King County Metro, which has been successfully testing electric buses since 2016 and has an ambitious plan for a large-scale rollout over the coming years, is among the pioneers of the technology, paving the way for other cities across the country. A new report from WashPIRG Education Fund, Environment Washington and Frontier Group highlights the agency’s experience, along with those of five other early adopters, illuminating the successes, challenges and lessons learned.
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its long-awaited proposal to update to the federal Lead and Copper Rule. As proposed, EPA’s long-awaited update to the Lead and Copper Rule falls far short of the decisive action needed to “get the lead out” of our drinking water. And in a few critical provisions, the proposed rule could even take us backwards.
Seattle remains behind its peers in installing solar power, ranking 35th nationwide for solar energy capacity (per capita). The results come from the sixth edition of Shining Cities: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy, a new report released by Environment Washington Research & Policy Center. It is the most comprehensive survey available of installed solar capacity in major U.S. cities.
Reacting to pervasive lead contamination in schools’ drinking water, Environment Washington Research and Policy Center (RPC) and WashPIRG Foundation gave Washington State an “F” grade for addressing the problem, according to a new national report. In the second edition of our Get The Lead Out study, the state showed poor progress as Washington State received an “F” grade in 2017. Representative Pollet and Steve Gilbert, a toxicologist, joined Environment Washington RPC and WashPIRG Foundation in calling for swift action to ensure lead-free water in Washington’s schools and daycares.
Environment Washington Research and Policy Center is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.