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The New Lede

@thenewlede.bsky.social
322 followers 48 following 990 posts

Hi! We're The New Lede, a publication that covers environmental health & more. We provide investigative reporting, analysis, & explanatory articles about a broad range of environmental topics that are too often ignored. www.thenewlede.org

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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 19h
WATCH: Farm Bill politics and Iowa’s cancer and pollution crisis Adam Shriver of Farm Action Fund and the host of the Canary in a Cornfield podcast talks to TNL managing editor Brian Bienkowski. ⤵️ www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/watc...
thenewlede.org
WATCH: Farm Bill politics and Iowa’s cancer and pollution crisis
Adam Shriver of Farm Action Fund and the host of the Canary in a Cornfield podcast talks to TNL managing editor Brian Bienkowski about Farm Bill deliberations, how corporate consolidation is harming f...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 20h
"I don’t want my kids eating strawberries contaminated with chemicals that will stay in their bodies for decades, and I’m thankful @gavinnewsom.bsky.social agrees that families deserve to know what’s being sprayed on their food,” @votenickschultz.bsky.social said. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/cali...
thenewlede.org
Landmark bill in California now requires state to disclose PFAS pesticide use
Under the new law, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation must track pesticides containing PFAS in its publicly accessible database and monitor how these pesticides are used over time.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A new law in California requires the state to track and publicly disclose the use of PFAS pesticides. AB 1603, signed by Gov. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social today, addresses growing concerns over pesticides containing PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/cali...
thenewlede.org
Landmark bill in California now requires state to disclose PFAS pesticide use
Under the new law, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation must track pesticides containing PFAS in its publicly accessible database and monitor how these pesticides are used over time.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“We are arguing that, without any further treatment of this digestate, you have made the situation a lot worse than if you didn’t have the covered anaerobic digester,” @ncstate.bsky.social Professor Viney Aneja said. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/manu...
thenewlede.org
Manure digesters worsen ammonia air emissions from hog farms, study finds
Ammonia emissions, which can harm a person’s ability to breathe, are more than three times higher when emitted from manure that has been through a digester compared to manure that is directed  into st...
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Reposted by The New Lede
The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Revealed: Chemical giant Syngenta hid how quickly the weedkiller paraquat could permeate clothing, be absorbed through an applicator’s skin and enter the bloodstream, as well as information demonstrating dire risks to the brain. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“EPA’s true goal is to exclude all peer-reviewed studies so they can continue to rely entirely on the registrants and their contract labs, where there has been widespread falsification of data, outright fraud,” @cfstruefood.bsky.social's Bill Freese said. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA and HHS teaming up on expanded review of glyphosate weedkiller safety
US officials said this week they are expanding a scientific review of the widely used weed killer glyphosate, a chemical popular in agriculture but also linked for years to cancer and other health pro...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Join TNL editorial intern Julie Zenderoudi as she attends Climate Week NYC, where food and health advocates gathered to discuss and debate the benefits of regenerative agriculture.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
NEW: A pesticide linked to cancer and hormone disruption is polluting a quarter of US river miles. “It’s just an astounding level of contamination from just one pesticide,” Nathan Donley of @biologicaldiversity.org said. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/atra...
thenewlede.org
Pesticide linked to cancer and hormone disruption pollutes a quarter of US river miles
A cancer-linked pesticide banned in more than 60 countries around the world contaminates an estimated 25% of river and stream miles in the lower 48 US states, including many waterways used for drinkin...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A cancer-linked pesticide banned in more than 60 countries around the world contaminates an estimated 25% of river and stream miles in the lower 48 US states, including many waterways used for drinking water, according to a new @biologicaldiversity.org analysis. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/atra...
thenewlede.org
Pesticide linked to cancer and hormone disruption pollutes a quarter of US river miles
A cancer-linked pesticide banned in more than 60 countries around the world contaminates an estimated 25% of river and stream miles in the lower 48 US states, including many waterways used for drinkin...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Revealed: Internal Syngenta emails from 2007 show that sprayers of the weedkiller paraquat had exposure levels that vastly exceeded “acceptable operator exposure levels” (AOEL). “This is bad news whichever way you look at it,” a Syngenta scientist wrote. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
New study: Ammonia emissions, which can harm a person’s ability to breathe, are more than three times higher when emitted from manure that has been through a digester compared to manure that is directed into storage lagoons or sprayed on fields. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/manu...
