worst air quality, with 46 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities.

December 25, 2023

China is UNSG Guterres' poster child of environmentali$m now this: "2023 is the first year that China's national average PM2.5 level has increased..."

December 18, 2023

on December 11, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, "It is time to go into overdrive and rise to the challenge set by COP President Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber" - that is, the head of ADNOC.

Guterres took money from the Gulbenkian Foundation, funded by the Partex oil company - then banned the Press that asked about it.

December 11, 2023

As ADNOC Jaber Cashes Out UN Guterres Cover For Him and His Banks, Banning Press

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Dec 5 – The UN's climate change conference has as its president the head of the United Arab Emirates' oil company, ADNOC.

  As UNSG Antonio Guterres defends and covers for him, Sultan Al Jaber has said that there is “no science” to support the need to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius and that phasing out fossil fuels would “take the world back into caves.” From Guterres? Nothing. And his propaganda circle of in-house scribes ask him nothing.

 Now this, on ADNOC's bank funders: HSBC (US$ 2.4 billion), MUFG (US$ 2.3 billion), SMBC (US$ 2.3 billion) and JPMorgan Chase (US$ 2.2 billion). A loan, issued back in January, was supported by banks such as Bank of China, ICBC, and Standard Chartered. For the two more recent loans, a lender list has not yet been disclosed.

December 4, 2023

UN Guterres Lies for COP28 Run by UAE Oil Exec But Frmr Marshall Islands Prez Quits

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Dec 1 – The UN's upcoming climate change conference has as its president the head of the United Arab Emirates' oil company, ADNOC.

 Inner City Press noted this typical UN hypocrisy on X (formerly Twitter) on September 20 while reporting from an event across the street from the UN it is banned from even entering. 

There, on November 27, Antonio Guterres was asked: "Can you react to allegations that the UAE has been negotiating carbon fuel deals on the sidelines of COP, and that's their intention? Are you worried about this undermining it?

Guterres: I can't believe it is true

 Yeah. On December 1, a member of the main advisory board of  COP28 resigned because the UAE presidency planned to use the meeting to secure oil, gas deal -  Hilda Heine, former president of the Marshall Islands, said reports that the UAE planned to discuss possible natural gas and other commercial deals ahead of UN climate talks were "deeply disappointing" and threatened to undermine the credibility of the multilateral negotiation process. But Guterres lies about it.

To Inner City Press from UAE bots, the response was indicative of today's UN system.   Robot-like response, from ostensibly unconnected accounts, came in reply.

Inner City Press had written: "Scam COP28 prez Sultan Al Jaber is at the same time the head of ADNOC, the UAE's oil company. But the UAE throws money around in the UN so who cares, right?."  

An account named @afnan_elfakhory replied, "The claim that the head of the UAE oil company is serving as president of the COP28 conference does not correctly reflect reality. The UAE is working hard to achieve global climate goals and promote sustainability. It is necessary to appreciate the efforts made by the UAE." 

But Sultan Al Jaber *is* the head of the UAE oil company. Two similarly robotic responses came from accounts named @asma__daroza and @gana_elsaieg.

  It's not just the UAE, or COP28 - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' head of "global communications" Melissa Fleming has bragged about using the UN's name (and public money) to combat and eliminate messages they don't agree with from the Internet. 

  Fleming and Guterres have banned Inner City Press, ignoring its June 19, 2023 application to enter and cover UNGA 2023 and then ignoring a letter from the pro bono law firm of Duane Morris, drunk with their own impunity.   Watch this site.

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November 27, 2023

Hot air in Antartica, November 24 "HIGHLIGHTS OF THE U.N. SYSTEM 24 NOVEMBER 2023     SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ANTARCTICA  From Antarctica, the Secretary-General said that Antarctica has been called the sleeping giant, but it is now being awoken by climate chaos. What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica, he said." But maybe someone should?

November 20, 2023

In the run up to COP28 in the UAE the Adnoc LNG field and a number of others are constantly emitting and burning polluting methane. Adnoc claims it has cut the volume of natural gas flared by more than 90 percent since the early 2000s when the company started its ‘zero routine flaring’ policy – referring to flaring that happens every day as part of normal oil operations.  In October, Al Jaber announced that 20 major oil and gas producers from around the world have pledged to eliminate gas flaring and methane emissions by the end of the decade.  Four fields flared on at least 97 percent of the days, with an average of just 14 days unavailable due to cloud cover.

