# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Ways to Save Water at Home - American Rivers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Saving water saves energy. Here are ten ways you can help reduce your water footprint.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes serving the 24th Legislative District.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Courage to Stand Up for Working Families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
fighting for you John Fetterman has dedicated his life to fighting for Pennsylvania's forgotten communities. He was sworn in as a United States Senator to serve the people of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 3, 2023. Send John an Email Offices Washington, D.C. Philadelphia Harrisburg Pittsburgh Wilkes-Barre Erie HOW CAN WE HELP?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mayor Ed Gainey

Mayor Ed Gainey grew up in East Liberty and saw firsthand the economic hardships many families face in our city. Raised by a single mother, he counted on the support of his extended family and community to build a pathway to high school and college. Inspired to do the same for others, Ed Gainey discovered in college that an effective government can be a powerful tool to fight injustice and uplift communities. As a State Representative in Harrisburg he was on the front line fighting for working families, and as Mayor of Pittsburgh he'll work everyday to make Pittsburgh a city where all can belong and contribute. Ed and his wife Michelle have three children and live in the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mayor Ed Gainey Mayor Ed Gainey grew up in East Liberty and saw firsthand the economic hardships many families face in our city. Raised by a single mother, he counted on the support of his extended family and community to build a pathway to high school and college.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
/ CBS Pittsburgh

BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) - People living in a Butler County community lost access to clean drinking water months ago and the fix is still several months away.

Take a drive through Mandell Trails and you'll see cases of bottled water on just about every porch. It's not a luxury. It's the only option.

"We're not allowed to drink it," resident Harvey Houtz said. "We can't boil it. And we are only getting a few little cases of water a week and that's not doing us any justice

Residents started sending KDKA-TV pictures of water that looked more like tomato soup. Father of two Harvey Houtz first started getting letters months ago that said, "Do not consume the water."

A letter dated Aug. 24 said, "We anticipate resolving the problem by September 14, 2023." Months later, the water is still not drinkable.

Houtz said he's not asking for much here.

"I'm asking for good drinking water, is what I want, so we don't have to get all this bottled water," Houtz said.

KDKA Investigates learned UMH Properties, a public equity real estate investment trust out of New Jersey, bought the 65-acre community in May of last year for $7.4 million.

The first letters about the water went out to residents in mid-July, saying a July 14 inspection of the community's water treatment plant revealed the water's a "risk to public health."

Next, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection got involved and now a letter to residents said UHM's going to tie into the public water utility, the municipal authority of Adams Township.

"It's my home, it's paid for," Houtz said. "I don't owe anything on it. I like it here, it's peaceful. It's just the water."

KDKA Investigates confirmed Adams Township will extend one line and allow the tie-in by January, but it will take a few months after that to build out the infrastructure to bring the water into the 130-plus homes.

KDKA-TV's Meghan Schiller: "Do you have any hope at least, a glimmer of hope, that this could be a problem of the past eventually if you just hold on a little longer?"

Houtz: "I'm going to try and see what happens. If it gets any worse of anything like that, if we can't get a bath in it and we can't wash clothes in the washing machine in it, there ain't no other choice but to leave."

A spokesperson for Mandell Trails told KDKA-TV in a statement that:

"The process to switch from well water to town water at Mandell Trails is underway. Bottled water deliveries are made weekly to each resident and more is supplied as requested."

The most recent financial filings from the company show the income for this last quarter is up more than $4 million over this time last year. So, the residents said that since profits are up, hopefully, they'll be able to grab a drink of water from their sink one day soon.

More from CBS News

Meghan Schiller

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pittsburgh-area community has not had clean drinking water in months

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People living in a Butler County community lost access to clean drinking water months ago and the fix is still several months away.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Clean Water Action works in Pennsylvania to protect our water and health, from watershed to water tap. Our campaigns focus on clean water, air pollution, climate change, zero waste, and environmental justice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Credit... Mike Haddad

Hindsight

The U.N. pledged to halve the proportion of the world without access to clean drinking water by 2015.

Hindsight is a series from the Headway team looking back at predictions and promises from the past.

For a long, long time, subsistence farmers in Ethiopia's northern highlands have risked illness, and even death, in the essential act of drinking water. Gathering water from the surface of contaminated ponds or springs, villagers coped with cholera outbreaks and children dying of diarrhea before even reaching their fifth birthday. Until recently, this was their only option.

But in 2015, after a concerted effort by the government and aid organizations to dig wells and install communal taps, the World Health Organization recognized Ethiopia for its remarkable progress. In 1990, it reported, just 14 percent of the country's population had access to clean and safe water; by 2015, 57 percent did.

Image

People come to a stream to fetch water from a stream in northern Ethiopia in 2006. Credit... Lynsey Addario for The New York Times

The push for access to clean water in Ethiopia came in part out of a goal set by United Nations member countries in 2000. Those countries vowed to cut in half the proportion of the world without access to safe drinking water by 2015,compared with 1990 levels, and on paper, progress looked spectacular. In 2012, Ban Ki-moon, then the U.N. secretary general, announced that the safe water goal had been met ahead of schedule.

And yet villagers in Ethiopia and elsewhere continued to get sick.

Shibabaw Tadesse, a researcher at the Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources at Addis Ababa University, set out to discover why. In 2019, he and a group of researchers identified 248 households that met two criteria: They got water from a so-called improved source, like a pipe or covered well, and someone in the household had been treated for diarrhea. The researchers collected their water samples and brought them back to the lab.

Researcher Shibabaw Tadesse tested water samples from 248 households where people got sick even when their water came from an improved source. Credit... Shibabaw Tadese

The results? In two-thirds of the households, the water was contaminated with E. coli or other diarrhea-causing toxins, making it unsafe to drink. For all the progress Ethiopia has made, far fewer people were actually drinking clean water than the W.H.O. reported.

The decades after the U.N. summit coincided with a period of rapid growth in countries like China, India and Brazil, which helped to spur infrastructure improvements. Most of the money for these efforts came from the countries themselves, though aid organizations also helped, said Rick Johnston, a technical officer at the World Health Organization's Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.

But when it came to verifying the pledge, there was a problem. The only way to know whether water coming out of pipes or wells is safe to drink is to test it, and at the time, few countries had the means to do that at scale. Instead, W.H.O. researchers relied on the one thing they could measure: the number of people getting water from improved sources.

Pipes, however, can deliver dirty water. In Bangladesh, for instance, piped water in urban areas is more likely to be contaminated than water from a primitive well or borehole in the countryside, according to a 2021 report by W.H.O./UNICEF researchers. If you drill a hole in the ground in Bangladesh, sand and gravel act as natural filters, said Mr. Johnston, one of the report's authors. Piped systems in urban areas, on the other hand, deliver water sporadically, creating low pressure that allows contaminated water to seep in through cracks and misaligned joints.

When a team of researchers led by the University of Bristol and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill measured water quality in five countries in 2008, they found that many supposedly safe sources were actually contaminated. The U.N. had said that some 800 million people still did not have access to clean drinking water in 2010, but the researchers estimated that the figure was really more like two billion.

Ethiopia built a large number improved water sources, like wells, between 2000 and 2015. Credit... Eduardo Soteras/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

Unimproved water sources like open ponds are more likely to be contaminated, Mr. Johnston said. "But even among improved sources, we've found examples of them being contaminated - even heavily contaminated."

We don't actually know. The pledge was based on improving levels from 1990, and there isn't robust data on safe water going back that far. But significant progress has been made. For one thing, deaths from diarrheal disease linked to contaminated water have fallen significantly, to about half a million a year - down from more than two million in 2000, even as the global population has grown.

Researchers are also working with better information. Technological advances since 2015 have made it easier to test water quality, so now the U.N. not only can track how water is delivered, but also know whether it's safe to drink. Researchers are also asking more questions: Is the water available at home, or are people, women and girls in particular, spending an hour a day collecting it? Is it available when needed, or only sporadically? Is it affordable? The result is a new metric called "safely managed drinking water sources," which means water that is clean and available when it's needed on site. About 74 percent of the global population now meets this standard, the U.N. recently reported.

The most recent set of U.N. goals aim for universal access to safe water by 2030. It is an ambitious bar that is extremely unlikely to be met. This time, at least, there will be a better idea of where the world stands.