thenewlede.org
Manure digesters worsen ammonia air emissions from hog farms, study finds
Ammonia emissions, which can harm a person’s ability to breathe, are more than three times higher when emitted from manure that has been through a digester compared to manure that is directed  into st...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The EPA announced it is joining HHS in an interagency memorandum of understanding to “strengthen scientific coordination” and “expand the evidence” for the EPA’s ongoing registration review of the weedkiller glyphosate. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA and HHS teaming up on expanded review of glyphosate weedkiller safety
US officials said this week they are expanding a scientific review of the widely used weed killer glyphosate, a chemical popular in agriculture but also linked for years to cancer and other health pro...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Syngenta's secrets uncovered: A 1988 analysis of paraquat absorption in the urine and blood of people spraying the pesticide over three days found “an unexpected number” of positive urine tests. A number of workers had paraquat in their plasma as well. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Revealed: Syngenta hid data showing that its Gramoxone paraquat product “almost immediately” penetrated cotton and other clothing materials, including untreated Tyvek commonly used in protective apparel. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Revealed: Chemical giant Syngenta hid how quickly the weedkiller paraquat could permeate clothing, be absorbed through an applicator’s skin and enter the bloodstream, as well as information demonstrating dire risks to the brain. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Syngenta's secrets: “When the pesticide companies know from their own studies that their pesticides are harmful and don’t tell the public or regulators, then they are knowingly contributing to people getting sick and dying,” Stanford Professor Tracey Woodruff said. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
thenewlede.org
Syngenta’s secrets – What the company didn't tell the EPA about its “blockbuster” paraquat pesticide
Newly unsealed internal corporate files show Syngenta avoided sharing certain paraquat health risk data with the EPA despite federal legal requirements for companies to report information about advers...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Revealed: During the Obama administration, when the EPA was proposing stronger regulations on pesticides such as Syngenta’s atrazine, Syngenta officials appeared to take at least partial credit for spurring a political backlash against the adminstration. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Use of the weedkiller paraquat nearly tripled in the US from 2000 to 2018. New records show Syngenta did not share certain internal data and other information about its health effects and risks with the EPA, despite federal legal requirements. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Revealed: A Syngenta predecessor was developing a Parkinson’s drug, sparking internal debate over the “cast-iron defence case” the company would need if it sold a treatment for a disease its pesticide, paraquat, was already suspected of causing. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Countries around the world have banned the toxic pesticide paraquat. So why is the US still one of the world’s largest markets for the weedkiller? An investigation by The New Lede reveals major clues buried in thousands of internal Syngenta records. ➡️ www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/syng...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
An estimated 176 million people in the US drink PFAS-contaminated tap water, according to EPA data from US drinking water supply tests. The agency is withdrawing guidance preventing forever chemicals from entering drinking water. ⤵️ www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA withdraws guidance preventing PFAS from entering drinking water
In the latest regulatory rollback on toxic chemicals, the EPA has identified several documents it deems “appropriate for rescission,” including a 2022 memo that encouraged states to use existing Clean...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
In the latest regulatory rollback on toxic chemicals, the EPA has withdrawn Biden-era guidance on how to prevent #PFAS pollution in drinking water. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA withdraws guidance preventing PFAS from entering drinking water
In the latest regulatory rollback on toxic chemicals, the EPA has identified several documents it deems “appropriate for rescission,” including a 2022 memo that encouraged states to use existing Clean...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A win for animal welfare advocates: The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its version of the Farm Bill in a 12-11 vote, without the controversial provision that would have limited states’ ability to pass stronger animal welfare laws. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/farm...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
If all US field crops were managed regeneratively, the additional carbon stored could equal 1.49 times annual US greenhouse gas emissions. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/form...
thenewlede.org
Backed by data, a former USDA scientist makes the case for regenerative agriculture
A former USDA scientist is sharing his research on regenerative agriculture after visits with 2,000 farms across the US. His latest findings suggest regenerative agriculture can play a vital role in c...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
“The IRS is now putting their thumb on the scale in favor of large, industrial, polluting factory farms,” @foodandwater.bsky.social senior staff attorney Tyler Lobdell said of the new guidance. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/45z-...
thenewlede.org
Federal clean fuel tax credit extends to gas from animal manure
New Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance released last week confirms that gas extracted from livestock manure qualifies for a federal clean fuel tax credit, paving the way for increased investment ...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Breaking: The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the Farm Bill on Wednesday on a party-line vote, despite Republican in-fighting over a failed effort to bring forward a “Save Our Bacon Act” amendment that would have weakened state animal welfare laws. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/farm...
thenewlede.org
Farm Bill advances without controversial "Save Our Bacon Act"
The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the Farm Bill on Wednesday on a party-line vote, despite Republican in-fighting over a failed effort to bring forward a “Save Our Bacon Act” amendment that wo...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Regenerative farms store 39% more carbon in soil than conventional farms. Backed by data, former USDA scientist and South Dakota farmer Jonathan Lundgren is making the case for regenerative agriculture. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/form...
