A study that was dripped onto readers last week looks into the depletion of global groundwater.
Arid regions where crops are grown extensively were particularly parched from groundwater withdrawal for irrigation purposes.
Farms and households use groundwater as a major freshwater source. Depleting aquifers could have major economic and environmental impacts.
By the numbers:
- Around 30% of freshwater comes from groundwater
- 170K wells and 1,700 aquifers from 40 countries were included in the study
- ⅓ of aquifers studied over multiple decades have had more severe depletion since 2000
- 71% of aquifers are seeing groundwater on the decline
Where’s the water gone? Researchers say that most places where groundwater levels dropped also saw declines in rainfall over time. Climate variability can impact underground water supplies just like those above ground. Groundwater pumping for irrigated agriculture is also having an impact on supplies.
Some good news: For about 20% of studied aquifers, the rate of depletion has actually slowed down since 2000 compared to previous decades. In some cases—such as the Eastern Saq aquifer in Saudi Arabia and the Bangkok basin in Thailand—policy changes turned the tide on groundwater depletion.
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Congress to EPA: What’s Your BEEF with Meat Packers?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering new regulations that take aim at meat and poultry processors.
And some members of Congress have a BEEF with the EPA’s proposals.
The proposed rules: In late January, the EPA released the details of its proposed “Clean Water Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point source category.”
Huh?
Basically, the EPA formally published its proposals to combat wastewater contaminants that come from slaughterhouses.
Okay… that makes more sense.
At the heart of the rules proposal is a concern from environmental groups about nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants that originate from slaughterhouses. In some cases, the wastewater goes directly into waterways. In other cases, the water goes to municipal wastewater treatment facilities.
But not everyone is on board with the EPA’s suggestions…
Congress responds: Last week, two U.S. representatives—Eric Burlison (MO) and Ron Estes (KS)—pushed back against the EPA and introduced the “Banning EPA’s Encroachment of Facilities (BEEF) Act.” If passed and signed by President Biden, the law would prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the rule.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed rules place undue burden on small processors—costs that can be absorbed by larger companies.
Soundbite: “The… proposed regulation isn’t just an attack on family-run small businesses, it’s an attack on rural communities,” said Burlison. “These meat and poultry processors are the lifeblood of our communities. The BEEF Act… lets these hardworking Americans do what they do best, produce safe, affordable food for our families.”