Short Takes – 6-12-23

Rising groundwater threatens to spread toxic pollution on U.S. coastlines. ScienceNews.org article. Pull quote: “Sea level rise from climate change won’t just force shorelines to retreat — in inland areas, it will guilefully lift groundwater into shallower soils. That rising water could infiltrate hundreds of U.S. Superfund sites — severely polluted locations identified by the Environmental Protection Agency for cleanup — researchers warn in a preliminary study posted May 25 to ESS Open Archive.”

Trump Supporters’ Violent Rhetoric in His Defense Disturbs Experts. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “In social media posts and public remarks, close allies of Mr. Trump — including a member of Congress — have portrayed the indictment as an act of war, called for retribution and highlighted the fact that much of his base carries weapons. The allies have painted Mr. Trump as a victim of a weaponized Justice Department controlled by President Biden, his potential opponent in the 2024 election.”

McCarthy faces power test in conservative revolt. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), former head of the Freedom Caucus, said McCarthy’s debt ceiling agreement — which was loathed by the right wing — has triggered new fears among conservatives that the Speaker will cut similar deals in the future. Biggs named three upcoming bills in particular: The reauthorization of military spending; the renewal of the farm bill; and an extension of government funding, which expires on Sept. 30.”

Days Before Trump Indictment, A Small Office Sounded the Alarm on Handling of Classified Information. GovExec.com article. Pull quote: ““Over this past year, there has been an unprecedented level of focus on the proper handling of classified information and the guardrails, or the lack of them, in place to prevent its mishandling,” Bradley wrote. “To discourage future transgressions, including those committed at the very highest levels of our government, I believe that the executive branch, including the White House and its executive office, need to undergo and require much more rigorous training on how to handle classified information properly.””

Recovering From Drug Addiction Was Hard. Tranq Made It Worse. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “When Wells checked into Jefferson Methodist Hospital in 2021, the skin was gone from the tops of his hands. Infected wounds covered his feet. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, xylazine can cause necrotic flesh to appear in places where users didn’t inject drugs.”

If you thought the debt fight was tough, get ready for spending season. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “The conservative rebellion and competing calls for more cash only compound fears of a dicey finale to this fall’s spending fight. As the threat of a government shutdown looms at the end of September, some lawmakers are avoiding any predictions after Congress managed to pass the debt limit package before a catastrophic U.S. default.”

GOP conservatives say they’ll end House floor blockade — for now. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““It has to be renegotiated in a way so that what happened on the debt limit vote would never happen again, where House conservatives would be left as the less desirable coalition partner than Democrats,” he said.”

Storage opportunities sought through farm bill, CFATS program. LPGasMagazine.com article. Pull quote: “A retail agriculture CFATS exemption for propane would address the “arbitrary ceiling on the amount of propane any agriculture producer, household or retailer can store,” set at 60,000 pounds or about 14,200 gallons, without being subject to onerous reporting requirements, NPGA says. DHS granted agriculture facilities exemptions from CFATS for products used in preparation for the treatment of crops, feed, land, livestock and other areas of an agricultural production facility – but the exemptions do not include fuel or propane used for heating.”