Headway is an initiative from The New York Times exploring the world's challenges through the lens of progress.

The Headway initiative is funded through grants from the Ford Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors serving as a fiscal sponsor. The Woodcock Foundation is a funder of Headway's public square.

Funders have no control over the selection, focus of stories or the editing process and do not review stories before publication. The Times retains full editorial control of the Headway initiative.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Millions More People Got Access to Water. Can They Drink It?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hindsight The U.N. pledged to halve the proportion of the world without access to clean drinking water by 2015. Hindsight is a series from the Headway team looking back at predictions and promises from the past. For a long, long time, subsistence farmers in Ethiopia's northern highlands have risked illness, and even death, in the essential act of drinking water.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Billions of people lack access to clean drinking water, U.N. report finds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new U.N. water report warns the world is headed toward a global water crisis if human-caused climate change and population growth aren’t addressed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Global water crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's nothing more essential than clean water, yet a global water crisis means people are struggling to get the quantity and quality of water they need.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
WHO fact sheet on water: key facts, access to water, water and health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Human driven ecological degradation continues to be a major problem around the world. Pollution is the presence of any substance in air, water, soil, or food which threatens the health of human, animal and plant life. Pollution often results from pollutants like carbon monoxide, but can also arise from street lights or the noise from traffic. Pollution sources are split into : point sources and non-point sources.

A point source is a single large emitter into the environment. Usually this means a source can be traced back, like the smokestack of a coal-fired power plant, or the drainpipe of a factory. However, non-point sources are hard or even impossible to trace back because their pollutants are dispersed. An example would be run off of fertilizers and pesticides from farms, golf courses, and residential lawns into streams or lakes. It is apparent that there is pollution in the streams and lakes, but it is not so apparent exactly where it comes from.

Pollution and waste can often be confused for one another. Waste is the disposed product of a once-useful system (as deemed by the user-"one person's trash is another's treasure"). In contrast, pollution is harmful waste.

For more information, see pollution vs waste.

Types of pollution

There are many types of pollution in the world. All of which can be mitigated at some level, yet are a necessary byproduct of conveniences in our energy dependent society. None of the following can be eliminated completely, but with proactive planning they can often be greatly diminished. Types of pollution include:

both natural and human activities pollute the air, and this is often seen as one of the main problems of pollution as it contributes to the pollution in the following two (soil and water) as well.

soil pollution may occur from the fall out of pollutants in the air, from pollutants in water, or from pollutants that are directly within it. Pollution in the soil is harmful for plant and animal life.

like soil pollution, pollutants from the air can be trapped in raindrops and pollute the water when it rains. Pollutants can also travel into large bodies of water as run off from the land. Water pollution can be harmful for all types of life.

Light: as a result of society making use of artificial light, it is often hard to see the night sky within a city. This is more of a minor problem, but it can be a reminder of the pollution that was potentially created to produce the light.

Noise: noise pollution refers to sounds that would otherwise not be heard in a society not reliant on energy. Examples include noise from cars and airplanes.

Radioactive: there is radioactivity all around us, constantly bombarding the world and its inhabitants, however, an excess concentration could be problematic, so radioactive waste is carefully controlled.

Thermal: introducing unnatural temperatures on an ecosystem may have adverse effects. An example would be dumping (clean) warm water from a power plant into a nearby river may harm fish life.

Littering: litter itself is a form of waste, however improper disposal of it is pollution. It is often completely avoidable.

Through the generation of electricity, production of industrial goods and the transportation of people and these goods, the most prominent and harmful forms of pollution arise: air, water and soil pollution. These can be seen daily in large cities in the form of photochemical smog, with the pollutants contained in it often finding its way into water and soil. Water and soil pollution also occur directly from industrial and residential sites. From these sites, the harmful chemicals find their way into the environment.

Reducing pollution

The key to reducing pollution is prevention. It is always easier (and safer) to address a problem before it happens than to clean up after it has happened. A quote by Benjamin Franklin portrays this nicely, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Therefore, pollution prevention is of primary concern in reducing pollution, while cleanup methods are more secondary but still necessary.

There are three reasons why cleanup is secondary to prevention:

1. It is only a temporary solution. As population grows and pollution levels rise, cleanup would have to increase with it and that is clearly not an efficient answer to pollution. Although cleaning up is often still a good idea if the pollution has already been released.

2. Cleanup doesn't necessarily work. For example, cleaning up litter is a solution to pollution in a given area, but then it can either be burned causing air pollution, dumped into streams or lakes, or buried potentially causing soil pollution.

3. Once pollutants are in the environment it is extremely costly to get rid of them, with time also being a factor.

Many methods can be employed to prevent pollution. Air pollution can be reduced by use of scrubbers in plants that produce many harmful pollutants. Adding catalytic converters to car exhausts can reduce transportation based pollutants. Water pollution can be reduced by septic tanks and various levels of sewage treatment.

References

1. "Litter" by Nils Ally - Personal trip in 2010. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Litter.JPG#/media/File:Litter.JPG

2. Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Jacuecanga_Angra_dos_Reis_Rio_de_Janeiro_Brazil_Brasfels.JPG

3. Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/AlfedPalmersmokestacks.jpg

4. Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Soilcontam.JPG

5. Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Light_pollution_It%27s_not_pretty.jpg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Human driven ecological degradation continues to be a major problem around the world. Pollution is the presence of any substance in air, water, soil, or food which threatens the health of human, animal and plant life. Pollution often results from pollutants like carbon monoxide, but can also arise from street lights or the noise from traffic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Air Pollution?

Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air-pollutants that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , each year, indoor and outdoor air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe. Ninety-nine percent of human beings currently breathe air that exceeds the WHO's guideline limits for pollutants, with those living in low- and middle-income countries suffering the most. In the United States, the Clean Air Act , established in 1970, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to safeguard public health by regulating the emissions of these harmful air pollutants.

What Causes Air Pollution?

"Most air pollution comes from energy use and production," says John Walke , director of the Clean Air team at NRDC. Driving a car on gasoline, heating a home with oil, running a power plant on fracked gas : In each case, a fossil fuel is burned and harmful chemicals and gases are released into the air.

"We've made progress over the last 50 years in improving air quality in the United States, thanks to the Clean Air Act. But climate change will make it harder in the future to meet pollution standards, which are designed to protect health ," says Walke.

Air pollution is now the world's fourth-largest risk factor for early death. According to the 2020 State of Global Air report -which summarizes the latest scientific understanding of air pollution around the world-4.5 million deaths were linked to outdoor air pollution exposures in 2019, and another 2.2 million deaths were caused by indoor air pollution. The world's most populous countries, China and India, continue to bear the highest burdens of disease.

The effects of air pollution on the human body vary, depending on the type of pollutant, the length and level of exposure, and other factors, including a person's individual health risks and the cumulative impacts of multiple pollutants or stressors.

Smog and soot

These are the two most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog (sometimes referred to as ground-level ozone) occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with sunlight. Soot-a type of particulate matter -is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens that are carried in the air. The sources of smog and soot are similar. "Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines, generally anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, or natural gas," Walke says.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs, especially those of children, senior citizens, and people who work or exercise outdoors. It's even worse for people who have asthma or allergies; these extra pollutants can intensify their symptoms and trigger asthma attacks. The tiniest airborne particles in soot are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten death. In 2020, a report from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that COVID-19 mortality rates were higher in areas with more particulate matter pollution than in areas with even slightly less, showing a correlation between the virus's deadliness and long-term exposure to air pollution.

Hazardous air pollutants

Another category of toxic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are by-products of traffic exhaust and wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and liver issues, and even cancer. In one study , the children of mothers exposed to PAHs during pregnancy showed slower brain-processing speeds and more pronounced symptoms of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

While these climate pollutants don't have the direct or immediate impacts on the human body associated with other air pollutants, like smog or hazardous chemicals, they are still harmful to our health. By trapping the earth's heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer temperatures, which in turn lead to the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme weather, heat-related deaths, and the increased transmission of infectious diseases. In 2021, carbon dioxide accounted for roughly 79 percent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up more than 11 percent. "Carbon dioxide comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural and industrial sources, including large amounts that are released during oil and gas drilling," Walke says. "We emit far larger amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is significantly more potent, so it's also very destructive."

Pollen and mold

Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health. Though they aren't regulated, they can be considered a form of air pollution. "When homes, schools, or businesses get water damage, mold can grow and produce allergenic airborne pollutants," says Kim Knowlton, professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University and a former NRDC scientist. " Mold exposure can precipitate asthma attacks or an allergic response, and some molds can even produce toxins that would be dangerous for anyone to inhale."

Pollen allergies are worsening because of climate change . "Lab and field studies are showing that pollen-producing plants-especially ragweed-grow larger and produce more pollen when you increase the amount of carbon dioxide that they grow in," Knowlton says. "Climate change also extends the pollen production season, and some studies are beginning to suggest that ragweed pollen itself might be becoming a more potent allergen." If so, more people will suffer runny noses, fevers, itchy eyes, and other symptoms. "And for people with allergies and asthma, pollen peaks can precipitate asthma attacks, which are far more serious and can be life-threatening."

Air Pollution in the United States

More than one in three U.S. residents-120 million people-live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the 2023 State of the Air report by the American Lung Association (ALA). Since the annual report was first published, in 2000, its findings have shown how the Clean Air Act has been able to reduce harmful emissions from transportation, power plants, and manufacturing.

Recent findings, however, reflect how climate change-fueled wildfires and extreme heat are adding to the challenges of protecting public health. The latest report-which focuses on ozone, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle pollution-also finds that people of color are 61 percent more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade in at least one of those categories, and three times more likely to live in a county that fails in all three.

In rankings for each of the three pollution categories covered by the ALA report, California cities occupy the top three slots (i.e., were highest in pollution), despite progress that the Golden State has made in reducing air pollution emissions in the past half century. At the other end of the spectrum, these cities consistently rank among the country's best for air quality: Burlington, Vermont; Honolulu; and Wilmington, North Carolina.

Air Pollution and Environmental Justice

No one wants to live next door to an incinerator, oil refinery, port, toxic waste dump, or other polluting site. Yet millions of people around the world do, and this puts them at a much higher risk for respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, cancer, and death. In the United States, people of color are 1.5 times more likely than whites to live in areas with poor air quality, according to the ALA.

Historically, racist zoning policies and discriminatory lending practices known as redlining have combined to keep polluting industries and car-choked highways away from white neighborhoods and have turned communities of color-especially low-income and working-class communities of color-into sacrifice zones, where residents are forced to breathe dirty air and suffer the many health problems associated with it. In addition to the increased health risks that come from living in such places, the polluted air can economically harm residents in the form of missed workdays and higher medical costs.

Environmental racism isn't limited to cities and industrial areas. Outdoor laborers, including the estimated three million migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States, are among the most vulnerable to air pollution-and they're also among the least equipped, politically, to pressure employers and lawmakers to affirm their right to breathe clean air.

Recently, cumulative impact mapping , which uses data on environmental conditions and demographics, has been able to show how some communities are overburdened with layers of issues, like high levels of poverty, unemployment, and pollution. Tools like the Environmental Justice Screening Method and the EPA's EJScreen provide evidence of what many environmental justice communities have been explaining for decades: that we need land use and public health reforms to ensure that vulnerable areas are not overburdened and that the people who need resources the most are receiving them.

Controlling Air Pollution

In the United States, the Clean Air Act has been a crucial tool for reducing air pollution since its passage in 1970, although fossil fuel interests aided by industry-friendly lawmakers have frequently attempted to weaken its many protections. Ensuring that this bedrock environmental law remains intact and properly enforced will always be key to maintaining and improving our air quality.

But the best, most effective way to control air pollution is to speed up our transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes. By switching over to renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar power), maximizing fuel efficiency in our vehicles, and replacing more and more of our gasoline-powered cars and trucks with electric versions, we'll be limiting air pollution at its source while also curbing the global warming that heightens so many of its worst health impacts.

And what about the economic costs of controlling air pollution? According to a report on the Clean Air Act commissioned by NRDC, the annual benefits of cleaner air are up to 32 times greater than the cost of clean air regulations. Those benefits include up to 370,000 avoided premature deaths, 189,000 fewer hospital admissions for cardiac and respiratory illnesses, and net economic benefits of up to $3.8 trillion for the U.S. economy every year.

How to Help Reduce Air Pollution

"The less gasoline we burn, the better we're doing to reduce air pollution and the harmful effects of climate change," Walke explains. "Make good choices about transportation. When you can, ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation. For driving, choose a car that gets better miles per gallon of gas or buy an electric car ." You can also investigate your power provider options-you may be able to request that your electricity be supplied by wind or solar. Buying your food locally cuts down on the fossil fuels burned in trucking or flying food in from across the world. And most important: "Support leaders who push for clean air and water and responsible steps on climate change," Walke says.

How to Protect Your Health

"When you see in the news or hear on the weather report that pollution levels are high, it may be useful to limit the time when children go outside or you go for a jog," Walke says. Generally, ozone levels tend to be lower in the morning.

If you exercise outside, stay as far as you can from heavily trafficked roads. Then shower and wash your clothes to remove fine particles.

The air may look clear, but that doesn't mean it's pollution free. Utilize tools like the EPA's air pollution monitor, AirNow , to get the latest conditions. If the air quality is bad, stay inside with the windows closed.

If you live or work in an area that's prone to wildfires, stay away from the harmful smoke as much as you're able. Consider keeping a small stock of masks to wear when conditions are poor. The most ideal masks for smoke particles will be labelled "NIOSH" (which stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and have either "N95" or "P100" printed on it.

If you're using an air conditioner while outdoor pollution conditions are bad, use the recirculating setting to limit the amount of polluted air that gets inside.

This story was originally published on November 1, 2016, and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can't resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can't republish our material wholesale or automatically-you need to select stories individually; you can't republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you've used one of our stories.

Related Stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The effects of air pollution wreck havoc on human health and our planet as a whole. Learn about what causes air pollution and how to help reduce the effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Temperature is the measure of the average heat or thermal energy in a substance. Air and water temperatures are primarily determined by the amount of sunlight that is absorbed by the surface of the Earth, and the amount of heat that is re-radiated in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases. Atmospheric and ocean circulation redistribute heat across the surface of the Earth and shape regional temperature patterns.

Various human activities and environmental phenomena influence air and water temperature, including:

The increase in greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels, agricultural activities, and deforestation, which has caused global average air temperatures to increase. Around 90% of this excess atmospheric heat is absorbed by the ocean, thereby increasing average ocean temperatures.

The use of asphalt and other dark colored materials in urban areas can dramatically increase the amount of sunlight absorbed. This creates what are called urban heat islands, whereby cities experience higher temperatures than surrounding areas.

The burning of fossil fuels as well as fires lit deliberately to remove trees to clear land for agricultural activities or ignited by accident, release airborne particles into the atmosphere. Dark colored particles that absorb sunlight have a warming effect, while light colored particles that reflect or scatter sunlight have a cooling effect.

Over much longer time periods - tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years - changes in Earth's spin, tilt, and orbit, periodically increase and decrease the amount of sunlight absorbed by different areas of the Earth's surface.

Over millions of years changes in the carbon cycle, including the rates of weathering and volcanic activity, alter the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which affect Earth's average temperature.

Over millions of years changes in the distribution of continents alters how much sunlight is absorbed by the land or ocean.

Air and water temperatures affect many Earth system processes and phenomena, including:

Atmospheric and ocean circulation patterns, which affect how heat is distributed around the globe. Global warming has altered these patterns, affecting regional climate and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather.

How water cycles through the Earth system, including where clouds form, precipitation occurs, and the extent of snow and ice cover. Changes in the water cycle, in turn, can affect the availability of freshwater for humans and other organisms.

The rate of biological reactions, including the function of enzymes needed for photosynthesis, respiration, and other processes essential for survival. Most organisms can only survive within a particular temperature range, and thus their health will be affected if the environment gets too hot or too cold.

The evolution of life cycles and traits, including physical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics that help organisms regulate their body temperatures and survive within their geographic ranges.

The rate and direction of chemical reactions, including those in rocks, soil, water, and the atmosphere. For example, as the ocean warms, less carbon dioxide will be absorbed by the ocean.

Water oxygen levels, as warm water holds less oxygen than cold water. Thus, global warming reduces oxygen in the ocean, lakes, rivers and streams, which can lead to changes in species populations.

The frequency and intensity of fires. Increasing average temperatures have altered temperature and precipitation patterns, and decreased snow and ice cover, resulting in dryer, longer annual fire seasons.

Can you think of additional cause and effect relationships between air and water temperature and other parts of the Earth system?

Visit the absorption and reflection of sunlight, greenhouse effect, and the atmospheric circulation pages to explore more connections between the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and other global changes.

Links to Learn More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Temperature - Understanding Global Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Temperature is the measure of the average heat or thermal energy in a substance. Air and water temperatures are primarily determined by the amount of sunlight that is absorbed by the surface of the Earth, and the amount of heat that is re-radiated in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The burning of fossil fuels refers to the burning of oil, natural gas, and coal to generate energy. We use this energy to generate electricity, and to power transportation (for example, cars and planes) and industrial processes. Ever since the invention of the first coal-fired steam engines of the 1700s, our burning of fossil fuels has steadily increased. Across the globe each year we now burn over 4,000 times the amount of fossils fuels burnt during 1776. The effects of the burning of fossil fuels, especially carbon dioxide, are having far-reaching effects on our climate and ecosystems.

The burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of current climate change, altering the Earth's ecosystems and causing human and environmental health problems.

Fossil fuels form over millions of years from the burial of photosynthetic organisms, including plants on land (which primarily form coal) and plankton in the oceans (which primarily form oil and natural gas). To grow these organisms removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the ocean, and their burial inhibited the movement of that carbon through the carbon cycle. The burning of this fossil material returns this carbon back into atmosphere as carbon dioxide, at a rate that is hundreds to thousands of times faster than it took to bury, and much faster than can be removed by the carbon cycle. Thus, the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels accumulates in the atmosphere, some of which then dissolves in the ocean causing ocean acidification.

The burning of fossil fuels affects the Earth system in a variety of ways. Some of these ways include:

Releasing the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the atmosphere, which intensifies the greenhouse effect (the re-radiation of heat in the atmosphere), increasing the Earth's average . These greenhouse gases can remain in the atmosphere for decades to hundreds of years.

Emitting an array of pollutants that reduce air quality and harm life, especially sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and airborne particles such as soot. Poor air quality can cause respiratory disease.

The airborne particles also increase the reflectivity of the atmosphere, which has a slight cooling effect. The reason is that the airborne particles, such as soot and sulfate aerosols (from sulfur dioxide), reflect some sunlight back into space, increase cloud formation, and make clouds more reflective. The net effect of burning fossil fuels is warming because the cooling is small compared with the heating caused by the greenhouse effect, in part because airborne particles only stay suspended in the atmosphere for a few days to months, while greenhouse gases that cause warming remain in the atmosphere for many decades to hundreds of years.

Changing patterns of snow and ice melt. Airborne particles (especially soot) that settle on snow increase the absorption of sunlight due to their dark color, heating the surface of the snow causing melting. In certain parts of the world, the presence of soot (in addition to global warming) has caused winter ice and snow melts earlier and faster today than in previous decades, which also changes local patterns of freshwater availability.

Increasing the acidity of precipitation. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) react with water vapor, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acid rain. Acid rain can contaminate freshwater sources, resulting in harmful algal blooms that reduce water oxygen levels and harm fish populations and other wildlife. Additionally, acid rain increases chemical weathering of rocks, including manmade structures.

Using large amounts freshwater. Power plants that burn fossil fuels cool their systems by removing freshwater from local rivers and lakes. The warm water returned to nearby ecosystems can cause stress for local species.

Can you think of additional cause and effect relationships between the burning of fossil fuels and other parts of the Earth system?

Visit the greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases, and temperature pages to learn more about how burning fossil fuels affects global climate and ecosystems.

Investigate

Learn more in these real-world examples, and challenge yourself to construct a model that explains the Earth system relationships.

Links to Learn More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burning of fossil fuels - Understanding Global Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The burning of fossil fuels refers to the burning of oil, natural gas, and coal to generate energy. We use this energy to generate electricity, and to power transportation (for example, cars and planes) and industrial processes. Ever since the invention of the first coal-fired steam engines of the 1700s, our burning of fossil fuels has steadily increased.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Understand Energy Learning Hub is a cross-campus effort of the Precourt Institute for Energy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are all considered fossil fuels because they were formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Because of their origins, fossil fuels have a high carbon content.

Oil

Crude oil, or petroleum (literally "rock oil" in Latin), is a liquid fossil fuel made up mostly of hydrocarbons (hydrogen and carbon compounds). Oil can be found in underground reservoirs; in the cracks, crevices, and pores of sedimentary rock; or in tar sands near the earth's surface. It's accessed by drilling, on land or at sea, or by strip mining in the case of tar sands oil and oil shale. Once extracted, oil is transported to refineries via supertanker, train, truck, or pipeline to be transformed into usable fuels such as gasoline, propane, kerosene, and jet fuel-as well as products such as plastics and paint.

According to the EIA, petroleum products supply about 35 percent of U.S. energy needs, with the transportation sector consuming the most. U.S. oil consumption in 2016 was 10 percent below the record high of 2005 and only 3 percent higher than during the 1973-74 embargo by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)-despite the U.S. economy tripling in size in the decades since. Demand for oil plummeted during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has now risen to its highest point since 2019. This is partly due to the volatile global market amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Still, U.S. consumption of petroleum products is forecast to decrease, at least through 2038, as fuel efficiency standards lead to cleaner-running vehicles. Continued strengthening of clean car and fuel economy standards remains critical for reducing oil consumption.

On the production side, the United States has experienced a decade-long upswing. Production growth is due in large part to advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, technologies that have created a boom in U.S. shale oil and natural gas extraction. While horizontal drilling enables producers to drill down and outward-thus reaching more oil or gas from a single well-hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) is designed to extract oil or natural gas from unyielding rock, including shale and other formations. Fracking involves blasting huge quantities of water mixed with chemicals and sand deep into a well, at pressures high enough to fracture rock and enable the oil or gas to escape. This controversial method of extraction creates a host of environmental and health problems, including air and water pollution.

Coal

Coal is a solid, carbon-heavy rock that comes in four main varieties, differentiated largely by carbon content: lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. Nearly all of the coal burned in the United States is sub-bituminous or bituminous. Found in abundance in states, including Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming, these coal types are middle of the pack in terms of carbon content and the heat energy they can produce. Regardless of variety, however, all coal is dirty. Indeed, in terms of emissions, it's the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel we can burn.

Coal is extracted via two methods: Underground mining uses heavy machinery to cut coal from deep underground deposits, while surface mining (also known as strip mining) removes entire layers of soil and rock to access coal deposits below. Strip mining accounts for about two-thirds of coal sourced in the United States. Although both forms of mining are detrimental to the environment, strip mining is particularly destructive, uprooting and polluting entire ecosystems.

Coal and the power plants that burn it account for less than a third of U.S. electricity generation, down from more than half in 2008. Cleaner, cheaper alternatives-including natural gas, renewables like solar and wind, and energy-efficient technologies-make coal far less economically attractive and demand for coal has fallen steadily since 2014. Today, coal-fired power plants continue to close, despite the former Trump administration's promises of a revived industry. At the moment, market fluctuations amid the war in Ukraine have resulted in a sudden uptick in coal consumption, especially in its competition with fracked (natural) gas, but that is expected to be temporary as market forces propel alternative energy sources forward.

Fracked (natural) gas

Composed mostly of methane, fracked gas is generally considered either conventional or unconventional, depending on where it's found underground. Conventional gas is located in porous and permeable rock beds or mixed into oil reservoirs and can be accessed via standard drilling. Unconventional gas is essentially any form of gas that is too difficult or expensive to extract via regular drilling, requiring a special stimulation technique, such as fracking.

In the United States, the development and refinement of processes like fracking have helped make the country the world's top producer of gas since 2009-and the biggest consumer of it too. Abundant in the United States, gas produces 38 percent of U.S. energy needs and is the largest source of energy for electricity. Forecasts suggest it will become an even greater part of the U.S. energy mix, threatening to exacerbate air and water pollution.

Disadvantages of fossil fuels

Land degradation

Unearthing, processing, and moving underground oil, gas, and coal deposits take an enormous toll on our landscapes and ecosystems. The fossil fuel industry leases vast stretches of land for infrastructure, such as wells, pipelines, and access roads, as well as facilities for processing, waste storage, and waste disposal. In the case of strip mining, entire swaths of terrain-including forests and whole mountaintops-are scraped and blasted away to expose underground coal or oil. Even after operations cease, the nutrient-leached land will never return to what it once was.

As a result, critical wildlife habitat-land that is crucial for breeding and migration-ends up fragmented and destroyed. Even animals able to leave can end up suffering, as they're often forced into less-than-ideal habitat and must compete with existing wildlife for resources.

Water pollution

Coal, oil, and gas development pose myriad threats to our waterways and groundwater. Coal mining operations wash toxic runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes and dump vast quantities of unwanted rock and soil into streams. Oil spills and leaks during extraction or transport can pollute drinking water sources and jeopardize entire freshwater or ocean ecosystems. Fracking and its toxic fluids have also been found to contaminate drinking water, a fact that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was slow to recognize.

Meanwhile, all drilling, fracking, and mining operations generate enormous volumes of wastewater, which can be laden with heavy metals, radioactive materials, and other pollutants. Industries store this waste in open-air pits or underground wells that can leak or overflow into waterways and contaminate aquifers with pollutants linked to cancer, birth defects, neurological damage, and much more.

Emissions

Fossil fuels emit harmful air pollutants long before they're burned. Indeed, according to a 2017 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, some 17.6 million Americans are exposed daily to toxic air pollution from active oil and gas wells and from transport and processing facilities. These include benzene (linked to childhood leukemia and blood disorders) and formaldehyde (a cancer-causing chemical). A booming fracking industry will bring that pollution to more backyards, despite mounting evidence of the practice's serious health impacts. Mining operations are no better, especially for the miners themselves, generating toxic airborne particulate matter. Strip mining-particularly in places such as Canada's boreal forest -can release giant carbon stores held naturally in the wild.

Global warming pollution

When we burn oil, coal, and gas, we don't just meet our energy needs-we drive the current global warming crisis as well. Fossil fuels produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when burned. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to climate change. In the United States, the burning of fossil fuels, particularly for the power and transportation sectors, accounts for about three-quarters of our carbon emissions.

Other forms of air pollution

Fossil fuels emit more than just carbon dioxide when burned. Coal-fired power plants single-handedly generate 35 percent of dangerous mercury emissions in the United States, as well as two-thirds of U.S. sulfur dioxide emissions (which contribute to acid rain) and the vast majority of soot ( particulate matter) in our air. Meanwhile, fossil fuel-powered cars, trucks, and boats are the main contributors of poisonous carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, which produces smog on hot days and leads to respiratory illnesses from sustained exposure.

Ocean acidification

When we burn oil, coal, and gas, we change the ocean's basic chemistry, making it more acidic. Our seas absorb as much as a quarter of all man-made carbon emissions. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution (and our coal-burning ways), the ocean has become 30 percent more acidic. As the acidity in our waters goes up, the amount of calcium carbonate-a substance used by oysters, lobsters, and countless other marine organisms to form shells-goes down. This can slow growth rates, weaken shells, and imperil entire food chains.

Ocean acidification impacts coastal communities as well. In the Pacific Northwest, it's estimated to have cost the oyster industry millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

Building a clean energy future

We're not locked into a fossil fuel future, however. We've made major progress in scaling up renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States over the past decade, thanks to federal, state, and local policies that have helped to grow the clean energy economy. We're also using energy much more efficiently than we used to. And new regulations from the EPA strengthening the 2012 rules that limited mercury and air toxics pollutants from power plants and tightening carbon pollution standards for existing coal and new gas power plants will go a long way toward cutting these harmful emissions from the single largest industrial source.

These new standards fit hand-in-glove with state and federal incentives, along with falling prices, that are pushing our nation-and the world-toward cleaner, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Renewables are on track to become a cheaper source of energy than fossil fuels, which is spurring a boom in clean energy development and jobs. Significantly higher levels of renewables can be integrated into our existing grid, though care must be taken to site and build renewable energy responsibly.

Meanwhile, energy efficiency is our cleanest, cheapest, and largest energy resource, contributing more to the nation's energy needs over the past 40 years than oil, coal, natural gas, or nuclear power. It accounted for nearly 2.4 million U.S. jobs before the pandemic in 2019-at least 10 times more than oil and gas drilling or coal mining.

If we can put the right policies in place, we are poised to make dramatic progress toward a clean energy future. In fact, President Biden has proposed a target of the country running on 80 percent clean electricity by 2030. To meet that target, we will need to ramp up efficiency and cut energy demand in half, increase renewable energy resources to supply at least 80 percent of our power, electrify almost all forms of transportation, and get fossil fuels out of our buildings. Achieving these goals will require sustained, coordinated policy efforts from all levels of government, the private sector, and local communities. But with the proven, demonstrated clean energy technologies and resources that we have today, we know we can do it.
This story was originally published on June 29, 2018, and has been updated with new information and links.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mining, drilling, and burning dirty energy are harming the environment and our health. Here's everything you need to know about fossil fuels, and why we need to embrace a clean energy future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Another local government in Pennsylvania has been hit by a cyberattack, this time in Butler County.

Officials confirmed that the attack compromised the personal information of thousands of residents,

PennLive daily podcast, Today in Pa., previously reported how Butler County officials confirmed this week that their computer network had been breached by hackers, allowing them to gain access to the public's personal data including Social Security and taxpayer ID numbers as well as medical information.

According to the Tribune Review, government officials were notified of "suspicious activity" on the network months ago by federal officials. The investigation into the attack continues as of the publishing of the report, and those affected are being notified.

In fact, CBS Local Pittsburgh is now reporting how over 6,500 citizens are estimated to have been impacted by the breach.

"There's nothing sacred any more," tells one resident, Glen Cummins, to the news publication. "It involves official things you shouldn't have to question, and it's unfortunate that you do."

Today in Pa. has extensively covered the various cyberattacks which have occurred throughout the state, from those which have occurred on medical institutions - affecting cancer patients - to the more recent (and increasingly frequent) malware incidents against local governments. The Philadelphia Inquirer and the state courts system have also been victims so such attacks.

This isn't a problem specific to Pennsylvania, either: The Wall Street Journal reported last week how FBI Director, Christopher Wray, warned bother officials and the public of impending Chinese cyberattacks that could compromise U.S. infrastructure at an "unprecedented scale."

Further information regarding the attack in Butler County- such as who the hackers are - remains pending.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Thousands in Pa. county lost private data to cyberattack

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A cyberattack in Pennsylvania has compromised the personal information of over 6,500 people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hacking in 2023 | What is Hacking? | Prevent Hacking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get everything you need to know about hacking and hackers: from what is hacking, types of hackers, how do hackers hack and more. Protect yourself from hackers today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hackers are targeting industrial control systems widely used by water and sewage-treatment utilities, potentially threatening water supplies, the top U.S. cyberdefense agency said after a Pennsylvania water authority was hacked.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued the warning Tuesday, three days after hacktivists shut down a piece of equipment at the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. The hack effectively idled pumping equipment in a remote station that regulates water pressure for customers in two nearby towns. Crews switched to manual backup, officials said.

The attackers likely accessed the device by exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, including poor password security and exposure to the internet, U.S. officials said. The Aliquippa water authority did not respond to messages Wednesday.

The equipment identified as vulnerable is used across multiple industries, including electric utilities and oil and gas producers. It regulates processes including pressure, temperature and fluid flow, according to the manufacturer.

While there is no known risk to the Pennsylvania towns' drinking water or water supply, the cyberdefense agency urged water and wastewater utilities across the United States to take steps to protect their facilities.

The equipment at issue is made by Israel-based Unitronics, which did not immediately respond to queries about what other facilities may have been hacked or could be vulnerable. According to Unitronics' website, the controllers at issue are built for a wide spectrum of industries.

