Avian flu virus has been found in raw milk − a reminder of how pasteurization protects health

Raw milk can carry many dangerous germs − now including the H5N1 virus that causes avian flu.

Kerry E. Kaylegian, Associate Research Professor of Food Science, Penn State • conversation
Dec. 5, 2024 ~9 min

Supreme Court could narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews, with less consideration of how projects would contribute to climate change

The Supreme Court will consider how far outward federal agencies should look when they analyze how a proposed action could affect the environment.

J.B. Ruhl, Professor of Law, Director, Program on Law and Innovation, and Co-director, Energy, Environment and Land Use Program, Vanderbilt University • conversation
Dec. 4, 2024 ~11 min


San Francisco is suing the EPA over how specific water pollution permits should be

One of the most liberal US cities is offering the Supreme Court a chance to further restrict federal regulatory power.

Robin Kundis Craig, Professor of Law, University of Kansas • conversation
Oct. 11, 2024 ~11 min

Millions of people across the US use well water, but very few test it often enough to make sure it’s safe

Providing information about risks and easy-to-use test strips made people more likely to check their water quality. But there’s not much support for people whose water turns out to be tainted.

Gabriel Lade, Associate Professor of Economics, Macalester College • conversation
Oct. 11, 2024 ~11 min

Rising electricity demand could bring Three Mile Island and other prematurely shuttered nuclear plants back to life

Rising electricity demand, especially to power data centers, could make restoring some nuclear plants that closed early financially viable.

Todd Allen, Professor of Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan • conversation
Sept. 27, 2024 ~8 min

Can you trust companies that say their plastic products are recyclable? US regulators may crack down on deceptive claims

As concern about plastic pollution mounts, the federal government is revising its standards for calling products recyclable. A recent fine against Keurig could be a sign of things to come.

Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law Emeritus, Vermont Law & Graduate School • conversation
Sept. 23, 2024 ~10 min

TRUTH in Labeling Act would heighten the warning for shoppers looking to cut sugar, salt and saturated fat intake

If the legislation passes, the new label would be centered on the front of the package. But it’s an add-on, not a replacement for the existing label.

Kimberly Baker, Food Systems and Safety Program Team Director, Clemson University • conversation
Sept. 19, 2024 ~7 min

Making fuels from plastics in Newaygo, Michigan, would be controversial – here’s why

A proposed chemical recycling plant in western Michigan may provide a handful of jobs but little environmental benefit.

Yutan Getzler, Pamela G. Hollie Professor of Chemistry, Kenyon College • conversation
Sept. 11, 2024 ~10 min


Sharks are taking a bite out of anglers’ catch in the Gulf of Mexico, but culling isn’t likely to help

Whether they’re going to cook a fish, have it mounted or just take a photo and then release it, anglers want more than a severed head. But with shark numbers rebounding, they’ve got competition.

James Marcus Drymon, Associate Extension Professor in Marine Fisheries Ecology, Mississippi State University • conversation
Aug. 20, 2024 ~9 min

What’s next after Supreme Court curbs regulatory power: More focus on laws’ wording, less on their goals

A widely anticipated Supreme Court ruling will sharply limit federal agencies’ power to interpret the laws that they execute and decide how best to carry them out.

Robin Kundis Craig, Professor of Law, University of Kansas • conversation
July 1, 2024 ~12 min

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