Youths Have Constitutional Right To A ‘Healthful’ Earth, Montana Judge Rules
The prosecution called the ruling "a huge win ... for youth, for democracy, and for our climate." Meanwhile, GOP Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office called it “absurd” and said it will appeal to the state Supreme Court. In other climate news: Dementia and air pollution appear to be linked.
Politico:
Montana Judge Sides With Youth Activists In Historic Climate Trial
A Montana judge on Monday found that the Treasure State is violating its residents’ right to a clean environment — delivering a major victory to the 16 kids, teens and young adults behind the first U.S. youth-led climate trial. Judge Kathy Seeley of the 1st District Court in Montana ruled that state lawmakers flouted Montana’s constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment” when they passed a law barring agencies from considering the climate effects of fossil fuel projects. (Clark, 8/14)
The Washington Post:
Judge Rules In Favor Of Youths In Landmark Montana Climate Trial
The Montana case will face an appeal to the state Supreme Court, Emily Flower, a spokesperson for Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R), confirmed Monday. She decried the ruling as “absurd” and said Montanans cannot be blamed for changing the climate. ... Despite the track record of dismissals for youth-led climate cases in the United States, experts said the Montana youths had an advantage in the state’s constitution, which guarantees a right to a “clean and healthful environment.” Montana, a major coal producer, is home to the largest recoverable coal reserves in the country. The plaintiff’s attorneys say the state has never denied a permit for a fossil fuel project. (Selig, 8/14)
A study suggests a link between air pollution and dementia —
CBS News:
Air Pollution May Be To Blame For Thousands Of Dementia Cases Each Year, Researchers Say
Nearly 188,000 dementia cases in the U.S. each year may have been caused by air pollution, researchers estimate, with bad air quality from wildfires and agriculture showing the strongest links to a person's risk of Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia later in life. Published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open, the new estimates are the latest to underscore the range of health risks scientists have long warned are being driven by air pollution. (Tin, 8/14)
In other environmental health news —
Modern Healthcare:
IRA Energy Grants, Tax Incentives That Could Save Healthcare Billions
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides billions of dollars in direct funding and tax incentive opportunities that health systems can use to finance climate resiliency and renewable energy infrastructure projects. The funding is still becoming available, with several tax and grant opportunities rolling out this year. Significantly, the Inflation Reduction Act enables tax-exempt entities, such as nonprofit organizations and local governments, to receive direct payments for qualified investments. The window to take advantage of certain cost-sharing arrangements will close at the end of 2024. (Hartnett, 8/14)
Public Health Watch:
Some Texans Say Railroad Commission Ignored Complaints About Oilfield Waste
Less than a year after an oilfield waste disposal site opened near Tara Jones’ home in 2019, she and her family noticed a foul odor. They lived a half-mile away, amid the mesquite trees and pastures west of Corpus Christi. But the sour smell from the Blackhorn Environmental Services site was potent. Jones would later learn her neighbors had been complaining for months about Blackhorn’s waste pits near the town of Orange Grove, population 1,300. Neighbors later said they sneezed, coughed, got itchy eyes and, on the worst days, felt nauseated. (Buch, 8/15)
Houston Chronicle:
Houston Heat Can Be Especially Dangerous For People With Heart Disease
In the five-state public health region that includes Texas, the rate of heat-related emergency room visits surpassed 1,000 during the first week of August, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s more than double the rate during a similar time frame in 2022 and more than triple the rate from 2019, data shows. (Gill, 8/14)
Storm Center:
Heat Exhaustion Vs. Heat Stroke: Know The Difference
With this dangerous heat wave forecasted to keep smothering the southern U.S. and Florida the next several weeks, it is important to know the key differences between heat-related illnesses. The combination of heat and humidity will result in dangerously high “feels like” temperatures to continue hitting the triple digits. These conditions could prompt significant health risks if precautions are not taken. (Hazel, 8/14)