The Biden administration has been trying to shore up cybersecurity in U.S. critical infrastructure - more than 80% of which is privately owned - and has imposed regulations on sectors including electric utilities, gas pipelines and nuclear facilities.

But many experts complain that too many vital industries are permitted to self-regulate and administration officials want software providers to also assume a higher burden for safety.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
After Pa. attack, cybersecurity agency warns water utilities vulnerable to hackers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The top U.S. cyberdefense agency says hackers are targeting industrial control systems widely used by water and sewage-treatment utilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
/ CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Data from thousands of people in Butler County were exposed when hackers breached the government's computer network, according to the solicitor.

Glen Cummins felt uneasy learning his private information was out there.

"There's nothing sacred anymore," Cummins said. "It involves official things that you shouldn't have to question and it's unfortunate, that you do."

He said he recently received a letter in the mail from the county notifying him about the cyberattack.

"Apparently, somebody dropped the ball somewhere," Cummins said.

According to county leaders, federal agents alerted them to "suspicious activity" on the computer network on Oct. 2, 2023. They opened an investigation, and solicitor, Julie Graham told KDKA on Feb. 21, 2024, they informed 6,748 people affected.

Graham said those potentially impacted were people "involved with county business and/or court or law enforcement matters, including some employees."

The data included social security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, and state identification numbers, among others.

Graham said it took so long to notify people "due to the detailed analysis required to ensure accuracy... while meeting all its legal requirements."

"They need to have some much more aggressive standards for who has access and who has those capabilities," Cummins said.

At this time, Graham said the investigation is ongoing into who is potentially responsible.

In the meantime, they're in talks with the district attorney's office, and are working to prevent similar attacks in the future by taking steps like strengthening its network security.

Cummins hopes county leaders keep their promises.

"I didn't use to worry, but now I do. I mean I don't have a lot of money, but the little money I have I'd kind of like to hold onto," Cummins said.

If you were hit by the hack, you're advised to enroll in credit monitoring, and to track your account statements.

The county created a toll-free number for people to call: 833-918-1254. Be prepared to provide the following case number: B116747. You can reach out Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
More than 6,500 people affected following Butler County cyberattack

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The county said it learned there was "unauthorized access and acquisition to data stored on the County's computer network."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
EPIC - Electronic Privacy Information Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Quick Guide to the Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On November 7, Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Warren Davidson, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA), a sweeping bill that would rein in the growing ecosystem of warrantless government surveillance as part of reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire on December 31.

# data[].attributes.headline
Importance of Cybersecurity for Companies

# data[].attributes.subject
Importance of Cybersecurity for Companies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(TNS) - The Bucks County Emergency Services Center CAD system spent nine days offline last month after hackers crashed it. Delaware County had a security breach in 2020. Hackers targeted the Aliquippa Water Authority in western Pennsylvania in November and disabled pressure monitoring equipment.

And over the weekend, Pennsylvania's court system was hit with a disabling cyber attack.

In response to these and other threats to public agencies, the Senate Communications and Technology Committee and Senate Local Government Committee met with representatives of municipal governments, industry, and academia last week to discuss threats to vital systems and infrastructure.

"An unfortunate reality of our world is that no organization is immune to a cyberattack," said Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery/Berks), who chairs the Communications and Technology Committee. "The havoc and serious damage that these incursions can have on local governments, public authorities, and the people they serve are not only disruptive but also present a direct threat to public safety."

Sen. Frank Farry (R-Bucks), who also serves as fire chief of the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, said the Bucks County CAD system automatically dispenses first responders to addressees.

"Our dispatchers literally had to do it manually," said Farry. "They did a fantastic job." But it was not as fast as the CAD system and also impacted record-keeping, he said.

Executive Director of IT and Chief Information Officer for York County, Joe Sassano, said the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) is working with counties to address the growing threat.

"In York County, cybersecurity needs have driven most of our IT-related projects and, subsequently, most of our IT budget for the last several years," Sassano said. "CCAP, counties, other local government organizations, and state agencies are already working together closely to improve security definitions and implement vital cybersecurity initiatives, conducting reoccurring quarterly meetings, an annual cybersecurity conference, security resources, and other projects."

"The weak spot, we found, is the human element," said John Berti of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association and the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority. Wyoming Valley implemented a "KnowBe4" security awareness service to help employees prevent email cyberattacks, he said.

Unisys, a corporation based in Blue Bell that provides security consulting services, sent two representatives to the hearing.

Unisys Regional Director John Alwine said many counties, cities, and other municipal entities "have learned the cost of not doing cyber security" and then trying to do damage control.

"The legislature and administration must seek out increased coordination amongst state IT users, foster greater recognition of security risks for state agencies, hold government IT leaders accountable in establishing a security path forward, and provide the resources necessary to implement such a strategy," Alwine said.

Unisys Managing Principal Clifford Shier said, "There is a need for a statewide baseline." The state, counties, and municipalities are all connected, as well as various vendors that log into systems.

Also, entities need to know what they have.

"Identification of what you have is key," said Shier. He has "heard many times (someone) didn't know this end-of-life piece of equipment is on (their) network or where (their) data was."

Because protection may not be perfect and hackers, including hostile governments like Iran, try to break in, they must also plan for recovery.

"There will be a time you need to recover," said Shier. "Don't get rid of backups."

Alwine said, "We need to develop a plan, fund it, execute it, and update it on a continual basis."

Sen. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware), minority chair of the Local Government Committee, said, "It's important for our communities to stay on top of this issue."

"It's going to require people to agree to the baseline (of security measures)," he said, and called on people to work together on the issue for the "public good."

"Somebody in York County might have an effect in Delaware County. We, as a society, have trouble with that. My county had a security breach, ransomware. They had insurance for it. They tried to keep it as quiet as possible. Nobody wants to talk about it," Kearney said.

The Communications and Technology Committee recently approved a bill to protect information on state-owned devices from downloading and using TikTok. The full Senate passed that bill.

Please follow DVJournal on social media: Twitter@DVJournal or Facebook.com/DelawareValleyJournal

© 2024 Delaware Valley Journal, West Chester, Pa. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pennsylvania State Senators Take Action on Cybersecurity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lawmakers in the Pennsylvania state house recently met with representatives of municipal governments, industry and academia last week to discuss cybersecurity threats to vital systems and infrastructure.

# data[].attributes.headline
State Senator Lindsey Williams informational website

# data[].attributes.subject
State Senator Lindsey Williams informational website

# data[].attributes.body
Go to the "About" tab, and click on the "Issues" sub-tab. This will take you to her stances on certain political issues.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Senator Lindsey M. Williams represents the 38th Senatorial District in Allegheny County. Senator Williams is committed to fighting for all Pennsylvanians.

# data[].attributes.headline
State Representative La'Tasha Mayes informational website

# data[].attributes.subject
State Representative La'Tasha Mayes informational website

# data[].attributes.body
This is from when Representative Mayes ran for election; her stance on political issues.

# data[].attributes.body
This is from when Ed Gainey ran for office, the stances on certain political issues.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Delivering safety for everyone

No matter what we look like or where we live, we all want our families to be whole and our neighborhoods to be vibrant. We want a city where we can all move through our communities without fearing for our lives or loved ones.

The duty of our police officers is to protect and serve, and most Pittsburgh Bureau of Police (PBP) officers want to live up to that mission. But we are sending them to respond to calls they weren't trained for, equipping them like soldiers instead of public servants, and training them in tactics that escalate situations and breed distrust. There are also officers who dishonor the badge, abuse their power, and put themselves, their fellow officers, and all of us at risk.

As mayor, Ed Gainey's goal will be to make Pittsburgh a city where no one lives in fear of crime or of the police. That means:

BUILDING AN ECONOMY FOR ALL OF Us

Our city is divided, but when we all lay our heads down at night, we all share the same vision for our families, our children, and our neighborhoods. We all want a city where everyone can earn a living, afford a good home, and feel safe in our neighborhoods. We all have to contribute to building that future together. We need to stop giving more and more to the wealthy and well-connected already at the top.

But some of the biggest players in our city are sitting on the bench.

City investments and strong unions gave previous generations of Pittsburghers an opportunity to succeed, but today we're failing to use the tools of city government to lift up working people and hold our largest institutions accountable for doing their fair share. Vital public services like our water system are under threat of being sold to for-profit corporations, our major employers are paying us poverty wages, our largest landowners are dodging their taxes, and developers are kicking us out of our homes.