November 13, 2023

DC Councilmember Zachary Parker, alongside Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie and Christina Henderson, introduced legislation that would require DC regulators to consider existing pollution levels in a neighborhood before granting permits for new businesses, denying permits in neighborhoods that already bear a disproportionate pollution burden

November 6, 2023

Sri Lanka cancelled their training session in Delhi on Saturday afternoon following advice from team doctors, owing to the severe air pollution in the city

October 30, 2023

A group of poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, are asking a federal judge to dismiss his ruling that they polluted an Oklahoma watershed. They claim in a motion filed Thursday that the case is “constitutionally moot” because the evidence is now more than 13 years old. U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell in Tulsa ruled in January that the companies were responsible for pollution of the Illinois River Watershed by disposing of chicken litter that leached into the river.

October 23, 2023

From New Jersey: The planes flying into Teterboro are not commercial airliners carrying ordinary folks flying for vacation trips, to visit relatives or perhaps on business. The planes flying in and out of Teterboro and annoying the good people of Moonachie and Westwood are private jets in which a tiny percentage of us will ever fly.   The carbon emissions of a person flying in a private jet is responsible for 10 to 20 times the atmosphere warming carbon as someone in a commercial airliner

Yes and not only Epstein but SBF flew in there..

October 26, 2023

Called “the largest truck stop in New Hampshire,” a project under construction off Route 101 in Raymond will be outfitted with plug-in power pedestals to reduce truck idling and air pollution as part of the New Hampshire State Clean Diesel Program - many (agencies) in NYC could learn from that...

October 9, 2023

From Alabama: The city of Mobile and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a community meeting in Africatown to discuss an environmental project that has been ongoing for the last two years.  The project began after the EPA awarded Mobile a grant to redevelop properties also known as “brownfields”....

October 2, 2023

From the UK: A judge has given permission for a private prosecution to go ahead against a water company accused over the pollution of one of the UK’s most cherished fishing rivers.  Southern Water will appear in court in February to face allegations linked to diesel pollution in the River Test in Hampshire

September 25, 2023

Oil Exec from UAE Running COP28 Draws Bots on X Like Wider UN of Guterres Censors

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Sept 22 – The UN's upcoming climate change conference has as its president the head of the United Arab Emirates' oil company, ADNOC.

 Inner City Press noted this typical UN hypocrisy on X (formerly Twitter) on September 20 while reporting from an event across the street from the UN it is banned from even entering. 

 The response was indicative of today's UN system.   Robot-like response, from ostensibly unconnected accounts, came in reply.

Inner City Press had written: "Scam COP28 prez Sultan Al Jaber is at the same time the head of ADNOC, the UAE's oil company. But the UAE throws money around in the UN so who cares, right?."  

An account named @afnan_elfakhory replied, "The claim that the head of the UAE oil company is serving as president of the COP28 conference does not correctly reflect reality. The UAE is working hard to achieve global climate goals and promote sustainability. It is necessary to appreciate the efforts made by the UAE." 

But Sultan Al Jaber *is* the head of the UAE oil company. Two similarly robotic responses came from accounts named @asma__daroza and @gana_elsaieg.

  It's not just the UAE, or COP28 - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' head of "global communications" Melissa Fleming has bragged about using the UN's name (and public money) to combat and eliminate messages they don't agree with from the Internet. 

  Fleming and Guterres have banned Inner City Press, ignoring its June 19, 2023 application to enter and cover UNGA 2023 and then ignoring a letter from the pro bono law firm of Duane Morris, drunk with their own impunity.   Watch this site.

More on Substack here

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September 18, 2023

Citigroup has been rightly targeted with on the environment for years (see for example Predatory Bender) - but last week the ongoing lending protests turned physical, and a Citigroup staffer showed the bank's attitude, pushing and yelling and it seems splashing coffee, video here. More next week, after UNGA...

September 11, 2023

Amid all the fine talk at the G20, this: "MCD deploys water sprinklers to control pollution during G20 Summit The MCD said that 15 anti-smog guns have also been deployed at high-rise buildings, Civil Lines, Green Park zonal building and Tilak Nagar Colony hospital."

September 4, 2023

Health benefits that have resulted from reductions in fine particulate air pollution aren’t distributed equally among populations in the U.S., a new Yale-led study finds. Racial and ethnic minorities — and Black people in particular — still experience disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease-related deaths caused by exposure to fine particulate matter, according to the research.

The findings were published Aug. 31 in Nature Human Behavior.

August 28, 2023

Jakarta may be the most polluted city in the world, but Indonesia is only the 26th most polluted country. The most polluted? Chad...

August 21, 2023

Once a thriving and pristine freshwater expanse, Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela now stands as a haunting testament to the devastating consequences of unchecked pollution and decades of environmental neglect

August 14, 2023

The Indonesian capital of Jakarta was ranked the most polluted city in the world on Wednesday.   Swiss air quality technology company IQAir has consistently ranked it among the top 10 polluted cities around the globe

August 7, 2023

France canceled a training session Thursday for an open water swimming event in the Seine River due to pollution caused by heavy rains.  “Following recent heavy rainfall in Paris, the water quality in the Seine has currently fallen below acceptable standards for safeguarding swimmers’ health. Consequently, the decision has been taken in consultation with public health and event delivery partners to cancel the training session due to take place at 07:30 (0530GMT) on 4 August, ahead of the Open Water Swimming World Cup planned for this weekend,” the French Swimming Federation said in a communique.

July 31, 2023

From the EU: Who hasn’t enjoyed a bit of fresh air in their car by turning on the air conditioning while stationary? The practice is commonplace, and particularly welcome at a time when an intense heatwave is hitting southern Europe and Italy in particular, with temperatures frequently hovering around 40°C. Unfortunately, the practice has been banned by Italian law since 2007 as part of the fight against pollution, and offenders face heavy fines ranging from a minimum of €223 to a maximum of €444. In protest, some motorists have approached the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, none other than the former Interior Minister and President of Lega, Matteo Salvini, to ask him to arbitrate. The minister’s response was swift: sensitive to the complaints of users, he pleaded for moderation in the application of this law, which was recently updated and reinforced under his ministry. The fight against pollution is a laudable objective, but it must not be achieved at the expense of other equally important realities. Can we reasonably ask a motorist stopped in a car with young children or elderly people, for example, to turn off the air conditioning? Matteo Salvini appealed to police officers’ “common sense” and “discernment”—virtues that unfortunately seem to be disappearing when it comes to environmental considerations.

July 24, 2023

 Sadiq Khan in U-turn on ‘eco’ wood-burners amid pollution fears Campaigners’ pressure sees London mayor withdraw approval for stoves billed as better for the environment  Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Skyler King Sat 22 Jul 2023 09.03 EDT The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has withdrawn his endorsement of wood-burning stoves promoted as “environmentally friendly” after a surge in sales of the appliances, which contribute to harmful air pollution.  In 2018, Khan endorsed the Ecodesign stoves,

July 17, 2023

EJ in Iraq: Pollution in Iraq's River Tigris threatens people's health and safety. Chemicals and waste materials from various government institutions and power plants are polluting the River Tigris, causing skin diseases and colon cancer.  Sewage waters are also poured into the River Tigris, which passes through the capital, Baghdad, which has a population of approximately 9 million.

July 10, 2023

Thick clouds of toxic foam covered parts of a river in southeast Brazil, scattering downward and worrying residents on Friday (July 7). Drone images showed clouds of foam floating on the Tiete River in the town of Salto, the largest river in Sao Paulo with more than a thousand kilometers and crossing the state from east to west.  The stinky foamy layer comes from detergent wastes and chemical residues dumped into the river without treatment

July 3, 2023

Dateline London: Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted London’s Pride march in protest over the event accepting sponsorship money from “high-polluting industries”. A number of protesters were arrested after blocking the road in front of a Coca-Cola truck.

June 26, 2023

London's The city's Ultra Low Emission Zone, which imposes a daily charge on the most-polluting vehicles, is expanding despite some resistance...

June 19, 2023

Air pollution in Minnesota's Twin Cities likely hit an all-time high this week, according to preliminary observations from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.   The agency reported a 24-hour air quality index value of 175 on Wednesday, indicating a level of airborne particle exposure equivalent to smoking four cigarettes. A typical AQI value for the Twin Cities in June is around 33, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency.

June 12, 2023

Amid Environmental Claims by Administration Bank Regulators Ignore Pollution on Mergers

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

FEDERAL COURT, June 4 – The Biden Administration has ordered all "federal agencies to consider and report on measures to ameliorate and prevent disproportionate negative environmental and health impacts on historically marginalized communities."

  But what does it mean, for the bank regulators?

Take for example the Federal Reserve Board, which has routinely ignored, and official stated it can and will ignore, environmental justice, and even despite its claims, climate change.   For example in approving BMO Harris' application to acquire Bank of the West - protested by Fair Finance Watch and Inner City Press - ruled that

"Some commenters expressed concerns regarding the amount of funding that BNP Paribas and Bank of Montreal have provided to fossil-fuel companies, while one commenter requested that the combined organization publish annual disclosures related to environmental issues. In addition, one commenter expressed concern that BOTW had not disclosed information regarding the diversity of its employees. These comments concern matters that are outside the scope of the limited statutory factors that the Board is authorized to consider when reviewing an application under the BHC Act. See Western Bancshares, Inc. v. Board of Governors, 480 F.2d 749 (10th Cir. 1973)."   

Inner City Press wrote, The Fed sure loves that 1973 case. It's time to amend the BHC Act and CRA to provide a private right of action and of judicial review. 

 But what about the Biden Administration's Executive Order? It doesn't only apply to the FDIC and OCC - it references independent regulatory agencies. Watch this site. 

***

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June 5, 2023

 Ten most Ten most polluted countries  Nepal: 99.73 μg  Niger: 94.05 μg  Qatar: 91.19 μg  India: 90.87 μg  Saudi Arabia: 87.95 μg  Egypt: 87 μg  Cameroon: 75.01 μg  Nigeria: 71.80 μg  Bahrain: 70.82 μg

May 29, 2023

So under the Biden Administration's Environmental Justice EO every agency is supposed to consider EJ - and the bank regulators? We'll have more on this.

May 22, 2023

US Sen. Bill Cassidy is convinced he has the policy that can challenge China’s geopolitical and military might, put a dent in its bountiful greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the U.S. economy, and, perhaps most importantly, get to 60 votes.   Cassidy said he’s floating a proposal around to his colleagues, which he hopes to introduce later this year, to impose a “foreign pollution fee” on various product imports from fuel, to chemicals, cement, aluminum, steel, and plastics to deal with these various China-related political, environmental, and national security interests at once

May 15, 2023

Scientists have found “alarmingly high” concentrations of potentially toxic particles in the air in New York City subway stations.  New York University researchers surveyed 271 platforms in December 2021 and found levels of airborne iron particles were a staggering 126 times more than the outdoor average, according to a paper published last month in the International Atmospheric Pollution Research journal.

May 8, 2023

Ohio will have until the end of June to finish a plan to aimed at combating toxic algae blooms that have flourished in Lake Erie since the late 1990s. The deadline is part of settlement agreement approved by a federal judge

May 1, 2023

Maine regulators issued a pollution law violation notice to Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), the rail company whose six train cars derailed in Somerset County two weeks ago

April 24, 2023

The signingof the EJ EO was good - but to position it only in terms of climate change, and not also toxic pollution, is a mistake.

April 17, 2023

Philly mayoral candidate Jeff Brown was asked by a moderator during the Democrats’ mayoral primary debate how he’d address accusations of pollution and environmental racism in Chester. “Chester is Chester. I’m worried about Philadelphians and how their lives are,” said Brown. “And so what will come first for me is what will be best for my Philadelphians.”  “So, you don’t care about Chester?” the moderator asked.  Brown replied: “I do care, but I don’t work for them.”  “The trash has to go somewhere,” he added. “And whoever gets it’s going to be unhappy with it.” (!)

April 10, 2023

EPA has proposed that chemical plants nationwide measure certain hazardous compounds that cross beyond their property lines and reduce them when they are too high.  The proposed rules would reduce cancer risk and other exposure for communities that live close to harmful emitters, the EPA said. The data would be made public and the results would force companies to fix problems that increase emissions. Public? We'll see.

April 3, 2023

The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco rejected all but one claim by the East Oakland Stadium Alliance about the inadequacy of the project’s environmental impact report. The Oakland City Council certified the report in February of last year.  The appeals court ruling means the project can move forward once the city and A’s address what the lower court ruled was an inadequate mitigation measure related to wind

March 27, 2023

Residents of a Louisiana parish located in the heart of a cluster of polluting petrochemical factories filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday, March 21, 2023, raising allegations of civil rights, environmental justice and religious liberty violations.

March 20, 2023

A federal judge is giving Oklahoma and nearly a dozen poultry companies, including the world’s largest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, an additional 90 days to reach an agreement on plans to clean a watershed polluted by chicken litter.  U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell on Friday scheduled a June 16 status conference in Tulsa, saying both sides requested the extension. The state and the poultry companies are to submit a joint status report by June 9.  Frizzell ruled in January that Arkansas-based Tyson, Minnesota-based Cargill Inc. and other companies polluted the Illinois River, caused a public nuisance and trespassed by spreading the litter, or manure, on land in eastern Oklahoma, and that it then leached into the river’s watershed

March 13, 2023

The EPA is accepting public comment on the proposed rule on soot through March 28. They also hosted virtual public hearings on the proposed rulemaking at the end of February. The EPA plans to review the public comments and issue a final rulemaking later this year.

