Author: John Lovie

John Lovie is a vegan, a runner, cyclist, hiker, kayaker, and open water swimmer, an environmentalist, photographer, and musician, a writer, a chemist and a software developer. He lives on Whidbey Island. He writes mostly about water at Mostly Water | John Lovie | Substack and is available for consulting Work with John
LA Times, Sea Level Rise

New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater

John Lovie

Amid dramatic ocean swells and drenching atmospheric rivers, a new report lays bare a hidden aspect of sea level rise that has been exacerbating flooding in the Bay Area.

The report, which was released Tuesday, maps areas that could flood from groundwater hovering just a few feet, or even inches below ground. This layer of water gets pushed upward as denser water from the ocean moves inland from rising tides. On its way up, even before the water breaks the surface, it can seep into the cracks of basements, infiltrate plumbing, or, even more insidiously, re-mobilize toxic chemicals buried underground. Continue reading New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater

PFAS, Toxic-Free Future

U.S. military takes important step towards PFAS-free firefighting foams

John Lovie

New rule comes after years of PFAS contamination of water supplies for millions of Americans

Health advocates praise this move while calling for transparency and requirements for the safety of new foams

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) released a revised military specification (“mil spec”) for the purchase and use of firefighting foam free of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Revisions to the mil spec were required by the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The new rule comes after years of PFAS contamination of water supplies for millions of Americans.

This new specification also impacts airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was directed by Congress to allow airports to use fluorine-free foams by October 2021 and issued a new alert today. Continue reading U.S. military takes important step towards PFAS-free firefighting foams

PFAS

Locally caught freshwater fish across the United States are likely a significant source of exposure to PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds

John Lovie

Locally caught freshwater fish across the United States are likely a significant source of exposure to PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds – ScienceDirect Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, gained significant public and regulatory attention due to widespread contamination … Continue reading Locally caught freshwater fish across the United States are likely a significant source of exposure to PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds