Don’t you hate it when good news turns out to be meh and is actually a whole lot of bad news?

The Environmental Protection Agency loves to do that.

This week, the EPA passed yet another new environmental rule: limiting the level of highly toxic and cancer-causing “forever chemicals” permitted in our drinking water.

The substance, also known by a very long scientific name or simply PFAS, is used to manufacture products resistant to water and oil, such as nonstick pans, water-repellent clothing, cosmetics, firefighting foams and sex toys. It takes thousands of years for them to break down in nature and they’ve been found on Mount Everest and inside 99% of humans.

I’m still talking about chemicals, okay?!

Studies show PFAS are linked to serious health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues and liver and kidney disease, even though tests show they only make up a tiny amount of what’s in our bodies, about four parts per billion. It’s not an easy number to quantify. If expressed in time, it would represent four seconds within 32 years. That said, research says forever chemicals are dangerous.

The new rule is expected to save thousands of lives. Hey, that’s good news!

However, the burden of filtering our PFAS-laden drinking water will fall on water utilities, most of which are publicly owned and not-for-profit. A majority of the nation’s water utilities serve fewer than 3,000 people. The government expects industry-wide compliance to cost about $1.5 billion per year. However, utility executives say the costs will be far higher and ultimately fall on taxpayers in the form of increased rates that could, if you’ve been reading your Reckon news, disproportionately affect low-income people and communities. Bad news.

It seems odd that the EPA, whose authority to create rules and regulations is granted by a Congress that receives tens of millions of dollars from the chemical lobby every year, should ask the public to shoulder the cost of cleaning drinking water. All while the industry that created the problem continues to legally dump forever chemicals in our rivers, lakes and bays. Bad news.

But it doesn’t just affect humans. PFAS have been found in even higher levels among animals, placing a greater strain on wildlife conservation efforts to protect hundreds of threatened and endangered species in the United States and worldwide. Who’s filtering their water? Bad news.

This week, we examine the state of wildlife conservation in the United States and how the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park changed the flow of rivers.

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Drizzle

Wildlife conservation in the United States dates back to the 1850s when sport hunters realized that prolific for-profit market hunters were wiping out some of the nation’s most prized animals. Fortunately for the American Bison, also known as the buffalo, President Teddy Roosevelt was also a concerned observer, witnessing their numbers fall from 30 million to just a few hundred in the late 1800s.

His efforts helped the bison recover and popularized the conservation movement. He also created the foundations of the Endangered Species Act, which turned 50 last year. The act brought back dozens of at-risk animals, including the bald eagle, the American alligator and the grizzly bear, from near extinction. But don’t forget the Dixie Valley Toad or the incredibly rare Alabama sturgeon, which hasn’t been seen in over a decade.

If you follow climate change and environmental news, you probably think the world is on the brink of ecological disaster. You could argue it is, but wildlife preservation efforts in the United States have been highly successful and remain strong, even as populations and cities grow.

“There’s a lot to be very hopeful about if you’re willing to look past the depressing stories,” said Dr. Rob Pringle, professor with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. “Bald eagles were nearly extinct in the early 60s. They now routinely visit my backyard in Princeton. The American Prairie Reserve has also been a wildlife success.”

But Dr. Pringle acknowledges that some species cannot realistically be saved from extinction, which is sometimes perfectly natural. But he is concerned about society’s interest in outdoor wildlife.

While Americans seem more knowledgeable than ever about the environmental and climate threats facing humanity, Dr. Pringle says there are worrying signs that people are losing interest in being outside.

“There are studies that show fewer people are camping, birdwatching, hunting and fishing,” he said. “That’s a worrying decay in outdoor engagement. Everything is turning into online and artificial intelligence, the future and colonizing space and all that stuff.”

Compost Dump

Species conservation isn’t simply dumping animals in a national park and hoping for the best. The introduction or reintroduction of certain species can have an astounding effect on nature, even changing how rivers behave.

In 1995, Yellowstone National Park witnessed the return of wolves after a 70-year absence. They were brought back to address elk overpopulation that had taken the park’s vegetation and ecosystems to the brink. The elk faced no predators and ate what they wanted when they wanted. It caused erosion and habitat loss. Then, the wolves were brought in. They reduced elk numbers and, interestingly, altered their grazing patterns. Vegetation recovered and stabilized riverbanks and, incredibly, changed the course of various rivers in the park. The ecosystem saw a remarkable increase in biodiversity; species like beavers and various birds also thrived.

Seeya

Last week, we discussed how the solar eclipse was an example of how awe and wonder are good for us. It can help us become less materialistic, more ethical, grateful, creative, and positive, among other things.

It’s the same with being in nature and witnessing wildlife. Get out there!

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See you next week.