Solutions Vol. 49, No. 2/ Spring 2018 A toxic agenda EPA chief Scott Pruitt is undermining chemical safety— and EDF is fighting back Page 8 6 SWorld stage: 128 SThe sad 1215 SNew tools 1418 SHow to China steps up return of ‘drill, for diagnosing tackle food on climate baby, drill’ ailing rivers waste DEPARTMENT STANDING HEAD Timeworn and vulnerable For millennia, ancient bristlecone pines have survived as the dominant tree species in the windswept high country of Eastern California. Now this tree is being overtaken by limber pines, normally seen downslope, as the tree line inches up due to climate change. Even the world’s oldest trees are under stress as the planet warms. EDF is working for policies to rein in climate change and to mimimize its effects on the world around us. 2 Solutions / edf.org / Spring 2018 PHOTO: GETTY LOOKING FORWARD The Fourth Wave of environmentalism Across the nation, Americans are fed up with being needlessly exposed to toxic pollutants. Consider the case of Wendy Hartley, whose Environmental Defense Fund’s mission 21-year-old son died from exposure to meth- is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. Guided ylene chloride in a paint stripper. Working by science and economics, we find with Hartley—and others like her—EDF is practical and lasting solutions to the fighting the Trump administration’s attempted most serious environmental problems. rollback of chemical safety regulations (see p. 8). Our work is made possible by the support of our members. Donate online at edf.org/newsletter or by Despite the administration’s wholesale assault on environmental val- mail: EDF, attn.: Member Services, ues, I believe progress is still possible. Take, for example, the defeat 1875 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste. 600, of Michael Dourson, President Trump’s dangerous choice to head Washington DC 20009. EPA’s toxics office. Dourson was simply too extreme for the post, and EDF helped expose his long history of downplaying the risks of Solutions On the cover: chemicals he would have been regulating at EPA. The withdrawal Vol. 49, No. 2/ Spring 2018 As our photo- of his nomination was a major win. My thanks to EDF’s members, illustration (toxic logo whose support helped make this victory possible. A added) suggests, toxic the Trump admini- agenda EPA chief Scott Pruitt is stration is putting undermining chemical safety— News like this offers hope as we look ahead. But more broadly, my and EDF is fighting back Page 8 industry profits over optimism about the future is bolstered by the emergence of what 6 SWorld stage: 128 SThe sad 1215 SNew tools 1418 SHow to China steps up return of ‘drill, for diagnosing tackle food on climate baby, drill’ ailing rivers waste people, endangering I call Fourth Wave Environmentalism—innovations that are giving public health. EPA individuals and groups the power to monitor and respond to envi- Administrator Scott Pruitt has been ronmental and public health threats as never before. trying to stock his staff with agents of the chemical industry, and sabotaging a new Environmentalism’s First Wave dates to the late 19th and early 20th law designed to protect Americans from centuries and the creation of the first national parks. The Second toxic chemicals. Solutions writers reveal how EDF is fighting back. Wave, from the 1960s, saw the development of environmental regu- lation (and the creation of EPA) to deal with widespread pollution. Cover photo illustration: Anu Pegu. Photo: Reuters The Third Wave began in 1990, when McDonald’s teamed up with EDF to reduce billions of tons of waste. This Third Wave was dedicat- ed to market-based approaches and partnerships between corpora- tions and environmental groups. Solutions Editor Peter Klebnikov In environmentalism’s Fourth Wave, technological innovation is giv- Art Director Janice Caswell ing people unprecedented power to scale environmental solutions, and supercharge the approaches of the previous waves. In West Environmental Defense Fund Oakland, CA, for example, we put sensors on Google Street View cars 257 Park Ave. South New York, NY 10010 to map air pollution threats on a sub-block basis, giving local com- munity leaders like Margaret Gordon information that previously not Main number 212-505-2100 even government could provide (see p. 16). Technological innovation Membership questions 800-684-3322 is giving local groups and entrepreneurs better tools to monitor pol- or [email protected] lution and resource use in every area of environmental activity—the WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU climate, the oceans, ecosystems and public health. Send feedback to address above or email [email protected] We need strong regulations more than ever, but the Fourth Wave is CONNECT WITH US ONLINE beginning to make data transparent and available to everyone. When