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Thousands ordered to evacuate as wildfire near Yosemite National Park explodes in size

*A fast-moving fire near Yosemite National Park exploded today into one of California’s largest wildfires of the year.*

By The Associated Press

WAWONA, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park exploded in size Saturday into one of California’s largest wildfires of the year, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people and shutting off power to more than 2,000 homes and businesses.

The Oak Fire, which began Friday afternoon southwest of the park near Midpines in Mariposa County, grew to 10.2 square miles (26.5 square kilometers) by Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. It erupted as firefighters made progress against an earlier blaze that burned to the edge of a grove of giant sequoias in the southernmost part of Yosemite park.

*A home burns as the Oak fire rips through the area near Mariposa on Saturday.*

Evacuation orders were put in effect Saturday for over 6,000 people living in the sparsely populated, rural area, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest.

“Explosive fire behavior is challenging firefighters,” Cal Fire said in a statement Saturday morning that described the Oak Fire’s activity as “extreme with frequent runs, spot fires and group torching.”

By Saturday morning, the fire had destroyed 10 residential and commercial structures, damaged five more and was threatening 2,000 more structures, Cal Fire said. The fast-growing blaze prompted numerous road closures, including a shutdown of Highway 140 between Carstens Road and Allred Road — blocking one of the main routes into Yosemite.

More than 400 firefighters, along with helicopters, other aircraft and bulldozers, battled the blaze, which was in a sparsely populated, mostly rural area of the Sierra Nevada foothills, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest.

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‘Dirty dirt’ law revised in New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today signed into law A4255 / S2870 (McKeon, Haider, Kennedy / Smith, Codey).

The bill revises current law requiring registration with the state Department of Environmental Protection of businesses engaged in soil and fill recycling services.

Specifically, the bill would extend the original April 20, 2020
registration date to July 14, 2022. The bill would also require any
persons registering with the DEP pursuant to P.L.2019, c.397
(C.13:1E-127.1 et al.) to apply to the Attorney General for a soil
and fill recycling license no later than 30 days after the DEP adopts
rules and regulations to implement the law, rather than by October
17, 2020, as in current law.

The bill would also clarify certain language in section 1 of
P.L.2019, c.397 (C.13:1E-127.1) regarding the Attorney General’s
responsibility for issuing a soil and fill recycling license pursuant to
section 8 of P.L.1983, c.392 (C.13:1E-133).

Finally, the bill would require the DEP to adopt rules and regulations to implement P.L.2019, c.397 (C.13:1E-127.1 et al.) no later than one year after the bill’s enactment.

If you liked this post you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics.It’s packed with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Don’t take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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Price cut makes Chevy Bolt the most affordable EV in the U.S.

By Matt McFarland, CNN Business Updated 8:13 PM ET, Wed June 1, 2022

How 'range anxiety' may keep people from buying electric cars

By Matt McFarland, CNN Business Updated 8:13 PM ET, Wed June 1, 2022

Washington, DC (CNN) General Motors announced Wednesday that it’s cut the price of the most affordable Chevrolet Bolt to $26,595, making it the cheapest electric vehicle in the US.

The Bolt’s new price slightly undercuts the electric Nissan Leaf, which has a suggested retail price of $27,400.

The Bolt’s price has fallen 27% from the 2020 model, which it sold for $36,620. GM’s electric vehicle push has been hampered by a recall of Bolt batteries, which led to supplier LG paying it $1.9 billion last year. A series of fires triggered the recall, which was among the most expensive ever on a per-vehicle basis.

GM halted production of the Bolt in September 2021 as it worked with LG to prioritize batteries for recalled vehicles, but the company restarted the assembly line in early April 2022. GM introduced a Bolt crossover, known as the Bolt EUV, in 2022.

GM introduced the Bolt sedan in 2016 and sold 23,297 units in 2017. But sales slumped and have been generally flat, with GM selling a combined 24,828 Bolt sedans and crossovers in 2022.

GM lowered the prices to make sure the Bolt vehicles are competitive in the marketplace, spokesperson Shad Balch said.

“Affordability has always been a priority for these vehicles,” Balch said.

The 2023 Bolt EUV starts at $28,195, a $6,300 drop from its previous price.

If you liked this post you’ll love our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Don’t take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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Lithium-ion battery industry ramps up recycling focus as geopolitical events challenge supply chain

By Katie Pyzyk Waste Dive

Recent geopolitical events — including Russia’s war in Ukraine, the domestic infrastructure law, and President Joe Biden’s invocation of the Defense Production Act — are impacting the supply of critical minerals used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing and contributing to soaring commodity prices. Businesses dependent on lithium-ion batteries are exploring investments and advancements in battery recycling as ways to ease these metal supply-chain concerns.

“Recycling lithium-ion batteries is an important part of ensuring a healthy supply chain,” said Jeff Spangenberger, director of the ReCell Center, a consortium based at Argonne National Laboratory that advances battery recycling research and development. “This is a new industry, for the most part, compared to a lot of other recycling industries. There’s a lot of room for improvement.”

About 99% of raw and component materials for the batteries are produced outside the U.S., and the domestic supply chain is in its infancy. In December, the U.S. Department of Energy released a list of 13 new domestic electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants that are scheduled to come online in the next five years, eight of which are joint ventures between battery manufacturers and automakers. Most of the current focus on lithium-ion battery recycling is on recovering passenger vehicle batteries because the commercial EV market is still in its infancy.

The DPA’s stated intent is to boost critical mineral supply to meet clean energy needs through mining, recycling and identifying unconventional sources. President Biden invoked it in March in response to soaring gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Former President Donald Trump previously signed executive orders to boost the critical minerals supply as well. Recycling batteries recover critical minerals for reuse in new, domestically-produced batteries and reduces U.S. dependence on foreign virgin materials in tight supply.

“In order for the industry to be sustainable, and to de-risk it, it’s very important to localize in North America,” said Michael Insulan, vice president of commercial at Toronto-based battery recycler Electra Battery Materials Corp. The company’s battery materials industrial park in Ontario, Canada, is expected to begin pilot production later this year. Following a four-phase expansion, the campus eventually will house a Li-ion battery recycling facility, plants for refining and processing cobalt and nickel, and a facility to manufacture the cobalt and nickel into next-step battery materials.

Despite its relative newness, Li-ion battery recycling is expanding quickly. That’s a good thing, sources say, because battery demand is ballooning. Demand is so high for these commodities that recycling alone will not boost supply enough.

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“This is an extraordinarily rapid growth market, so the supply challenge is tremendous — maybe a bigger supply challenge than the world has seen in several decades,” Insulan said.

*Rockwood lithium mine in Silver Peak, NevadaSkyhobo via Getty Images*

Commodity crunch

Metals including lithium, nickel and cobalt are essential for the transition to clean energy technologies powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels. Electric vehicles and their batteries are at the forefront of that movement. In April, the CEO of EV startup Rivian warned of a looming battery shortage as demand for EVs rises, signaling the critical mineral shortfall and the largely unbuilt battery supply chain.

For example, Russia’s war in Ukraine is disrupting that country’s dominant mining and processing industries for metals, including nickel. And the goal of some funding for EV charging stations in the 2021 infrastructure law is to spur additional EV adoption; that’s driving up EV and battery material demand. The crunch is pushing already volatile metal markets to new heights.

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Study finds unsafe levels of toxic chemicals in packaging at 8 fast-food chains

The paper bag used to hold McDonald’s fries was found to hear near-illegal levels of toxic chemicals, according to a new study by Consumer Reports. Photo Credit: Pexels via Pixabay

By Cecilia Levine Ocean Daily Voice

Toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” have been found in food packaging used by eight fast-food chains, according to a new study by Consumer Reports.

The PFAs commonly found in non-stick pans and waterproof gear are also in food packaging that keeps fatty and oily liquids from leaking through, often used by fast-food joints.

Exposure to PFAs has been proven to cause a suppressed immune system, lower birth weight and increased risk for some cancers, Consumer Reports says. This is problematic for food chains using the packaging because the chemicals seep into the food and are ingested by consumers, the study shows.

The more you eat out, the higher levels of PFAs there are in your body, CR says.

The following eight fast-food joints had packaging with PFAs at or above 100 parts per million total organic fluorine, according to the study:

Arby’s: Paper bag for cookies
Burger King: Paper bag for cookies
Cava: Fiber tray for kids meal
Chick-fil-A: Wrapper for sandwich wrap
McDonald’s: Paper bag for french fries
Nathan’s: Paper bag for sides
Sweetgreen: Paper bag for foccaccia
Taco Bell: Paper bag for chips

Full Consumer Reports study.

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Cost of charging: EV vs. gas prices

By John Rosevear CNBC

While gas prices have soared in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, so have electricity prices – particularly in some parts of the U.S. that have been big markets for Tesla’s EVs.

So, is it still true that it’s much cheaper to “refuel” an EV? CNBC crunched the numbers.

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‘Forever chemicals’ tainting schools, private wells in New Jersey’s Mercer County

By Jon Hurdle NJ Spotlight

New Jersey officials have found “forever chemicals” at above state health limits in water systems serving two schools and in more than 40 private wells in Mercer County.

The Department of Environmental Protection detected the chemicals at the schools and in another local public water system during tests at three sites in the Pennington/Hopewell area, the agency told NJ Spotlight News. Those discoveries have so far led to tests of 142 private water wells, 42 of which contained the chemicals at levels that exceeded newly enforced regulatory limits.