March 6, 2023

In Cancer Alley in Louisiana DOJ is now seeking a federal court order to compel Denka, the Japanese chemical giant operating the facility, to “immediately take all necessary measures” to curb emissions of the compound chloroprene, labeled by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen

February 27, 2023

Since its debut in 1971, an anti-pollution ad showing a man in Native American attire shed a single tear at the sight of smokestacks and litter taking over a once unblemished landscape has become an indelible piece of TV pop culture.  The so-called “Crying Indian” with his buckskins and long braids made the late actor Iron Eyes Cody a recognizable face in households nationwide. But to many Native Americans, the public service announcement has been a painful reminder of the enduring stereotypes they face.    The nonprofit that originally commissioned the advertisement, Keep America Beautiful, had long been considering how to retire the ad and announced this week that it's doing so by transferring ownership of the rights to the National Congress of American Indians. 

February 20, 2023

An environmental engineering lab has been testing the waters from residential wells in East Palestine, Ohio, after the train crash earlier this month. The confidential results can tell residents wh r their water is safe to drink

February 13, 2023

This was filed with the Federal Reserve, and receipt confirmed:

Feb 6, 2023  Timely Comment on "Principles for Climate-Related Financial Risk Management for Large Financial Institutions"  Docket No. OP-1793  Dear Governors:     While the Board increasingly speaks of incorporating climate risks into its supervision and regulation,  I that nner City Press / Fair Finance Watch and other NCRC members have become increasingly concerned that the Governors to date have refused to even consider, much less act on, the issue when raised on the mega-mergers which cause other harms, unless mitigated by CBAs, to our communities.    In a recent approval, involving Bank of Montreal  and BNP Paribas, the Board's order stated: "Some commenters expressed concerns regarding the amount of funding that BNP Paribas and Bank of Montreal have provided to fossil-fuel companies, while one commenter requested that the combined organization publish annual disclosures related to environmental issues...  These comments concern matters that are outside the scope of the limited statutory factors that the Board is authorized to consider when reviewing an application under the BHC Act."     Not only is this at odds with the Board's now stated concern about climate risk - it also disingenuously presents the Board as powerless to consider and act on obviously important issues like climate change due to invested-in fossil fuel infrastructure and production.    Just at the Board recently responded to the collapse of FTX by denying the application to join the FRS of Custodia bank, if the Board is truly concerned about climate change it should be willing to consider, and act on, the issue in connection with mergers, under the managerial and finance factors of the BHC Act and where applicable Bank Merger Act.  Matthew Lee, Esq., Executive Director Inner City Press / Fair Finance Watch

February 6, 2023

 Indiana’s air pollution permitting program is low on money, edging toward violation of the federal Clean Air Act — and a potential U.S. Environmental Protection Agency takeover. And it’s because air pollution is decreasing.  Lawmakers hope to head EPA action off with a bill allowing the state agency responsible to raise its fees. But Senate Bill 155 could get pushback from colleagues who want more oversight over agencies, not less, and those who want to lower, not raise, taxes and fees.  “You’re increasing the fees and the cost of it for the people that are in business, and that’s going to be the hard sell here,” said Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, the bill’s author.  “But the other part of it is that members of the committee and other senators don’t want the federal government taking over this program,” Niemeyer said...

January 30, 2023

A hidden loophole in the Administration’s regulations to curb truck pollution could end up greatly weakening the new laws. These were part of a crackdown on heavy truck pollution that’s the first of its kind in decades. But commercial truck makers like Daimler and Navistar pushed for an exemption to the stricter emissions under cold weather conditions, which allegedly hamper their engines’ abilities to curb pollution.

January 23, 2023

From London... to New York? "Beri’s app suggests routes that provide the lowest risk of breathing air with high pollution levels. “It’s like a TfL [Transport for London] or Google app but instead of offering the speediest journey between destinations it provides routes with the lowest air pollution,” she said." How would this look in NYC?

January 16, 2023

Last summer, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it was considering designating the Permian Basin — the nation’s top-producing oil patch and one of the largest single sources of carbon emissions on Earth — in violation of ozone standards, which would have required substantial reforms in local oil and gas operations.  But the proposal was moved to a back burner in the agency’s annual agenda issued last week, reclassified from “active” to “pending."