thenewlede.org
Backed by data, a former USDA scientist makes the case for regenerative agriculture
A former USDA scientist is sharing his research on regenerative agriculture after visits with 2,000 farms across the US. His latest findings suggest regenerative agriculture can play a vital role in c...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
New Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance released last week confirms that gas extracted from livestock manure qualifies for a federal clean fuel tax credit, paving the way for increased investment in biogas projects. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/45z-...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Roundup lawsuit: “This settlement is the scariest, worst future settlement that’s ever been contemplated [...] with no punitive damages for a 20-year claims period,” Gerson Smoger, a plaintiffs’ attorney opposing the settlement, told the judge. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/judg...
thenewlede.org
Judge weighs "fairness" of $7.25 billion Roundup settlement for cancer victims
Opposing teams of attorneys spent hours on Monday battling over a proposed $7.25 billion settlement of the US Roundup cancer litigation that, if approved, would allow Bayer to keep selling its controv...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Attorneys battled for hours Monday in St. Louis over Bayer's proposed $7.25 billion Roundup settlement. If approved, the company would be allowed to continue selling glyphosate while paying individuals suffering from cancer between $10,000 and $165,000. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/judg...
thenewlede.org
Judge weighs "fairness" of $7.25 billion Roundup settlement for cancer victims
Opposing teams of attorneys spent hours on Monday battling over a proposed $7.25 billion settlement of the US Roundup cancer litigation that, if approved, would allow Bayer to keep selling its controv...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"The EPA is offering ‘choose your own regulation’, where pesticide companies get to tell the EPA how to regulate their products,” @biologicaldiversity.org's Nathan Donley said. The agency coordinated with Bayer on reapproval for controversial herbicide dicamba. ⤵️ www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA coordinated with Bayer on reapproval for controversial herbicide dicamba
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked directly with pesticide maker Bayer in approving the controversial herbicide dicamba earlier this year, presenting the company with different option...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Revealed: The EPA worked directly with pesticide maker Bayer to approve the controversial herbicide dicamba earlier this year, presenting the company with different options for reducing drift and runoff, according to internal agency records. www.thenewlede.org/2026/09/epa-...
thenewlede.org
EPA coordinated with Bayer on reapproval for controversial herbicide dicamba
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked directly with pesticide maker Bayer in approving the controversial herbicide dicamba earlier this year, presenting the company with different option...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Dangerous, drug-resistant salmonella is on the rise in US poultry, according to a new report from @farmforward.bsky.social. Salmonella causes an estimated 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the US each year, according to the FDA. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/poul...
thenewlede.org
More dangerous, drug-resistant salmonella rising in US poultry
Amid a busy season of summer food recalls and illnesses, sustainable farming advocates are warning that salmonella bacteria found in poultry is increasing strains most likely to cause illness, hospita...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
WATCH: What’s the matter with MAHA? Robyn O’Brien, a nationally recognized thought leader on food policy and finance issues, talked with TNL Editor-in-Chief @careygillam.bsky.social about the controversies behind the Make America Healthy Again movement. thenewlede.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
“We’re doing nothing on the regulatory side to protect consumers when the inevitable contamination happens,” Andrew deCoriolis of @farmforward.bsky.social said. More dangerous, drug-resistant Salmonella strains are on the rise in the US, according to a new report. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/poul...
thenewlede.org
More dangerous, drug-resistant salmonella rising in US poultry
Amid a busy season of summer food recalls and illnesses, sustainable farming advocates are warning that salmonella bacteria found in poultry is increasing strains most likely to cause illness, hospita...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
🧵A new chapter: The New Lede is expanding on Substack. thenewlede.substack.com/p/whats-new-...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
A new report from @farmforward.bsky.social warns that salmonella found in poultry is increasingly made up of strains most likely to cause illness, hospitalization and death—and that the bacteria are also becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/poul...
thenewlede.org
More dangerous, drug-resistant salmonella rising in US poultry
Amid a busy season of summer food recalls and illnesses, sustainable farming advocates are warning that salmonella bacteria found in poultry is increasing strains most likely to cause illness, hospita...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Brian Bienkowski, managing editor of The New Lede, joined The Happy Disruptors Podcast to discuss the state of environmental journalism and the challenges and opportunities ahead. Watch the full episode: thenewlede.substack.com/p/watch-the-...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
🚨 There’s a new way to get The New Lede: our latest news, plus expanded commentary, videos, and podcasts from @ewgofficial.bsky.social president and co-founder Ken Cook (@ewgprez.bsky.social). Subscribe to our Substack today: thenewlede.substack.com/p/whats-new-...
thenewlede.substack.com
What’s new for you at TNL
We’re expanding. Here’s what you can expect.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
“What we’re doing is abusing one of the foundations of modern medicine and making antibiotics ineffective,” said Andre Delattre of The Public Interest Network. A new report asserts major fast food chains may still be sourcing beef raised with antibiotics. ⤵️ www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/majo...
