Senate subcommittee field hearing addresses effects of PFAS chemicals in Michigan

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), ranking member of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management Subcommittee, convened a field hearing titled “Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in Michigan” in his home state on November 13. The hearing focused on the emerging health and environmental impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

AGI Celebrates Groundwater Week With Water Science Resources

A clear pond with grass in the foreground, a pipe in the mid-ground, and mountains in the background. The sky is blue with wisps of clouds

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to support member society National Ground Water Association’s Groundwater Week (December 3-6, 2018) with a new online resource pulling together AGI water science resources.

Let’s Talk About Water

How many times a day do you reach for that thirst-quenching cup, bottle, or fountain? Often we seek out the life-sustaining natural resource of water without much thought. We take it for granted. And we may think of water as an entitlement, a right bestowed upon our birth on this planet. But we consume water without worries only until a crisis threatens the availability of water or its safety.

President Trump signs America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 into law

President Trump signed America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021), which includes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, into law on October 23. The biannual WRDA legislation contained in S. 3021 authorizes investments in water infrastructure, including reauthorization of the Levee Safety Initiative and the National Dam Safety Program through 2023.

Lawmakers reauthorize NOAA Marine Debris Program

President Trump signed the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (S. 3508) into law on October 11. The Act reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program through fiscal year 2022. It also strengthens certain Coast Guard requirements to promote safety in the maritime industry and promotes awareness and implementation of marine technology within the Coast Guard.

Geoscience for Community Priorities

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Background:
The geosciences provide valuable knowledge and tools that can be applied to a wide range of community issues, including air and water quality; geologic hazards; the provision of energy, water, and mineral resources; climate and weather impacts; and the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. Geoscientists are commonly keen to see this science put into action, but there are many factors that affect how geoscience is perceived and used in community decision-making. Communities vary tremendously in size, location, culture, history, resources, governance, priorities, and needs. Effective engagement strategies take account of this diversity and employ a range of approaches to support communities and individual decision-makers with science that they can trust, understand, and use.

In this webinar, experts in geoscience communication, education, and engagement discuss a variety of different techniques, media, and principles for more effective communication and collaboration between community leaders, decision makers, and geoscientists. Particular attention is paid to three types of engagement: facilitating community-led solutions by connecting community leaders with geoscientists; incorporating community issues into college-level geoscience curricula; and using online platforms to provide geoscience information, resources, access to expertise, and opportunities for communities facing similar issues to share their experiences.

Our speakers are:

Raj Pandya, Ph.D., Director, Thriving Earth Exchange, American Geophysical Union | Slides | Video
Natasha Udu-gama, Ph.D., Senior Specialist, Thriving Earth Exchange, American Geophysical Union | Slides | Video
Sarah Fortner, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Geology & Environmental Science, Wittenberg University | Slides | Video
Cassaundra Rose, Ph.D., Program Manager, Policy and Critical Issues, American Geosciences Institute | Slides | Video

Thank you to our media partners, the American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Professional Geologists, Association of Women Geoscientists, Council on Undergraduate Research, National Association of Geoscience Teachers, National Association of State Boards of Geology, and the Soil Science Society of America.

Resources to learn more:

View this webinar's Question & Answer session
Thriving Earth Exchange website
Teaching materials: Community and Political Engagement in the Geosciences, Sarah Fortner, Wittenberg University

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about geoscience in communities.

Communities and Scientists Working Together

House and Senate committees hold hearings on PFAS chemical exposure

Both the House and Senate held separate subcommittee hearings this month to address the emerging health and environmental impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of manufactured chemicals used in a variety of applications such as firefighting foam and many household products. Prior to the two hearings, Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the senior senator from Michigan, introduced two bills that seek to address the PFAS crisis.

Senate subcommittee holds hearing on algal bloom monitoring and impacts

On August 28, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard held a hearing on U.S. Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) events and the status of the algal-bloom research, technology, and monitoring techniques. During opening remarks, senators highlighted the health, economic, and cultural impact impacts from HABs in Wisconsin, Alaska, and Florida.

South Carolina District Court reinstates the Clean Water Act WOTUS rule in twenty-six states

On August 16, the South Carolina District Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13778 to suspend the Obama Administration’s Clean Water Rule was in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. Finalized in 2015, the Clean Water Rule—also called the Waters of the United States or WOTUS rule—clarified the scope of federal water protected under the Clean Water Act. The nationwide halt of the applicability date rule effectively reinstates the WOTUS rule in twenty-six states.

Senate Committee advances space and coastal community bills

On August 1, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation amended and advanced several bills including the Space Frontier Act (S. 3277), the Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act (S. 3265), and the COASTAL Implementation Act (S.2242).

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