Fetid water stands outside a mobile home in a small mobile home park in rural Hayneville, Ala., on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. The government announced a pilot program on Tuesday to help rural communities that face serious sewage problems like those in Lowndes County, where Hayneville is located. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
Presented by Ceres — The Biden administration is expanding an effort to help underserved communities get access to sewage infrastructure.
{beacon}
Energy & Environment
Energy & Environment
The Big Story
EPA aims to give 150 communities sewage help
The Biden administration is expanding an effort to help underserved communities get access to sewage infrastructure.
The administration said Tuesday a pilot initiative that previously helped 11 communities would expand to 150.
The program aims to help those communities get access to wastewater funds — with the ultimate goal of helping them apply for federal funding.
About 2 million people in the U.S. don’t have adequate wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
A 2017 report from the United Nations on extreme poverty in the U.S. documented issues including “various houses in rural areas that were surrounded by cesspools of sewage that flowed out of broken or non-existent septic systems” in Alabama.
Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.
The Biden administration is putting $60 million into three geothermal energy pilot projects, it announced Tuesday. The projects receiving federal funds are a Chevron New Energies project in California, a Fervo Energy project in Utah and a Mazama Energy project in Oregon.
A transboundary sewage stream that regularly flows from Tijuana, Mexico, into San Diego County may be creating a multifrontal public health crisis — as a noxious mix of chemicals and pathogens makes their way into households not just via water, but also through air and soil.
Big Wind Carpenter, a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, says they personally witnessed environmental racism before they even knew there was a name for it.
News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:
Florida bills aim to kill efforts by counties to protect workers from extreme heat (The Miami Herald)
Arizona GOP lawmakers sue Biden over monument near Grand Canyon (The Arizona Daily Star)
Military Medals and a Famous Last Name: How a Con Man Made Off With Millions in Texas (The Wall Street Journal)
On Tap
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
The House Energy Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security will hold a hearing titled “Powered Up: State Utility Regulators on Challenges to Reliable Affordable Electricity“
The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing on four pieces of legislation
The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on the impact of EPA regulations
Former President Trump isn’t the only public official whose disqualification under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection ban has landed at the Supreme Court. Read more
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave special counsel Jack Smith one week to respond to former President Trump’s request to keep his federal Jan. 6 trial on hold as he appeals his immunity claims. Read more
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
The latest in politics and policy.
Direct to your inbox.
Sign up for the Energy and Environment newsletter