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The DEP is currently sampling residential and commercial private wells for PNFA, PFOA and PFOS, the three kinds of PFAS chemicals for which New Jersey has set strict health limits in drinking water over the last few years.

The DEP said Monday it is also investigating whether private wells are contaminated with PFAS in other parts of the state but did not immediately identify them.

The agency said it is working with property owners to install point-of-entry water systems that filter out the chemicals. It urged homeowners whose water exceeds the state limits to switch to bottled water and seek reimbursement for the cost of installing treatment systems from the New Jersey Spill Fund, a state fund that compensates householders for damage to property from hazardous substances and pays for their cleanup. It has not yet identified the source of the contamination.

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‘Unprecedented’ PFAS Drinking Water Standard is under review in Pennsylvania

The state is considering a step it’s never taken in its history in an effort to keep drinking water safe and clean.

Justin Heinze, Patch Staff

PENNSYLVANIA — A new drinking water health standard has been proposed in Pennsylvania that officials are hopeful will protect residents from PFAS, long-lasting chemicals used in certain products that leak into the groundwater. The step is described as “unprecedented” as Pennsylvania has never set a state-level specific limit for a substance in drinking water.

The new rule would set a maximum contaminant level of 18 parts per trillion for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and 14 perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Both are stricter than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ruling of 70 ppt.

Pennsylvania leaders say they are at the forefront of limiting PFAS in drinking water.https://293baf1e9e16382e14bec7326f5d42a2.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“Since Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order in 2018, DEP has worked tirelessly to protect Pennsylvanians from these chemicals,” DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement.

A 60-day public comment period began on Saturday for residents to evaluate the new proposal.

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Ethics complaints filed against seven Pa. lawyers who helped Trump try to overturn the 2020 election

All of them, the filings said, lent their “law license and the legal profession’s integrity and power to an orchestrated effort to undermine our nation’s elections.”

Jenna Ellis, a member of President Donald Trump’s legal team, speaks during a November 2020 news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington. On Thursday, a legal advocacy group called the 65 Project filed ethics complaints with a state disciplinary board against several attorneys involved in the efforts to overturn Pennsylvania's elections results. It notified the board of a previous complaint it had filed against Ellis, who is now working as a senior legal adviser to GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. — Jenna Ellis, a member of President Donald Trump’s legal team, speaks during a November 2020 news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington.

By Jeremy Roebuck, Philadelphia Inquirer, Jul 7, 2022

A legal advocacy group formed in hopes of disbarring and disciplining lawyers who aided Donald Trump’s push to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election filed complaints Thursday with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court against seven lawyers in the state for their involvement in the former president’s legal efforts.

The list of those targeted by the 65 Project includes bit players like attorney and conservative talk show host Marc A. Scaringi, of Harrisburg, who sponsored Rudy Giuliani to argue on behalf of the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania’s federal courts, as well as some of the most in-demand GOP elections lawyers in the state, like Ronald Hicks and Carolyn McGee, who most recently represented Republican Senate candidate David McCormick in recount litigation during his primary campaign against Mehmet Oz.

Additionally, the group filed complaints against three out-of-state lawyers who participated in Pennsylvania election litigation — including Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, who is now serving as a senior legal adviser to state Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee in this year’s governor’s race.

All of them, the organization said in their filings, lent their “law license and the legal profession’s integrity and power to an orchestrated effort to undermine our nation’s elections.”

“It has now become part of the political toolbox for a candidate to allege fraud and seek to … undermine people’s faith in the outcome of elections any time they lose. We need to take that away,” said Michael Teter, managing director of the 65 Project, named after the 65 lawsuits filed in 2020 seeking to overturn the election. “The best way to do that with lawyers is to ensure there are personal or professional consequences to the actions they take.”

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NYC mayor Eric Adams elevates environmental justice in climate approach

By Maria Rachal Waste Dive

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday a new Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice to better integrate justice work within the city’s comprehensive approach to climate. The office consolidates and unifies existing agencies focused on resilience, sustainability, environmental coordination, and environmental remediation.

Adams also announced new appointments to the climate team who he said will support the administration’s work to “offset the effects of climate change and unnecessary carbon emissions,” with plans to expand solar power installations and other citywide resilience and clean-energy infrastructure. He also pledged to complete the city’s “first comprehensive study of environmental justice.”

Environmental justice advocates welcomed the commitments. “The nature of environmental justice is about intersectionality,” said Eddie Bautista, executive director of the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance (NYC-EJA). “If your government is siloed, by extension, your policies are siloed.” At the same time, Bautista said that the newfound attention and formalization of environmental justice (EJ) in city operations raises the stakes. “We intend on holding the mayor’s office accountable to that title.”

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Commodity crunch

The state is considering a step it’s never taken in its history in an effort to keep drinking water safe and clean.

All of them, the filings said, lent their “law license and the legal profession’s integrity and power to an orchestrated effort to undermine our nation’s elections.”

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