edf.org government fails to protect its citizens, people will have the power to take action themselves. ©2018 Environmental Defense Fund. Published quarterly in New York, NY ASSN 0163-2566 New York / Austin / Bentonville, AR / Boston / Boulder / Raleigh / Sacramento / San Francisco / Washington, DC / EDF President Beijing / La Paz, Mexico / London Solutions / edf.org / Spring 2018 3 FIELD NOTES DREAMSTIME/STEVE KELLER The high cost of extreme weather From hurricanes to wildfires, 2017 shattered records for U.S. climate and weather disasters, with damages topping $300 billion. $1.5bn $1.4bn $18bn $2.4bn $2.5bn $2.2bn $1.8bn $1.5bn $3.4 bn $1.7 bn A good day for science and law $2.7bn $1bn EDF and our allies have won Land Management (BLM) $1.1bn another big victory against the lands causes about 12% of Trump administration’s unre- U.S. methane emissions. $125bn lenting attacks on methane The judge called the ad- LEGEND $50bn Each icon denotes the approximate $90bn rules for oil and gas opera- ministration’s arguments location of a billion-dollar disaster. tions. In February, a U.S. dis- “untethered to evidence.” hurricane flooding drought wildfire trict court in California The delay, he said, would severe blocked the fourth attempt to cause “irreparable injury” freeze weather tornado hail storm SOURCE: NOAA derail a rule reducing emis- from “exacerbated climate im- sions of methane, a highly po- pacts.” The victory means that tent greenhouse gas, on U.S. BLM standards remain in ef- federal and tribal lands. fect. But the fight is not over: Citing EDF scientists and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke A breath of members in its decision, the is busy trying to rescind the fresh air ‘We’re still in’ court granted our motion for methane rule. “We’ll continue a preliminary nationwide in- to fight in court to reduce American families can breathe junction blocking this unlaw- harmful pollution that affects easier after a dis trict court or- ful sus pen sion of the rule. Oil communities across the West,” dered EPA to implement life- and gas activity on Bureau of said EDF attorney Peter Zalzal. saving standards to cut smog. The order followed legal chal- lenges from 15 states plus health and environmental GETTY groups, including EDF. The U.S. may be the only In March, the court found country in the world Reprieve for the bearded seal EPA acted illegally by failing withdrawing from the to identify communities with These pinnipeds rely on Paris Climate Agree- unsafe levels of ozone—a crit- ment, but undeterred ... Arctic sea ice for rearing ical step in restoring healthy pups and basic survival. air. Ozone, a key component With the ice melting due U.S. cities of smog, worsens asthma and 455 to climate change, the is linked to an array of heart species in Alaska was 15 states listed as threatened in and lung diseases. “This is a 2012. Oil and gas indus- big win for the health of colleges and 335 universities try groups filed a legal America’s children,” said EDF attorney Rachel Fullmer. protest, but recently the 1,845 businesses U.S. Supreme Court upheld EPA’s own data estimates the listing. Watch for the the standards will save hun- … have pledged to industry to try other ways dreds of lives and prevent abide by the Agreement. to sweep aside obstacles 230,000 childhood asthma These numbers are ris- to offshore drilling. attacks and 160,000 missed ing fast. school days a year. 4 Solutions / edf.org / Spring 2018 FIELD NOTES Defending your rooftop solar A dirty deal for trucks As more Americans install 123RF It’s a pollution loophole big solar systems on their homes, enough to drive an old truck some utilities are trying to through—and it smells just as charge solar customers extra rotten. An anticipated EPA fees, which can cancel their rule change will exempt dirty savings from cheaper elec- used engines placed into new tricity. EDF opposed two such truck bodies—known as glid- ONE requests in Texas and won er vehicles—from modern dirty both. Two utilities, Oncor and freight truck emissions stan- engine El Paso Electric Company, to- dards. EPA administrator + gether serving 10.5 million Scott Pruitt proposed the glider kit customers, filed requests with withdrew their requests. loophole shortly after meet- the state to add new charges “Despite Trump’s 30% tariffs ing with executives from the can emit as much for solar customers. After EDF on solar imports, there’s no leading glider manufacturer, pollution as intervened in the cases, the stopping solar in Texas,” says Fitzgerald Glider Kits. The companies reached out to us John Hall, EDF associate vice company also hosted 450 to negotiate and eventually president. President Trump during his clean trucks election campaign. EDF is fighting the propos- al alongside health advocates MINDEN PICTURES and major freight industry representatives.