Federal cuts disrupt repairs on two of America's most iconic trails
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through three western states is already challenging. Now the grueling journey may become even tougher this year due to federal cuts. Over a year’s worth of trail work to clear downed trees and rebuild stretches of the Pacific Crest Trail has been canceled, while similar repairs have been disrupted for the Appalachian Trail. Wildfires and hurricanes already were taking a toll on America's two legendary trails that are used by millions each year. Now the associations overseeing the paths say cuts in grant money and the Trump administration's downsizing of the federal workforce threaten their very existence.
Waffle House Index helps Southerners and FEMA judge a hurricane's severity
For some residents of storm-prone Southeastern states, the best indicator of a hurricane's severity can be found at the local Waffle House. If the Georgia-based restaurant chain stays open in town, neighbors are reassured that the coming storm is unlikely to cause devastation. A closed location of the dependable diner chain has come to indicate impending disaster. What might sound like silly logic has become one of the most reliable ways for Southerners and even federal officials to gauge a storm’s severity and identify communities most in need of immediate aid. The Waffle House Index was created by a federal emergency management official and is still used today.
US port strike: Over 45,000 dockworkers from Maine to Texas hit picket lines
Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas have started walking picket lines in a strike over wages and automation that could reignite inflation and cause shortages of goods if it goes on more than a few weeks. The contract between the ports and about 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association expired at midnight, and even though progress was reported in talks on Monday, the workers went on strike early Tuesday. The strike is affecting 36 ports. The U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, said Monday evening that both sides had moved off of their previous wage offers, but when picket lines went up just after midnight, it was apparent there was no deal.
Construction to begin on high-speed rail between Las Vegas and Los Angeles
A $12 billion high-speed passenger train line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Brightline West company officials on Monday to hammer commemorative yellow rail spikes at the site of terminal due to open in 2028 just south of the Las Vegas Strip. The company plans to build track in the median of Interstate 15 to a Rancho Cucamonga, California, commuter rail hub connection to Los Angeles. Trains would whisk past at speeds comparable to Japan's bullet trains. A Brightline sister company operates a train about two-thirds that fast between Miami and Orlando.
EPA sets first-ever limits on PFAS in water
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals," in drinking water. Two types, PFOA and PFOS, will be limited to 4 parts per trillion, the lowest level that tests can reliably detect. The agency says it will reduce exposure for 100 million people and prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancer. Utilities groups, however, say the EPA is underestimating the rule's cost and overestimating its benefits. They argue water rates will go up and struggling utilities will only struggle more. The Biden administration has made protecting drinking water a priority.
EPA sets first-ever limits on PFAS in water
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals," in drinking water. Two types, PFOA and PFOS, will be limited to 4 parts per trillion, the lowest level that tests can reliably detect. The agency says it will reduce exposure for 100 million people and prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancer. Utilities groups, however, say the EPA is underestimating the rule's cost and overestimating its benefits. They argue water rates will go up and struggling utilities will only struggle more. The Biden administration has made protecting drinking water a priority.
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