Drinking Water Linked to Miscarriages

A new government-sponsored study of three California towns has turned up a potentially serious finding: that some tap water could be dangerous for pregnant women. The study is the first to find that high levels of chemicals used to disinfect water could increase the risk of miscarriage. That’s raised a red flag at the Environmental Protection Agency. And now the EPA’s moving quickly to see if the California findings hold true elsewhere. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie Edelson Halpert reports:

Are Airports Polluting Our Local Waterways?

For most of us, the arrival of spring means good bye to snow and ice. But not at many of the nation’s airports. Frost on the ground and low temperatures mean planes must be sprayed with de-icing fluids for months to come. But there’s growing concern that these fluids are polluting the nation’s waterways. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:

Large-Scale Factory Farms

One of the nation’s largest egg producers plans to expand its operations—and that worries some family farmers in Ohio, who say factory farms make bad neighbors. Farmland states throughout the region are currently struggling with the environmental issues that surround large-scale corporate farming. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Maria Gallagher reports:

EPA to Regulate Livestock Farms

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it would begin regulating large cattle, pork and poultry farms that produce huge amounts of animal waste. Manure spills from these farms have damaged ecosystems and water supplies in many states throughout the nation. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports:

Cooking Methods Lower Exposure

For years, residents around the Great Lakes have been warned not to eat certain species of contaminated fish. But a new report to be published in the American Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that certain cooking techniques can minimize the risk of exposure to toxins like P-C-B’s. However, environmentalists say the report may missing the bigger picture. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:

Calumet Heritage Area

Most Americans think of national parks as majestic areas like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. But in recent years, a greater variety of landscapes have been deemed by the federal government to be worth protecting. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports on an effort to designate a largely industrial area near Chicago as a national heritage area:

Energy Efficiency and Utility Deregulation

States around the nation are beginning to embrace electricity deregulation. Last November, the Illinois’ State Legislature passed its own deregulation bill. But environmentalists complained that it did little to promote clean and efficient energy use. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports on a new proposal to improve Illinois’ deregulation law: