Environmental Integrity Project

A tank containing 600,000 gallons of caustic “white liquor” recently exploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill in southwestern Washington, killing 11 people. The chemical is used to break down wood chips into a packaging board for products like juice cartons.

In 2025, EIP reported that the mill's boiler, installed in 1928, was the oldest of 185 large pulp and paper mills in the U.S. included in our analysis. Aging boilers often have worn components that can lower efficiency, increase pollution, and elevate the risk of mechanical failures and explosions.

While the exact cause of the deadly explosion remains under investigation, the incident underscores the need for industrial companies to modernize aging equipment and improve safety systems to help prevent future disasters.

NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/11-dead-longview-washington-chemical-explosion.html

Paper Trail of Pollution: https://environmentalintegrity.org/reports/paper-trail-of-pollution/

Trump’s EPA is slowing down a plan to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chemicals linked to climate pollution, despite the rules being signed into law during Trump’s first term with support from industry groups and both political parties.

Project 2025 called for repealing the HFC rules, though analysts say the move is unlikely to lower grocery prices. Experts point instead to tariffs, extreme weather, and rising fuel costs tied to the war in Iran as major drivers of higher food prices.

This is yet another example of EPA rolling back public health protections. Slowing the phaseout of climate-polluting HFCs does little to address the real causes behind rising grocery prices.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/climate/trump-super-pollutants-hfc-epa-climate-change.html

Backed by $500 million in state funds, company plans 350-mile gas pipeline across North Dakota

A massive natural gas pipeline meant to ship more natural gas out of North Dakota’s prolific Bakken oil- and gas-producing region is now eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in state financing after a recent vote by state officials.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is holding meetings across the state this week and the first week of June for the Bakken East Pipeline, a new 350-mile pipeline that would move gas from the Bakken Shale formation in the western part of the state to eastern North Dakota, ending near Fargo.

The pipeline, planned by WBI Energy, is eligible for up to $500 million in taxpayer-subsidized financing over 10 years under an incentive program the state’s legislature recently expanded to grow the state’s natural gas network.

Some residents are objecting to the potential seizure of their land rights through eminent domain to build the pipeline. They are also raising questions about what they say is a lack of transparency regarding the state funding agreement.

The critics include Vern Thompson, a Democratic candidate for state agricultural commissioner, who organized a May 4 press conference that featured a small group of farmers, ranchers, and local officials.

“Why are meetings held behind closed doors by government officials and industry with no participation by the general public?” asked Tim Leppert, a zoning administrator for Russell Township in LaMoure County.

Learn more: https://news.oilandgaswatch.org/post/backed-by-500-million-in-state-funds-company-plans-350-mile-natural-gas-pipeline-across-north-dakota

The Chemical Safety Board is opposing the Trump Administration's attempt to roll back Biden-era chemical disaster safety rules meant to prevent accidents at industrial facilities. In a public letter, CSB's members warned the administration is taking a step backwards in preventing chemical incidents and advised EPA not to eliminate mandatory audits at plants with prior accidents.

Trump's 2027 budget proposal requested no funding for the Safety Board, which would effectively eliminate the agency, just as his 2026 budget did (though Congress rejected this proposal and approved $14 million for the board this year). The administration has also argued that the Board’s work duplicates the work of other agencies like the EPA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which oversees worker safety.

Eliminating the Chemical Safety Board is a dangerous step backward. The Board plays a critical role in investigating chemical disasters and preventing future accidents. Without strong oversight and mandatory audits, communities and workers could face more serious and preventable incidents.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/climate/chemical-safety-board-disaster-warning-letter.html

EPA proposed a rule that would allow developers to begin certain construction projects before receiving key Clean Air Act permits. If finalized, companies could complete major site work, like pouring concrete pads, before installing pollution-emitting equipment such as gas turbines.

Environmental groups say the proposal could boost gas-powered AI data centers while weakening pollution safeguards. Permit requirements help officials assess health risks, adjust pollution controls, and encourage cleaner energy options before projects move forward.

Weakening Clean Air Act permitting removes important health and pollution safeguards that prevent overly harmful projects from moving forward. If finalized, this rule change could contribute to the growing number of risks faced by communities near gas-powered data centers.

https://heatmap.news/plus/the-fight/spotlight/trump-epa-air-permits-data-centers

After years of steady decline, mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants rose nearly 9% in 2025, according to a New York Times analysis. Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin linked to premature cardiovascular deaths in adults and developmental delays and reduced IQ in children.

Higher mercury emissions were fueled by increased coal-fired electricity generation, which also drove up CO2, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide pollution. At the same time, Trump’s EPA rolled back stronger Biden-era pollution limits for coal plants set to begin in 2027.

Rising mercury emissions from coal plants is a serious danger to public health and represents a step backward in public health progress for vulnerable communities across the U.S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/climate/as-coal-rebounds-more-mercury-a-potent-toxin-is-in-the-air.html