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U.S. Public Interest Research Group Eductation Fund: Report - Major Fast Food Chains Fail to Honor Antibiotic Reduction Pledges
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Eductation Fund posted the following news release:
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REPORT: Major fast food chains fail to honor antibiotic reduction pledges
McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell had committed to play leading role in tackling "superbug" crisis; public health advocates call for urgent action
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CHICAGO -- Available data suggests that McDonald's, Subway and Taco Bell appear to have failed to honor their commitments to reduce, or even end, the routine use of medically important antibiotics in their beef supply by 2025. That's the key finding
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Eductation Fund posted the following news release:
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REPORT: Major fast food chains fail to honor antibiotic reduction pledges
McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell had committed to play leading role in tackling "superbug" crisis; public health advocates call for urgent action
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CHICAGO -- Available data suggests that McDonald's, Subway and Taco Bell appear to have failed to honor their commitments to reduce, or even end, the routine use of medically important antibiotics in their beef supply by 2025. That's the key findingof Serving Up Superbugs Revisited, a report released on Thursday by Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), the Keep Antibiotics Working Coalition and U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
After examining these companies' websites and public communications, and making direct requests for updates from corporate leadership, the report's authors concluded that all three of the companies failed to meet their commitments.
"When McDonald's announced that they would work with beef suppliers to reduce the routine use of medically important antibiotics in 2018, we were thrilled," said Andre Delattre, senior vice president with U.S. PIRG Education Fund. "While we'd like to see all companies do better, McDonald's is uniquely positioned, as one of the largest purchasers of beef, to make the change that is critically important to ensure that antibiotics continue to be effective and save lives."
There is evidence that the practice of antibiotic overuse is getting worse. Between 2023 and 2024, the Food and Drug Administration reported a 16% increase in the use of medically important antibiotics in animal agriculture. The fast food industry can be a leader in reversing this trend.
"Large food chains have had years to fulfill their commitment to buy beef only from producers using fewer antibiotics, to help control antibiotic resistance. The public should be able to rely on these companies to follow through on promises made," said Dr. Gail Hansen, a public health veterinarian.
Reports indicate that without major action, the global death toll of antibiotic-resistant infections will outpace cancer deaths by 2050. And it is estimated that at least 35,000 Americans will lose their lives every year from an antibiotic-resistant infection.
"Given that overusing antibiotics leads to antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs,' it's irresponsible to routinely dose livestock with these life-saving medications," said Douglas H. Phelps, The Public Interest Network's president and executive director. "The companies we spotlight in our report should use their purchasing power to compel suppliers to use antibiotics on farm animals only when necessary to fight infection. Otherwise, drugs that have worked miracles since World War II will no longer be so miraculous."
Corporate leaders who have previously committed to protect public health are well positioned to use their market power for good and make a huge difference.
"We gave these companies credit for committing to protect their customers and the general public from deadly superbugs, but when it came time to fulfill these promises, the companies completely stopped responding," said Steve Roach, Safe and Healthy Food Program director at FACT.
There is an urgent need for action. The Keep Antibiotics Working coalition invites McDonald's, Subway and Taco Bell to get back on the right path by tracking, reducing and reporting on the amount of antibiotics used in their beef supply. These companies made a promise to protect public health. It's time they kept it, before more of these life-saving drugs stop working, and more lives are lost.
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REPORT: https://publicinterestnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Serving-Up-Superbugs-Revisited-2026-1.pdf
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Original text here: https://pirg.org/media-center/report-major-fast-food-chains-fail-to-honor-antibiotic-reduction-pledges/
[Category: Political]
Policy Matters Ohio: Ohio Employers Add Jobs While More Ohioans Exit the Labor Force
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 22 -- Policy Matters Ohio, a nonpartisan policy research institute, posted the following news release on Aug. 21, 2026:
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Ohio employers add jobs while more Ohioans exit the labor force
Today, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), in partnership with the Department of Labor, released job and unemployment indicators for July, showing Ohio employers added 5,100 jobs. The number of Ohioans in the labor force fell by 15,000 in July, on trend with the last year, driving Ohio's unemployment rate down from 3.6% in June to 3.4% in July (-0.2 percentage points).