thenewlede.org
Major fast food chains may still be sourcing beef raised with antibiotics, report asserts
Food health advocates say that failed commitments from fast food chains to reduce the use of antibiotics in their beef supply poses a serious threat to public health, putting Americans at risk of anti...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
🚨 McDonalds, Subway and Taco Bell are failing to keep up with pledges to reduce the use of antibiotics in their beef supply, according to a new report. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/majo...
thenewlede.org
Major fast food chains may still be sourcing beef raised with antibiotics, report asserts
Food health advocates say that failed commitments from fast food chains to reduce the use of antibiotics in their beef supply poses a serious threat to public health, putting Americans at risk of anti...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Billions of pounds of chemical fertilizer and tens of millions of tons of livestock and poultry manure are spread on the crop fields of America’s Corn Belt states. In Chippewa Falls, WI, the city is fighting to keep those nitrates out of their tap water. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/chip...
thenewlede.org
This American city perfected clean water for beer — now it’s fighting to keep cancer-causing nitrates out of the tap
Ever since Jacob Leinenkugel discovered spring waters here that were pure enough to brew his famous beer, this small Wisconsin city’s devotion to clean water has been paramount.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is fighting to keep cancer-causing nitrates out of its water. The city’s spring water helped make its beer famous. Now, nitrates threaten its future. ✍️ @keithschneider69.bsky.social of @circleofblue.bsky.social www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/chip...
thenewlede.org
This American city perfected clean water for beer — now it’s fighting to keep cancer-causing nitrates out of the tap
Ever since Jacob Leinenkugel discovered spring waters here that were pure enough to brew his famous beer, this small Wisconsin city’s devotion to clean water has been paramount.
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A new @ewgofficial.bsky.social report finds that North Carolina raised more than 421 million chickens and turkeys in 2024, according to federal data. The birds generated more than 3.6 million tons of manure, much of which remains largely unregulated by the state. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/nort...
thenewlede.org
North Carolina poultry industry grows as manure oversight lags, report finds
North Carolina’s poultry industry continues to add more birds to already highly concentrated barns, generating millions of tons of manure that is largely unregulated by the state, according to a new r...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Farm to Fuel: Bee die-offs were an early warning sign in Mead, Nebraska, where neonicotinoid pesticides from a local ethanol plant contaminated the town’s land, water and air. Watch the full documentary: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBUt...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
North Carolina’s poultry industry continues to add more birds to already highly concentrated farms, producing 3.6 million tons of manure a year that is largely unregulated by the state, according to a new @ewgofficial.bsky.social report. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/nort...
thenewlede.org
North Carolina poultry industry grows as manure oversight lags, report finds
North Carolina’s poultry industry continues to add more birds to already highly concentrated barns, generating millions of tons of manure that is largely unregulated by the state, according to a new r...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Future of the Toxic Substances Control Act: “Until now, [Congress] members have heard primarily from industry lobbyists and their trade associations, whose focus has been on weakening TSCA,” says a new letter from @projecttendr.bsky.social. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/scie...
thenewlede.org
Scientists, health advocates warn Senate TSCA overhaul could put children at greater risk
A group of over 30 scientists, health professionals, and public health advocates is urging the Senate not to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act, a move they say will put children in harm’s way fr...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
“States have always had an important role as laboratories of innovation. Policies tested out at the state level can help to inform decisions of other states and of the federal government,” writes @uofillinois.bsky.social Professor Susan B. Kaplan. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/stat...
thenewlede.org
How a patchwork of state laws leaves children unevenly protected from toxic chemicals
With the federal government politically divided nearly to the point of immobilization in recent years, most environmental health protections take place (or don’t) on the state level, and sometimes on ...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
There are over 40 states with laws limiting local pesticide policies. @uofillinois.bsky.social Professor Susan B. Kaplan explains how a patchwork of state laws leaves children unevenly protected from toxic chemicals. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/stat...
thenewlede.org
How a patchwork of state laws leaves children unevenly protected from toxic chemicals
With the federal government politically divided nearly to the point of immobilization in recent years, most environmental health protections take place (or don’t) on the state level, and sometimes on ...
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The New Lede @thenewlede.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A group of over 30 scientists, health professionals, and public health advocates is urging the Senate not to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a move they say will put children in harm’s way from toxic chemicals and pollutants. www.thenewlede.org/2026/08/scie...
thenewlede.org
Scientists, health advocates warn Senate TSCA overhaul could put children at greater risk
A group of over 30 scientists, health professionals, and public health advocates is urging the Senate not to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act, a move they say will put children in harm’s way fr...
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