January 9, 2023

In the Chesapeake Bay, polluted runoff is increasing amid inconsistent enforcement from government agencies...

January 2, 2023

Chicago-land: A plan to develop semi-trailer parking for a massive Target warehouse in Little Village has community members worried it will bring more diesel truck pollution into an area already suffering from poor air quality. Hilco Redevelopment Partners is proposing to turn 20 acres at 3307 S. Lawndale Ave. into a parking and storage yard for trucks hauling loads to and from the retailer’s 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse.December 26, 2022

Shell said on December 23 that it will pay 15 million euros to Nigerian farmers to compensate them for damage from pipeline leaks.  A Dutch appeals court ruled last year, following 13 years of legal battles, that Shell’s Nigerian branch must pay out for a series of leaks and that the parent company must install new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills

December 17, 2022

More than 80 New Jersey companies allegedly polluted sections of the Lower Passaic River to the extent they should pay $150 million to help clean it up, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice announced Friday

December 12, 2022

People dealing with the most socioeconomic disadvantages in greater Los Angeles also face higher levels of toxic air pollution, according to a new UCLA-led study. Researchers collected air samples from 54 locations over two-week periods in September 2019 and February 2020, and then analyzed the samples to determine how much PM 2.5 pollution was present, and how toxic it was. PM 2.5 refers to particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which can penetrate deep into lungs. The paper, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, found that air from census tracts in the 25% of communities facing the most socioeconomic disadvantages not only contained a greater amount of pollution, but that the pollution in these areas was more toxic.

December 5, 2022

From Pittsburgh: U.S. Steel must pay over $458,000 in penalty fines after the company violated air pollution control regulations, according to the Allegheny County Health Department.  The violations occurred at Clairton Coke Works early this year

November 28, 2022

Texas in PA: A plea hearing has been scheduled for next week in the long-running case of a natural gas driller facing felony charges over allegations it polluted the aquifer of a small Pennsylvania community 14 years ago.  Houston-based Coterra Energy Inc. will appear in Susquehanna County Court ...

November 21, 2022

UN Puppet Guterres Reads Wrong Speech They Gave Him at COP 27 But Media Laughed It Off

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell book
BBC - Honduras - CIA Trial book - NY Mag

UN GATE, Nov 11 – Two take-aways from COP 27: Antonio Guterres is a puppet who is handed speeches to read, sometimes the wrong speech, and the corporate media makes excuses for him, presenting his incompetence and corruption as funny, even charming. 

Welcome to Sharm el Sheik. 

  Guterres was giving "his" speech, flanked by Al Gore, when he belatedly realized it was the wrong speech. He flipped through it, then admitted "they" gave him the wrong speech. Video here

   The same "they" who, after convicted UN briber CEFC China Energy bid on the oil company of Gulbenkian, which paid Guterres money he omitted to including on his UN public financial disclosure, told him to go to the Genocide Games in Beijing, and cover up for genocide and UN rapes. "They."

But the media is complicit, with Al Jazeera and others making light of the mistake, very funny.

As funny as Qatar killing migrant workers to host a corrupt World Cup in the desert, air conditioning open air stadia while bloviating like Guterres about green energy.

  Guterres has Inner City Press roughed up and banned from the UN for asking about his omission of CEFC China Energy, and failures on Yemen and Cameroon.

The UN is dying, Guterres is responsible, and corporate and state media are complicit. Watch this site.

***

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November 14, 2022

Lobbying at the UN-affiliated and corrupt #COP27, which Antonio Guterres flew in and out of without impacting human rights in the least: "Vicki Hollub, the CEO of Oxy, a major US oil and gas producer, complained in October this year that oil and gas companies like hers were not allowed into negotiations at COP26, though she did get access to the talks last year.  Hollub claimed at an energy industry event that oil and gas companies were already working to influence this year’s COP27 and next year’s COP28, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates. She predicted that they would be allowed into negotiations with the climate talks taking place in oil producing countries.  Hollub’s prediction seems to have come true with her and eleven of her colleagues from Oxy gaining access to this year’s talks as part of the official United Arab Emirates delegation, which included at least 70 fossil fuel lobbyists according to our analysis.  Oxy is one of the largest US oil and gas producers and a major producer in the prolific Permian oil basin. The company was also the second highest spending oil and gas lobbyist in the United States in 2021, behind only Koch Industries. Hollub has criticised others for pushing the energy transition “too quickly” saying instead that with carbon capture technology, largely used to pump yet more oil, she can see a way to continue producing oil and gas “for the foreseeable future, I’m talking 2060, 2070, 2080, I’m not talking about ending fossil fuel development in ten or twenty years”

November 7, 2022

While bloviating about climate change, not only is UNSG Antonio Guterres jetting off to Egypt after jetting back from Tunisia - after that, he's going to Bali. Hypocrite.

