Pollution

Study Finds “Hot Spots” For Glyphosate And Cancer In Iowa, Midwest States

"A new analysis links high use of the weed killer glyphosate to elevated rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), particularly in the Midwest, reinforcing years of research linking cancer to the weed killer made popular by Monsanto."

Source: The New Lede, 03/18/2026

Mezcal’s Popularity Booming In US, At Growing Environmental Cost In Mexico


"Thirty years ago, a single light bulb would illuminate the mezcal distillery owned by Gladys Sánchez Garnica’s family in rural Oaxaca, where the agave-based spirit was made through the night. As drops dripped from a clay oven, Garnica and her siblings listened to stories told by their parents while neighbors arrived by horse to get a taste of a drink known for its smoky flavor."

Source: AP, 03/17/2026

Apache Women Ask Supreme Court To Stop Transfer Of Oak Flat Land For Mine

"The transfer of federal forest land in Arizona to a pair of international companies that plan to mine one of the largest copper deposits in North America is complete, but a group of Apache women is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene as a last-ditch effort to stop the project."

Source: AP, 03/17/2026

Inside The Deadly Silicosis Epidemic Killing Countertop Stonecutters

"A new California law aims to protect workers from silicosis, an incurable lung disease that has killed 29 people in the state and sickened hundreds. Experts say it isn’t enough."

Source: Capital & Main, 03/17/2026

Mining Made Tar Creek A Toxic Wasteland. Quapaw Nation Brought It Back.

"The Quapaw Nation is the only US Native community to carry out a cleanup of one of the country’s worst sites of environmental contamination"

Source: Guardian, 03/17/2026

"Group Says “God Squad” Meeting Ignores Procedures Set By Law"

"As the Trump administration prepares to convene the Endangered Species Committee, also known as... the “God Squad,” conservation groups are expressing anger over what they call an “illegal end-run around” that doesn’t seem to be following clear procedures set forth in the law. The committee is planning to discuss exemptions for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities from the requirements of the Endangered Species Act."

Source: National Parks Traveler, 03/17/2026

‘Poisoned for Gold’ Project Pricks Nation’s Conscience

Two Ghanian video journalists traveled their country to document how contamination from illegal gold mining was harming the health of workers and nearby communities. Their resulting reporting not only won acclaim from their peers but also ignited a debate that resulted in the closing of polluting mining operations. Read more about their award-winning project and its impact in Inside Story Q&A.

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Dams Full Of Toxic Mining Waste, Dotted Around The World, Often Burst

"As soon as the barrier broke, a flood of poison brought death to the river. Gushing through the fragile wall built to hold back mining waste in Zambia’s copper belt in February 2025, more than 50m cubic litres of acid and heavy metals poured into the Chambishi stream – a tributary of the Kafue River, the country’s longest waterway."

Source: Guardian, 03/16/2026

First US Critical Minerals Mine Nears Approval in AZ Biodiversity Hotspot

"The U.S. Forest Service said it plans to approve South32’s Hermosa project in Patagonia, Arizona, despite the water problems the mine is already causing."

Source: Inside Climate News, 03/16/2026

Energy Secretary Directs Oil Company To Restore Operations Off California

"U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed a Texas-based oil and gas company Friday to restore operations in waters off southern California that were damaged by a 2015 oil spill, invoking the Defense Production Act."

Source: AP, 03/16/2026

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