House Representatives From Michigan Introduce a Bill to Address PFAS Contamination
Congress will consider a bill requiring states to work with federal agencies to remove and remediate water contaminated with a dangerous chemical compound.
Emily Moon
Emily Moon is an editorial fellow at Pacific Standard. Previously she worked at the Chicago Sun-Times and the Herald-Times in Bloomington, Indiana. She is a graduate of Northwestern University.
The ACLU Accuses Facebook of Gender Discrimination in Job Ads
The complaint alleges Facebook discriminated against women and non-binary people by allowing employers to target men in job advertisements.
Hurricane Florence Has Already Flooded Pits of Toxic Waste in North Carolina
State agencies and environmental groups have recorded several breached or overflowing hog-waste pits and coal ash ponds—and the floodwaters are still rising.
German Police Evict Anti-Coal Activists From a 12,000-Year-Old Forest (in Photos)
The protesters have occupied a community of tree houses for six years to oppose a nearby coal mine.
North Carolina's Hog Waste Problem Has a Long History. Why Wasn't It Solved in Time for Hurricane Florence?
The hog industry is changing, but, as Hurricane Florence hits, history may be doomed to repeat itself.
Trump Says the East Coast Is 'Absolutely Prepared' for Hurricane Florence. Is That True?
If recent federal disaster response is any indication, the president's boast is wildly misleading.
Hurricane Florence's Hidden Dangers
Some of the storm's risks are not so obvious, from rivers of toxic waste to unevacuated prisons.
Hurricane Florence Is Heading for the East Coast. Who Will Be Affected?
Disasters like this one have been found to disproportionately affect low-income people and people of color.
The Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Spreads to Another City
As of this week, the World Health Organization has recorded 127 confirmed cases and 87 confirmed or probable deaths in the DRC due to the virus.
Key Takeaways From Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Controversial Emails
Here's what you need to know about the confidential documents that Democratic senators have released to the public.
Detroit Schools Shut Off Water Fountains After Tests Found Lead Contamination
Detroit public schools shut off the district-wide water supply last week after tests found elevated levels of lead or copper in 34 schools.
Working in America in 2018
For Labor Day, a selection of some of our favorite stories on the American worker in 2018.
Detroit Mourns Aretha Franklin (in Photos)
Thousands celebrated the singer's life and legacy during a final send-off in her hometown this week.
A Canadian Court Strikes a Blow to the Trans Mountain Pipeline Project
The Canadian Federal Court of Appeals ruled against the Trans Mountain pipeline in what some are calling a major setback for oil and a win for environmental and indigenous groups.
How Does Water Scarcity Affect Mental Health?
Studies have found that people who lack access to water often suffer from emotional distress.
Dispatches: Breaking Down the Implications of the Cohen and Manafort Criminal Cases
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
The Catholic Church Considers an Appeal to Welcome LGBT People
A Catholic conference heard an appeal from a U.S. priest on Thursday calling for the church to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
What Have We Learned in the Year Since Hurricane Harvey?
One year after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, researchers are just beginning to understand what went wrong.
Research Tells Us That Immigration Does Not Lead to Higher Crime Rates
Conservatives see Mollie Tibbetts' murder as proof of a need for more stringent immigration policies. Here's why they're wrong.
'Modern Slavery': The Labor History Behind the New Nationwide Prison Strike
A look at the origins of the 2018 prison strike through a legacy of involuntary servitude.
The Trump Administration Calls for More Water and Less Regulation in California's Central Valley
The announcement prompted the California State Water Resources Control Board to postpone its vote on a proposal restricting agricultural water use in the Delta.
The U.S. Sanctions Myanmar Over the Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya (in Photos)
The new sanctions are the toughest U.S. action so far in response to Myanmar's ongoing human rights abuses.
The Trump Administration's Latest Push Against the Opioid Crisis: Limiting Drugs Manufacturers
The proposal follows several other efforts to combat the ongoing epidemic on both the state and federal levels—some more effective than others.
A Federal Judge Reinstates the Clean Water Rule for 26 States
A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration's order delaying the Clean Water Rule.
Fracking Operations Are Using More and More Water
A new study suggests that future fracking practices will require far more water than previously estimated.
How Has White Nationalism Changed in the Year Since Charlottesville?
In the months since the first Unite the Right rally, white supremacist and anti-Semitic incidents have only grown.
Officials Finally Acknowledged Hurricane Maria's Higher Death Toll. What Else Did They Get Wrong?
For months, Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló refused to admit his government might have undercounted—and this is not the only spurious claim made since the disaster.
PS Picks: A Podcast Heavyweight
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
It's Not Just California That's Burning
There are also major wildfires in five other states.
California Regulators Move to Protect the State's Fuel Efficiency Standards
The new plan would require automakers to comply with the state's more stringent greenhouse gas emissions rules despite proposed rollbacks.
What Trump Got Wrong About California's Wildfire Policies
California climatologists fact-check the president's tweets on fire and water.
Floods Strand Thousands in Myanmar (in Photos)
Heavy rains flooded Myanmar this week, displacing 150,000 people and killing at least 12.
California Could Lose Its Fuel Efficiency Waiver. What Would That Mean for the Country?
Some state legislators seem to agree that California's standards are what's in the United States' best interest.
The Trump Administration Releases Its Plan to Roll Back Fuel Efficiency Standards
The plan would end efforts to make cars and trucks average more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025.
State Agencies Turn Up High Levels of Harmful Chemicals in a Michigan County's Water
Tests have revealed that water in Parchment, Michigan, contains 20 times the federal health advisory for dangerous substances known as PFAS.
The Five Largest Wildfires Burning in California Right Now
Fires have already scorched nearly 300,000 acres in the state this year.
California Regulators Consider Conservation Protections for the State's Largest Estuary
Conflict over the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta has played out over decades of back-and-forth between regulators and farmers.
Yosemite Evacuates During a Deadly Fire (in Photos)
Smoke from the fire has created dangerous air-quality conditions in Yosemite Valley.
The CDC Finds Gun-Related Homicides Rose by 30 Percent Over Two Years
The CDC analysis recorded 14,415 gun-related homicides in 2016.
The House Votes to Extend a Program to Oversee Debris Clean-Up in Oceans
The House voted Wednesday to extend the program that oversees removal and prevention of plastics in the nation's waterways.
Oil Companies Offer Praise, but No Endorsement, for GOP Carbon Tax
A group of oil, gas, and other manufacturing companies announced their support Wednesday for a Republican lawmaker's proposed tax on carbon emissions.
What Happens If the Government Misses the Deadline for Family Reunification?
Most likely, a federal judge will just extend the deadline.
'There's Nothing They Won't Do for the Industry': A Climate Expert Argues That EPA Bias Let Illegal Emissions Go Unpunished
An Environmental Protection Agency watchdog calls out Scott Pruitt's failure to penalize three Oklahoma-based oil and gas companies for polluting.
An Oil Company Seeks to Move Rhode Island's Climate Change Lawsuit to Federal Court
Shell Oil motioned to take the case to federal court on Monday—a move that could threaten the suit, if approved.
Reunions in Ethiopia and Eritrea (in Photos)
Since the countries' leaders signed a peace agreement on July 9th, Ethiopia and Eritrea have withdrawn troops and re-opened travel.
A Judge Dismisses New York City's Lawsuit Against Oil Companies Over Climate Change
A United States district judge dismissed a New York City lawsuit Thursday that would have held oil companies responsible for climate change.
The Trump Administration Plans to Strip Key Protections From the Endangered Species Act
Proposed changes to the landmark legislation would limit protections for the thousands of endangered plants and animals covered under the law.
House Republicans Denounce a Proposed Carbon Tax
While nearly 40 countries have passed legislation putting a price on carbon emissions, the U.S. has never enacted such a tax.
What Research Can Tell Us About Breastfeeding Stigma
Stigma factors into our perceptions of breastfeeding and formula, with serious consequences for infant health.
Election Violence Escalates in Pakistan Following the Prime Minister's Ousting (in Photos)
A spate of deadly bombings has killed more than 100 people at election rallies across the country.