The US House has voted to remove controversial provisions from the Farm Bill that would have weakened pesticide protections and given chemical companies legal immunity. The provisions sought to strip states of their authority to pass stronger protections against pesticides, allow pesticide applications near schools and playgrounds, and block people harmed by exposure from suing chemical companies.

May is Clean Air month, but after decades of progress, the air we breathe in Wisconsin could be getting more polluted, according to the DNR. That’s because a long list of federal protections have been rolled back or dismantled over the past year, including vehicle emissions standards, safeguards against toxic mercury in the air, and rules aimed at cracking down on ozone pollution drifting here from other states.

Right now on the Defender Podcast – should you be worried about AI data centers and our water? A deep dive into the research at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.