October 22, 2022

...In sub-Saharan Africa, the death rate from air pollution is 155 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly double the global average of 85.6 deaths per 100,000 people

October 24, 2022

...big US banks continue to finance companies that are developing new coal projects worldwide. Since 2019, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs have collectively provided US$40 billion to coal developers

October 17, 2022

A Breton water rights group is suing the French state for not doing enough to lower the amount of nitrate pollution in the Channel, which contributes to the growth of toxic – and sometimes deadly – green algae

October 10, 2022

NORTH SMITHFIELDers concerned about a proposal by a metals processor to build a 23,000-square-foot building on a property featuring acres of wetlands say they discovered more reasons to oppose the project this week, when the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management shared files documenting a history of environmental violations by the applicant.  Files provided by RIDEM following a public information request show that Material Samples Technology’s property at 800 Central St. has been subject to several violations, and in some cases fines for non-compliance.

October 3, 2022

"California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that oil refineries could start selling more polluting winter-blend gasoline ahead of schedule to ease soaring fuel prices, directly contradicting his own goals for reducing climate pollutants."

September 26, 2022

  "The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights — comprised of more than 200 current staff members in 10 U.S. regions — will merge three existing EPA programs to oversee a portion of Democrats’ $60 billion investment in environmental justice initiatives created by the Inflation Reduction Act" - will it help stop disparately pollution projects? We'll test - and see.

September 19, 2022

After Jurors Hear Trevor Milton Doesn't Give a Sh*t About The Environment, Nikola Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell book
BBC - CIA Trial book - NY Mag Pearl St Video

LITERARY COURTHOUSE, Sept 13 – When the Trevor Milton trial kicked off for real, AUSA Nick Roos called Milton a fraudster. His lawyer Marc Mukasey called the government's case grotesque.

  But the first witness settled the matter, at least for now. Paul Lackey who had worked on the Nikola 1 described Milton as involved in the science or the work, focused on leading other men in suits around and lying about the state of preparation of the vehicles.  

  Mukasey and then Ken Caruso objected, without impact. Overruled, Judge Ramos said.   As it grew near the end of trial day break, there had still been no cross examination.

  The jurors would go home with this image in their heads: Trevor Milton saying, according to Paul Lackey, "I don't give a sh*t about the environment, I just want to make money." 

   It was consistent with other, later developments. Milton lying about having solar panels on the Nikola building's roof, when there were none.

[Question posed to Milton on Pearl Street here]

  It was like the United Nations, though Kurt Wheelock, who before he was throw out of the UN had exposed their fake recycling program when in fact all the waste mixed together.

  The limousine idling for hours outside Secretary General Antonio Guterres' mansion on Sutton Place, and his undisclosed weekend jetting to Lisbon.

  Greenwashing, bluewashing, but all Team Trevor could allege was Milton- or Nikola-bashing. The next day they would get to cross examine Lackey. Kurt would try to come in early for that. More on Patreon here.

***

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September 12, 2022

Here are the most polluted (no. 50-40) and least polluted (no. 10-1) in U.S. News’ Pollution Rankings.  States with the worst pollution 50. Louisiana  49. Nevada  48. Indiana  47. Delaware  46. Utah  45. Ohio  44. Oregon  43. Tennessee  42. Illinois  41. Alabama  40. Texas  Louisiana ranks dead last, coming in as the most-polluted state in the U.S., according to EPA information.

September 5. 2022

New York State is home to the #1 most polluted lake in America. AZ Animals put out the list of the top 10 for 2022. The reason I believe we actually have three lakes on the list is that Lake Erie is listed for Michigan, but we also share the lake. I'm no scientist, but any pollution from Michigan most likely makes its way to other areas of the lake, including our side.  The most polluted lake in the U.S. according to AZ Animals is: 1. Onondaga Lake, New York  

August 29, 2022

The owners of a pipeline that spilt crude oil into beaches in California have agreed to admit guilt to charges of environmental contamination and pay $13 million, these businesses announced on Friday.   Two of its subsidiaries, Beta Operating Co. and San Pedro Bay Pipeline Co., along with Texas-based Amplify Energy, which runs the pipeline off Huntington Beach, have stated they will formally acknowledge letting oil contaminate the waters off southern California in October of last year.

August 22, 2022

Trial is underway in a Sterigenics lawsuit over ethylene oxide leaks from an Illinois manufacturing plant, which is the first of several hundred complaints that allege the company knowingly released toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, endangering residents living near its facilities. The lawsuit was brought by Sue Kamuda, who claims that the releases of the gas used to sterilize medical equipment caused her to develop breast cancer. The plant in Willowbrook, Illinois, where the leaks occurred, was shut down permanently in 2019, following complaints from residents.  Jury selection began on Thursday in Cook Count Circuit Court

August 15, 2022

A federal judge in Maine has given conditional approval to a consent decree in the case brought by environmental groups against the former owners of a chemical plant in Orrington, bringing a decades-long legal battle over mercury pollution in the Penobscot River closer to an end.

August 8, 2022

 This past week before jetting to Japan UNSG Antonio Guterres intoned that his UN has broken from fossil "fools" companies. False. They are all over his "Global Compact." Guterres is a climate hypocrite.
August 1, 2022

An analysis has listed celebrities causing the maximum private jet pollution and American singer Taylor Swift has topped the list. Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is second while rapper Jay-Z, former baseball player A-Rod and American singer Blake Shelton are among the top five. Steven Spielberg, Kim Kardashian, Mark Wahlberg, Oprah Winfrey and Travis Scott are also on the list. Looks like the UN and some others are immune from coverage - watch this site.

July 25, 2022

 A stench that has fouled the air in the Carolinas near Charlotte NC sparked a lawsuit Friday that accuses a paper mill of not gettinga pollution permit and of shutting down a key piece of equipment that was vital to controlling odors. Seven South Carolina residents who say they’ve been affected by noxious odors from the New-Indy paper mill say the company never applied for a key air pollution permit as it turned off a device called a steam stripper. The federal suit asks a court to order New-Indy to eliminate the odors and cut pulp production until the company obtains the air pollution permit. Known as a prevention of significant deterioration permit, the air pollution license is needed by major new industries or big industries making major changes to a plant. 

July 18, 2022

Under Clean Water Act Riverkeeper Sues Bronx Scrap Yard in SDNY With Settlement Predicted

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC-Guardian UK - Honduras - NY Mag

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 16 – Riverkeeper sued Pascap, which owns a scrap metal processing facility by the Hutchinson River in The Bronx.

 On July 14, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Denise L. Cote held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it.

  Counsel for the defendant quickly disclosed he is the judge's neighbor. She recognized the name of his wife, as a former classmate.

It's a small world, and the two counsel resisted setting a trial date, saying they anticipate settling.

The case is Riverkeeper, Inc. v. Pascap Co., Inc., 22-cv-2999 (Cote)

July 11, 2022

More than 8.5 billion gallons a year of pollution is estimated to be discharged off the west coast of Canada by cruise ships on their way to and from Alaska

July 4, 2022

Wright Pled To Carbon Credits Fraud Now Gets 52 Months Jail and $16 Million Restitution

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY Courtroom Exclusive, July 1 – Roger Ralston, Christopher Wright and Steven Hooper all faced a joint wire fraud conspiracy trial on May 12, 2022.

     On February 18, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jed S. Rakoff held a lengthy in-person oral argument. Inner City Press went and covered it.  

 Among the issues raised is whether the trials should be severed. Hooper proffered to the US Attorney's Office for some 18 hours and almost got a cooperator's deal. Now, counsel for Ralston argues, Hooper's information could never be effectively "Bruton-ized" at trial. 

  [See, Bruton v. US, 391 U.S. 123 (1968)]

June 27, 2022

Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho confirmed Russia's participation in the upcoming (June 27) UN Oceans conference. "Russia is a member of the UN and will take part in the conference," he announced. UNSG Antonio Guterres, who assured that Russia would not inviade Ukraine and then ordered to staff to not say it was happened, supports Gomes Cavinho - and the conference being in Lisbon, home of Guterres' Vaz and banks, he will also be there..

June 20, 2022

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has revised the Port of Morrow’s groundwater contamination fine to $2.1 million after finding additional wastewater violations.  On Friday, the agency added $800,000 to the Port’s original $1.3 million fine for over-applying nitrogen-rich wastewater on agricultural fields in the Lower Umatilla Basin

June 13, 2022