Toxin-producing cyanobacteria found in water samples at Idaho’s Island Park Reservoir

Idaho News
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…
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EPA Adds Four New PFAS to Toxic Release Inventory

National News, Research
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…
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