Michigan Governor Proposes a Massive Infrastructure Expansion

Chemicals Lead to Dead Fish in Georgia River

A chemical spill was discovered in Rocky Creek in Augusta, GA, which led to dozens of dead fish and a terrible odor. According to news station WDRW, residents in the area were told to stay inside until crews could clean up the chemical, which also possibly contaminated the soil near the river.

The state is testing samples from the water to determine what exactly the chemical is, and an investigation has opened into whether it was dumped in the river intentionally. The executive director of Savannah Riverkeeper said this “is an important reminder that drainage systems connect with our waterways.”

Homes with Contaminated Wells Get Connected to New Water Source

Five years after contamination was discovered in the groundwater wells supplying water to hundreds of homes in Bennington, VT, new pipes have been installed to provide clean water to 440 homes.

According to US News & World Report, the well water was contaminated with PFAS coming from ChemFab factories. The owner of the factories, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics will pay $34 million in a class-action lawsuit to those affected by the contamination.

PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down over time. In October, the Biden administration announced that the government would establish drinking water limits for PFAS, since none currently exist.

300 Bodies of Water Added to “Impaired” List in Minnesota

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently released an updated list of bodies of water which are “impaired,” which is defined as “too polluted to meet federal standards.” 300 additional bodies of water were added to the list, which now includes almost 3,000 bodies of water in the state.

On the plus side, Lawndale Creek in the Red River Valley has been taken off the list due to improvement, and is an example of 31 bodies of water to no longer be considered “impaired.”

According to the Grand Forks Herald, “The improvement in the south branch of the Buffalo was a long time coming and involved many local and state agencies, most notably the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District.” Several projects led to the positive change in the water condition, including restoring wetlands and creating a trout habitat in Lawndale Creek.

Michigan Governor Proposes $300 Million Expansion of MI Clean Water Plan

The governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer proposed an additional $300 million expansion of the previously announced MI Clean Water Plan. The total plan would provide $885 million in improvements to lead water lines and water infrastructure across the state, with funding coming from the America Rescue Plan.

In a press release, Whitmer stated “Every Michigander in every community deserves access to safe drinking water, and we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity right now to use the federal dollars we have to put Michiganders first and make lasting investments in our water infrastructure.”