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An analysis of 16 Texas coal-fired power plants reveals that 100% of those with available records are leaking unsafe levels of contaminants, such as arsenic, boron, cobalt, and lithium, into groundwater. The report argues that both the 2015 federal Coal Ash Rule and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's proposed state program are inadequately protective, particularly regarding the use of contaminated background wells and the practice of 'closure in place' for ponds in contact with groundwater. It highlights the San Miguel Electric Plant as the most contaminated site and provides specific evidence of regulatory violations by operators including NRG and CPS Energy.

The 2019 Lower Kafue River Basin Report Card assigns an overall health grade of 'C' (moderate) to the basin, indicating that while some indicators meet objectives, others do not. The assessment, developed by WARMA and WWF, highlights critical failures in human health and nutrition—specifically disease burden and sanitation—and declines in keystone species like the Kafue Lechwe. While economic indicators and water quantity generally performed better, the report identifies urgent needs for improved water quality data, climate-smart agriculture to combat malnutrition, and a comprehensive review of environmental flow releases from the Itezhi-tezhi and Kafue Gorge dams.

The report applies the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to Lake Dal in Srinagar, India, to assess conservation options against anthropogenic pressures such as untreated sewage and fertilizer runoff. The analysis concludes that 'business as usual' and certain infrastructure projects, like a proposed road, are insufficient or counterproductive to preventing ecological collapse. The most cost-effective approach identified is a hybrid infrastructure solution combining sewage treatment upgrades, solar photovoltaic power, on-site treatment for lake dwellers, and the construction of an artificial wetland.

The Freshwater Research Centre (FRC) reviewed the MCWAP Phase 2A Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (DEIR) and found it inadequate in its assessment of operational phase impacts on rivers and wetlands. Key criticisms include the failure to account for cumulative climate change risks, the lack of consultation with neighbouring states in the Limpopo River Basin, and the use of a risk matrix that does not assess the significance of impacts as required by NEMA. The FRC highlights significant risks regarding the transfer of poor-quality water and invasive species, such as Water Hyacinth, from the donor Crocodile (West) River and Hartbeespoort Dam to the recipient Matlabas and Mokolo River catchments.

Synapse Energy Economics identifies several critical flaws in South Africa's draft 2018 IRP, arguing that it relies on an unreasonably high load forecast, overstates the costs of renewable energy and battery storage, and ignores the economic optimality of retiring aging coal plants. The report highlights a significant disconnect between the IRP's optimized modeling—which suggests no new coal in the 2020s—and the proposed resource plan, which calls for over 6,500 MW of new coal capacity. Additionally, the authors criticize the plan for inadequate carbon budgeting, failure to account for water scarcity, and a lack of transparency in providing modeling data to stakeholders.

The BONUS RETURN project focuses on the implementation of eco-technologies in three river basins: Vantaanjoki (Finland), Słupia (Poland), and Fyrisån (Sweden). During its first year, the project established a broad definition of 'eco-technologies' as "human interventions in social- ecological systems in the form of practices and/or biological, physical, and chemical processes designed to minimise harm to the environment and provide services of value to society." Key activities included a systematic review of 77 articles to define the term, a search of nearly 35,000 records to identify existing technologies in agriculture and wastewater treatment, and the establishment of stakeholder platforms in the three catchment areas. Additionally, the project launched the 'Nutrients and Carbon Reuse Challenge', attracting 15 European applicants and selecting three winning innovations for pre-commercialization planning. Technical work included collecting data for SWAT modelling to establish baseline phosphorus (Ptot) and nitrogen (Ntot) loadings in the case study areas.

The document is a legal complaint alleging racial discrimination in the provision of public health services in Lowndes County, Alabama. It argues that ADPH and LCHD have failed to abate insanitary conditions caused by failing or non-existent sewage systems, which disproportionately affect black residents. The complaint specifically highlights the agencies' dismissal of a 2017 peer-reviewed study that found hookworm in 34.5% of participants, and the historical criminalization of poverty through arrests of black residents for lacking permitted septic systems.

The report explores the integration of 'fintech' (IoT, big data, AI, and blockchain) into environmental science to address water challenges exacerbated by climate change. Through case studies like the Jefferson Project and Copernicus, it demonstrates how real-time data and advanced analytics enable early warning systems, fill critical data gaps, and inform sustainable decision-making in watersheds, agriculture, and urban environments.