When we stand united, we can address these challenges and build a fair economy that works for all of us. It's time to be intentional about spreading wealth and growing our city, and we have the tools to do it.

EXPANDING MOBILITY FOR ALL PITTSBURGHERS

Pittsburgh is a city of close-knit neighborhoods, each with their own histories, identities, and character. Our city is also built on complex terrain, spanning across rivers, extending up and over hillsides, and encompassing valleys, plateaus, and greenspace.

These features provide our neighborhoods with unique cityscapes, stunning views, and ample recreation opportunities, but they can also make our City difficult to move through, and decades of development and infrastructure investment have prioritized driving over other forms of transportation and mobility. This leaves many low-income families without safe or efficient connections to work, school, or recreational opportunities.

Public Safety

Delivering safety for everyone

As mayor, Ed Gainey's goal will be to make Pittsburgh a city where no one lives in fear of crime or of the police. That means:

Demilitarizing police equipment and training: Ed will break the "us vs. them" mentality between police and communities by ending the use of military gear by PBP officers and overhauling police training to focus on de-escalation.

Redirecting resources: Ed will shift the Police Bureau's resources from militarized gear and tactics into investments in community policing strategies that build trust and give officers the tools and training they need to be supportive community partners.

Getting help to those who need it from properly trained professionals: Ed will establish alternative response procedures for non-violent and mental health emergency calls that will reduce police interactions for those struggling with substance abuse disorders, homelessness, mental health crises, and trauma, getting them the resources they need, rather than sending them to jail.

Changing the rules of engagement: Ed will fight for reforms that improve police-community relations, expand police accountability, and give City government the tools it needs provide effective oversight, including:

Use of force reform that requires officers use deadly force only as a last resort, not a tactic to detain a fleeing suspect who has not demonstrated intent to inflict imminent harm.

Ending mandatory arbitration of police disciplinary cases so that the City can discipline and, where necessary, fire officers without being compelled to participate in an unaccountable arbitration process that too often sides with the FOP.

Reinforcing the Citizen Police Review Board: Ed will work with Council to strengthen the Citizen Police Review Board's (CPRB) ability to compel testimony from officers and conduct thorough, independent investigations of allegations of police misconduct

Passing Breonna's Law and Banning Solitary Confinement: Ed supports the Alliance for Police Accountability's ballot initiatives to ban no-knock warrants ("Breonna's Law") through an amendment to the City of Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter and to ban solitary confinement in the Allegheny County Jail via a County Ordinance.

Economy

Building an Economy for us all

When we stand united, we can address these challenges and build a fair economy that works for all of us. It's time to be intentional about spreading wealth and growing our city, and we have the tools to do it.

As Mayor, Ed Gainey will rewrite the rules so that we all benefit from Pittsburgh's growth, and will unite our city around a vision for a fair economy. That means:

Demanding UPMC pay their fair share: The region's most profitable corporation should pay taxes like anyone else, and decisions about how those funds - our dollars - are spent should be made in the City Council Chamber, not the UPMC boardroom.

Standing up for workers: Ed will support workers at UPMC and other major employers in exercising their right to unionize and fight for living wages, safe working conditions, and decent benefits.

Ending corporate handouts: Ed will overhaul our economic development infrastructure to stop pursuing corporate giants with sweetheart deals and tax giveaways and instead focus our resources on supporting small, community-serving businesses, cooperative businesses, and minority- women- and disadvantaged-owned businesses (MWDBEs).

Requiring developers and employers to invest in workforce development: Ed will work with our regional workforce development agencies to create a centralized fund that all developers and businesses seeking public subsidy will be required to contribute to. These resources can be used to supplement existing state and federal funding streams, creating enhanced, permanent job training programs that connect city residents to valuable skills, good jobs, and career opportunities, including pre-apprenticeship programs for Pittsburgh students.

Growing and diversifying the City workforce: Ed will rebuild the City's workforce to prepare for growth rather than managing decline. A Gainey Administration will create new public-sector opportunities for good jobs in public service, work with public employee unions to create great services, and establish pathways to City employment for Pittsburghers of all neighborhoods and backgrounds.

Directing more of the city's resources to disadvantaged businesses: Ed will create new business opportunities for MWDBEs by:

Extending Equal Opportunity Review Commission (EORC) oversight beyond reviewing MWDBE plans to actually tracking performance over the life of the project,

Requiring private developers seeking public subsidy to submit their plans for EORC review,

Establishing the City's own MWDBE certification program to lower barriers for small MWDBEs to become certified, and

Partnering with the business community and philanthropy to establish a Minority Business Accelerator to help minority-owned businesses grow and thrive.

Housing

CREATING A CITY WHERE EVERYONE CAN BELONG

Everyone wants to have a place to call home. One of the greatest things about Pittsburgh is our unique neighborhoods and - until recently - affordable housing. We're a city built by working people, for working people.

As Mayor, Ed Gainey will make good on the promise to unify our city, put resources into all of our neighborhoods, and invest in housing every Pittsburgher can afford. That means:

Fighting for community benefits: Ed will use the leverage of the City's planning process to demand community benefit agreements, labor peace agreements, and inclusionary contracting practices from private developers rather than rubber stamping their plans.

Taking an active role in the housing market: Ed will deploy tools like Community Land Trusts, the Land Bank, and Inclusionary Zoning to build neighborhoods that are accessible for everyone. We can't afford to debate and test these solutions any longer, we need aggressive action to address our city's housing crisis.

Implementing a people-first development strategy: Ed will focus the resources of the Housing Authority and URA on expanding affordable housing options, preventing displacement, and protecting neighborhoods from predatory development.

Protecting renters: Ed will continue the fight to implement the Rental Registry to take on slumlords and protect renters from unsafe conditions.

Environment

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR HEALTH

Ed Gainey is committed to climate justice because he knows that we can confront these challenges and come away from them a stronger, healthier, more sustainable city. That means:

Reducing our carbon footprint: Ed will continue and accelerate ongoing efforts to electrify the City's vehicle fleet, utilize the city's purchasing power as a large energy consumer to spur the development of renewable energy sources in our region, push developers to adhere to high standards for energy efficiency in new construction, and grow the renewable energy sector as a job engine of our local economy.

Delivering a Just Transition: Ed is committed to making Pittsburgh a model for bridging the false divide between the environmental and labor movements and demonstrating how the renewable energy and sustainable construction sectors can help us combat climate change while creating good union jobs, building healthy and affordable housing, and growing our regional economy. As Mayor, he'll retool our workforce development infrastructure to prepare our workforce for jobs in sustainable sectors, and invest in infrastructure projects that put Pittsburghers to work while addressing the climate crisis head-on.

Confronting Environmental Racism: Ed knows that Communities of Color are disproportionately affected by negative health outcomes associated with exposure to pollution, particularly air pollution generated from manufacturing and fossil fuel extraction and deteriorating homes constructed with toxic materials. He will:

continue efforts underway to eliminate all lead water service lines in the PWSA system by 2026,

work with Council to pass a comprehensive lead safety law to address the causes of lead exposure in the built environment, and

work to disrupt real estate development patterns that push low-income and at-risk populations to live in areas affected by historic and ongoing environmental hazards.

Investing in green infrastructure: Ed will work with ALCOSAN, PWSA, and state and federal partners to accelerate investment in effective, sustainable infrastructure solutions to properly and safely manage stormwater events that are increasingly affecting our region, particularly South Pittsburgh and the West End.

Keeping fracking out of our city: Ed will preserve and defend Pittsburgh's fracking ban.

Education

INVESTING IN PITTSBURGH'S FUTURE

Ed Gainey understands that the relationship between the City, the School District, parents and teachers isn't zero-sum; we're stronger when we work together as partners. As Mayor, he'll collaborate with school stakeholders to ensure that the district and our kids have the resources and support they need to succeed. That means:

Demanding UPMC pay their fair share: Ed will take on UPMC's non-profit status to make sure that they pay their fair share of City and School District taxes, ensuring that the district can make decisions based on what's best for students free from false choices about resources.

