By Christina Lords; Idaho Capital Sun This is an example of a blue-green algae bloom in Boyer Slough on Lake Pend Oreille in August 2021. (Courtesy of Idaho Fish and Game) Idahoans should use caution when recreating in or near the Island Park Reservoir after high amounts of toxin-producing cyanobacteria was recently found in water samples there, according to a press release from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Visit the Idaho Recreational Water Health Advisories tab at the Get Healthy Idaho website for advisories and sampled locations at water bodies throughout Idaho. The toxins can be harmful to people, pets and livestock. The health department works closely with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to identify, respond to, and monitor cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms, known as cyanoHABs. When…
By Drew Pendleton; Dept. of Health and Welfare As temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of a cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom (cyanoHAB). CyanoHABs are caused by cyanobacteria, and the toxins they produce are harmful to humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife. CyanoHABs can change and increase rapidly if conditions are right. They favor warm water, sunlight, and specific nutrients in the water. These blooms can last throughout the summer into fall. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) samples and analyzes Idaho water bodies for cyanoHABs. The test results are provided to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and local public health districts, and they decide if a health advisory should be issued. For information on advisories, visit the DHW’s Idaho Recreational Water Advisories map for more information. The…
Scripps News A new study from Environmental Working Group scientists found that eating just one freshwater fish could be the equivalent of drinking a month’s worth of water contaminated with PFOS. That’s a set of “forever chemicals” in the same family as PFAS. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are found in nonstick and water-resistant consumer products. PFAS are commonly referred to as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment. “For anyone consuming freshwater fish, we actually think this is likely their largest source of exposure to these compounds,” said David Andrews, EWG senior scientist and one of the study’s lead authors. The scientists analyzed data from over 500 fish fillet samples that were collected across the U.S. from 2013 to 2015 under monitoring programs by…
By Angela Kerndl; Idaho News BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The city of Boise will be testing new technologies for treating industrial wastewater, which could remove PFAS before it's reused. It's part of the city's proposed recycled water program. The city's conducting a pilot project in January. The basis for its recycled water program is - pulling water from existing or future industries, sending it to a separate dedicated facility, then using advanced water treatment. The city has discussed using that water for groundwater recharge or returning it to industry. The city has been working on its plans for a recycled water program for almost two years. “Our best day is that the community is proud of this - they understand the climate offset and the support for kind of climate…
By Patrick Whittle; Associated Press Wildlife agencies are finding elevated levels of PFAS checmicals in game animals such as deer, prompting new restrictions on hunting and fishing. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) This photo provided by the National Wildlife Federation shows a sign warning hunters not to eat deer because of high amounts of toxic chemicals in their meat, in Oscoda, Mich., March 26, 2021. (Drew YoungeDyke, NWF). PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Wildlife agencies in the U.S. are finding elevated levels of a class of toxic chemicals in game animals such as deer — and that's prompting health advisories in some places where hunting and fishing are ways of life and key pieces of the economy. Authorities have detected the high levels of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in deer…
Coeur d'Alene Press The Panhandle Health District issued a health advisory for Spirit Lake on Wednesday. A health advisory has been issued for Spirit Lake. The Panhandle Health District in collaboration with the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued the warning Wednesday for Spirit Lake and Lake Cocolalla, according to a press release. Recent water sampling by DEQ indicates the presence of cyanobacteria, also known as a harmful algae bloom or blue-green algae in Spirit Lake and Lake Cocolalla. The public is urged to use caution when recreating in or near the water, especially where ingestion is a risk, the release said. Cyanobacteria are a natural part of Idaho’s water bodies. When temperatures rise, their populations can bloom and toxic chemical compounds, or…
By Rachel Roberts; Idaho Statesman Photo by Idaho DEQ. Harmful algae blooms can have negative impacts on humans, pets and environments Harmful algal blooms are blooms of species of algae that can have negative impacts on humans, marine and freshwater environments, and coastal economies. Public health officials are asking the public to steer clear of Lake Cascade this weekend. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare cited possible cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in the lake, according to a tweet from the department. Samples are being tested but won’t be available until Monday. “Until then, we recommend people and animals stay out of the water,” the tweet said. Among the largest bodies of water in the state, Lake Cascade is a popular summer recreation area because of its opportunities for fishing,…
Bloomberg Law The EPA will issue four PFAS health advisories for drinking water on Wednesday, the agency’s top water official said. The agency will also propose a new lead and copper rule by the end of 2023, said Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for the Office of Water, speaking Monday at the American Water Works Association annual conference in San Antonio. The PFAS advisories will be based on the best available science regarding the safe lifetime exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances for “a range of populations,” Fox said. Fox said the advisories will include monitoring protocols for PFOA and PFOS—two of the most commonly studied PFAS—in drinking water. The EPA’s current health advisory for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, issued in 2016, is 70 parts per trillion. An earlier…
Register Here For more information on this event, visit the U.S. EPA Water Research webpage. Among the many questions surrounding per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are their potential effects on aquatic communities. While much of the initial research effort has focused on ecological effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), there is a much wider range of PFAS that can occur in the environment―both as a result of more recently developed compounds and the breakdown products of other PFAS. Effective management of PFAS in aquatic systems requires understanding of the potential effects of a more complete range of PFAS chemicals. EPA is working to explore the relationships between PFAS toxicity and chemical structure for several aquatic species to help identify and predict the toxicity of PFAS and PFAS…
By Joseph Zaleski and Samuel Boxerman; Sidley Energy Blog As part of its continued focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added four PFAS substances to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list, including PFBS (perfluorobutane sulfonic acid) and potassium perfluorobutane sulfonate as well as two compounds listed at by their chemical identifier numbers — CASRN 65104-45-2 and CASRN 203743-03-7. EPA’s decision to add these PFAS to the TRI requires facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use these PFAS chemicals to include them in annual reports made to EPA pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act starting this reporting year. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) immediately added 172 PFAS chemicals to the TRI and required annual facility reporting. The NDAA also provided…