The document describes Floating Treatment Wetlands (FTWs) as artificial platforms that enable aquatic emergent plants to grow in deep water. These systems are designed to treat wastewater, industrial contaminants, and storm water runoff by transforming pollutants into harmless byproducts. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is currently exploring the application of FTWs in Canada and at the IISD Experimental Lakes Area.

The report examines the institutional linkages between gender, water, and climate change in Uganda, noting that while climate change and population growth threaten water security, women face disproportionate impacts due to limited resource access. It finds that Uganda is demonstrating leadership in mainstreaming gender and climate considerations within its water management policy and institutional systems.

Earthjustice opposes the House's Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, citing over $100 million in cuts to the EPA and Department of the Interior, as well as provisions that fast-track coastal drilling and threaten the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) identifies a state of "institutional crisis" within the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), citing severe financial mismanagement, human resource challenges, and a failure to maintain water infrastructure. The document highlights the critical risk posed by 212 wastewater treatment plants and the lack of water quality reporting since 2013. SAWC urges the Ministry to prioritize the establishment of nine Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs), protect 22 strategic water source areas, and address the R60 billion estimated cost for treating acid-mine drainage from approximately 5,906 derelict and ownerless mines. The letter also calls for water allocation reform to address inequities where industrial agriculture receives 60% of water but Black emerging farmers receive only 3% of that allocation.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA), groundWork, and affected community members, issued a formal notice to the Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 18 June 2018. The notice, submitted under section 28(12) of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (NEMA), demands that the DEA take enforcement action against ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) for significant and ongoing pollution of air, soil, and water at its Vanderbijlpark operations.

Earthjustice argues that the U.S. House Farm Bill (H.R. 2) contained 'poison pill' provisions that threatened water quality, old-growth forests, endangered species, and climate adaptation efforts, while restricting public access to justice.

The report concludes that Olifants River flows will likely decline substantially due to a combination of projected precipitation decreases and increased evaporation driven by rising temperatures. Using IPCC data and the South African Climate Change Reference Atlas, the author finds that warming is virtually certain, while annual precipitation is very likely to decrease by 5% to 25%. Drawing on analogs from the American Southwest, the analysis argues that even modest precipitation increases would be overwhelmed by temperature-induced evaporation. The document warns that these flow reductions will exacerbate existing water quality issues, such as pollutant concentrations and harmful algal blooms, and advises against the construction of new coal-fired power plants in the region.

The report estimates the annual economic value of ecological goods and services from Manitoba's community pastures at CAD 13,349,646, driven primarily by forage production and carbon sequestration. It argues that these lands provide critical benefits including habitat protection, carbon storage, and water quality improvement, while recommending enhanced monitoring systems to better quantify these public benefits for future policy decisions.

The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, supported by Earthjustice, has petitioned a federal court to compel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to oversee a wetland permit for the Back Forty Mine. The proposed 80-acre, 750-foot-deep mine by Aquila Resources, Inc. is located 50 yards from the Menominee River and is opposed by the tribe and numerous local governments due to risks to public health, water quality, and sacred cultural sites.

The 2018 Plowprint Report by WWF International documents the conversion of grasslands to cropland in the Great Plains and Northern Great Plains (NGP). While overall conversion decreased in 2017, South Dakota experienced an increase in grassland loss. The report highlights the ecological and financial risks of plowing marginal soils, which leads to soil erosion and expensive water treatment for downstream communities. It urges the US government to use the 2018 Farm Bill to strengthen conservation programs like the Sodsaver policy, CRP, and EQIP to protect remaining intact grasslands.

The review finds that the IWUL was issued based on inadequate specialist studies that failed to identify all potential impacts, particularly regarding groundwater-wetland interlinkages and post-closure mine water decant. It argues that the license conditions are too general and fail to incorporate specific mitigation measures. Additionally, the document assesses the socio-economic landscape of the project area, highlighting the vulnerability of farm tenants and the need for comprehensive skills development and resettlement plans to mitigate negative social impacts.

The report examines the transition from traditional gray infrastructure to green infrastructure (GI) for stormwater management. It argues that because the benefits of GI are collective while costs are private, public intervention via economic instruments—specifically stormwater markets—is necessary to bridge the investment gap. The document details various price-based and quantity-based instruments, such as stormwater retention credits and environmental impact bonds, and analyzes their application in cities like Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Halifax.