Partnering with the School District: Ed will partner with the PPS administration to ensure that PPS students have access to out-of-school-time support and services through the Dept. of Parks and Recreation so that every child has the same opportunity to learn and succeed and every child is safe and nurtured in the classroom and in their neighborhood.

Securing fair funding: Ed will work with allies in Harrisburg to secure fairer funding for urban school districts.

Equitable broadband access: to succeed in the 21st Century, all students need access to high quality internet connections in and out of the classroom, even more so in the context of remote learning. Ed will work to make sure that all neighborhoods have access to high-speed internet service so that all students have the tools they need to learn.

Mobility

EXPANDING MOBILITY FOR ALL PITTSBURGHERS

Ed Gainey understands that we need to press ahead with the progress made in recent years on developing a multimodal transportation system in Pittsburgh. If elected, he will ensure that everyone, especially children, seniors, and people with disabilities, can move through our city safely, regardless of whether they are walking, biking, driving, or taking public transit. That means:

Maintaining our commitment to Vision Zero: Ed will reinforce the City's commitment to a Vision Zero transportation strategy that focuses mobility improvements on the goal of eliminating transportation fatalities and serious injuries and provides safe, healthy, and accessible transportation options to all Pittsburghers.

Continuing to center equity in transportation investments: Ed will keep equity at the heart of transportation planning and budgeting decisions so that all Pittsburghers have safe and efficient access to work, education, shopping, and recreation.

Creating safe corridors for kids: Ed will prioritize investments in creating safe pedestrian corridors to connect schools and childcare facilities to parks and school bus/transit stops to protect our children on their way to and from school and ensure that they have access to outdoor recreation.

Listening to neighborhood needs: Ed will continue the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure's focus on neighborhood-scale transportation improvements based on community-based plans developed with residents' input and feedback.

Tackling utility coordination: Ed will improve coordination between development projects, utilities, city authorities, and the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to ensure that investments in below-ground infrastructure are efficient, equitable, and meet neighborhood needs.

Opposing privatized transportation systems: Ed will stop the buildout of Mon-Oakland connector and prevent the construction of other privatized or quasi-privatized mass transit systems designed to support luxury development at the expense of existing residential communities.

Fighting for fair funding: Ed believes that everyone deserves access to public transit no matter what neighborhood they live in. He'll work with allies in Harrisburg to secure fairer funding for urban mass transit systems.

Youth

SUPPORTING YOUNG LEADERS

Ed Gainey is committed to lifting up and following the leadership of young Pittsburghers as they struggle toward a more equitable city for us all. That means:

Creating an Office of Youth Engagement and Youth Commission: Ed will establish an Office of Youth Engagement to oversee the Mayor's involvement with youth stakeholders in the region and manage a team of youth liaisons to represent the perspectives of young Pitsburghers in departmental decision making. Ed will also establish a Youth Commission that will collaborate with the City agencies, community organizations, nonprofits, and private entities to improve the lives of Pittsburgh's youth.

Ensuring that young Pittsburghers have a seat - and a voice - at the table: Currently, 126 people on Pittsburgh's and Allegheny County's boards and authorities are over 60. Only 17 people are under 30. Ed will ensure that young people are equitably represented on City Commissions, Boards, and Authorities

Working in partnership with PPS: Ed will rebuild a positive working relationship between the City and the school district to ensure that student needs are met both in school and in our neighborhoods.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PRIORITIES Public Safety Economy Housing Environment Education Mobility Youth Delivering safety for everyone No matter what we look like or where we live, we all want our families to be whole and our neighborhoods to be vibrant.

# data[].attributes.body
Scroll down to the link "What John stands for" , and it will take you to the page that lists his stances on the issues.

# data[].attributes.body
This is Summer Lee's website, you can explore to find her stance/actions on clean air/water, internet and electricity. This section of the website has her press releases about the programs she has sponsored.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Congresswoman Lee, Sen Welch Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Help Young and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Cut Through Red Tape and Access USDA Loans

# data[].attributes.body
Happy Learning:

https://youtu.be/bGWr5jXJfbs

What is Hydropower?:

https://youtu.be/-Zwe_2f_PyY

Hydropower 101:

https://youtu.be/q8HmRLCgDAI?si=l8Ikdb28iGc7g-uC

How the Panama Canal Was Made:

https://youtu.be/zCx7_VzR1Ho

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Water. Looking after our Planet | Educational Video for Kids.

# data[].attributes.body
How Does the Internet Work?:

https://youtu.be/x3c1ih2NJEg

How Does Bluetooth Work? (You do not need to watch past 5:54 :))

https://youtu.be/1I1vxu5qIUM

How the Internet Works:

https://youtu.be/3iaBM_ZC1HE?list=TLPQMjMwNDIwMjQw218r_4vwkg

(Another) How The Internet Works:

https://youtu.be/Sfzo4xm5eX8?list=TLPQMjMwNDIwMjQw218r_4vwkg

# data[].attributes.body
Electricity for Kids:

https://youtu.be/Dx3RpXdJw2k?si=DO2yKnoyN0imqoFP

The Power of Circuits:

https://youtu.be/HOFp8bHTN30?si=Dc87bBeQy8UOFDb-

Power Generation:

https://youtu.be/F6YW8h8cML4

How Power Outages Are Fixed:

https://youtu.be/0DuAtWgV6iY?si=wy6fj77SAVnEMZ6f

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Electricity for Kids | What is Electricity? Where does Electricity come from?

# data[].attributes.body
High and Dry:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RNBO47SfpklsHmZP4-qaUxZ77IOqYXTo/view?usp=drive_link

Nature Under Threat:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RQkWdPKYU7BplloQB3RKcQEX3gohuqQ1/view?usp=drive_link

Water Breakdown NYC:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RoPZfW51-5z1MpZn8f-IyyZ4_AGOAVAN/view?usp=drive_link

Importance of Fresh Water:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RzI9UpIdHsOU0uxe84-M3tNxOl2WKkfT/view?usp=drive_link

How Water Loss Affects Biodiversity:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rv0N0dJsc5cj-uvOOUdVBJgx0EL3Q6qY/view?usp=drive_link

Water, Water Everywhere:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TMA_tWwp_wnCsZAF-G1DKLchYpetFW2f/view?usp=drive_link

# data[].attributes.body
Shasta Dam:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QV0ojN1OFrPgHseTlqwhP6DZLuf5u_AE/view?usp=drive_link

The Shortest Path:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QcJuw3As_Mn08SVTvwF7WT5JD25LzFFl/view?usp=drive_link

Think About What You Drink:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QDQL_61mQGrbnTL2uc1xjPROqmVPQtsI/view?usp=drive_link

Playing by Water:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qr_pPfgLo5royDevtbmjO4EkYrX1gYcU/view?usp=drive_link

History of Planet Earth:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RFjsAEiMt8bwttAswAk4J9g8qGqiopPE/view?usp=drive_link

The Earths Resources:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIfS6O6G6yyoEMZkNeDw46MayI8WPek1/view?usp=drive_link

# data[].attributes.body
Link 1:

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Internet/353293

Link 2:

https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/History_of_the_Internet

Link 3:

https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/invention-of-the-internet

Link 4:

https://kids.kiddle.co/Internet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Internet is a network, or system, that connects millions of computers worldwide. It was one of the greatest inventions of the 1900s. Since its beginning, the Internet has...

# data[].attributes.body
Link 1:

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/water/390625

Link 2:

https://kids.kiddle.co/Water_supply

Link 3:

https://www.epa.gov/watersense/our-water

Link 4:

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/nature/water-cycle/

Link 5:

https://www.watereducation.org/water-kids

Link 6:

https://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-climate/water-cycle.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Water is the most important liquid on Earth. It covers almost 75 percent of Earth’s surface in the form of oceans, rivers, and lakes. All plants and animals need water to…

# data[].attributes.body
Link 1: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/electricity/353091

Link 2: https://www.eia.gov/kids/energy-sources/electricity/science-of-electricity.php

Link 3: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/use-of-electricity.php#:~:text=People%20use%20electricity%20for%20lighting,machinery%2C%20and%20public%20transportation%20systems

Link 4: https://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/energy-light-sound/electricity.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Electricity is the flow of tiny particles called electrons and protons. It can also mean the energy you get when electrons flow from place to place. Electricity can be seen…