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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 22 -- Policy Matters Ohio, a nonpartisan policy research institute, posted the following news release on Aug. 21, 2026:
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Ohio employers add jobs while more Ohioans exit the labor force
Today, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), in partnership with the Department of Labor, released job and unemployment indicators for July, showing Ohio employers added 5,100 jobs. The number of Ohioans in the labor force fell by 15,000 in July, on trend with the last year, driving Ohio's unemployment rate down from 3.6% in June to 3.4% in July (-0.2 percentage points).Inflation ticked down from 3.5% in June to 3.4% in July.
The takeaway: July's jobs report offers another mixed bag. Ohio employers added 5,100 jobs in July, while U.S. jobs numbers fell by 23,000 after a downward revision to June's numbers. Ohio's job gains in July maintained the moderate growth we've seen over the past year (+17,400 from July of 2025), indicating Ohio's job market has remained resilient while the national job market begins to show signs of weakening. At the same time, however, the separate household survey shows a 15,000 decrease in Ohio's labor force population. These labor force contractions have become a trend spanning the past year -- there are now 74,000 fewer working Ohioans in the labor force than there were this time last year. Ohio hasn't seen an increase in the labor force population since May of 2025.
"Although jobs were down nationwide, Ohio saw moderate job growth in July, which could signal Ohio's economic resilience," said Molly Bryden, researcher with Policy Matters Ohio. "Continued job growth, coupled with cooling inflation over the past two months, could indicate Ohio's working families are faring better so far this year, reversing year-to-year job losses revealed by benchmarked data for 2025. On the other hand, economic indicators from the separate household survey continue to deviate from job growth trends drawn from establishment survey data.
"We often note discrepancies between the two surveys, which aren't uncommon," said Bryden. "Differences in how survey data are collected could partially explain inconsistent results. For example, while the establishment survey counts numbers of payroll jobs, the household survey counts individual workers. Slow wage growth could be forcing working Ohioans to take on multiple jobs to make ends meet, though this wouldn't fully explain the wide disparities between month-to-month job gains and continued contractions in Ohio's labor force. More months of data and data revisions are needed to understand whether these inconsistencies are in fact a trend or just noise in the numbers.
"It's too soon to tell whether hiring trends among Ohio employers will begin to reflect the slowdown we may be seeing nationally -- but plummeting labor force population levels could have serious implications for Ohio's ability to maintain long-term economic growth."
The numbers: According to seasonally adjusted data released today by the ODJFS, Ohio employers added 5,100 jobs in July, from a downwardly revised 5,684,900 (-2,700 from initial estimates) jobs in June to 5,690,000 in July. For the second consecutive month, goods producers drove job gains in July (+7,900), with small growth in service providing industries (+1,700) and a substantial drop in public sector employment (-4,500).
Construction employers added 3,000 jobs, while manufacturers added another 4,900 (+4,500 and +400 in durable and nondurable goods manufacturing jobs, respectively). There has been strong job growth in both construction and manufacturing jobs over the last year. Since July of 2025, construction employers have added 13,700 jobs (+5.3%), while manufacturers have added 13,200 jobs (+2.0%).
"Goods producers have led Ohio's job gains over the past three months. Growth in both construction and manufacturing employment could be driven by -- or at least partially supported by -- the data center buildout. Nationwide, most manufacturing industries increased production between June and July, including several with a large presence in Ohio, like electrical equipment manufacturing. Meanwhile, planned AI data centers promise consistent work for union building and construction trades in the years to come, though it's too soon to tell whether data centers and associated power infrastructure projects are the driving force behind construction industry growth; many of these projects have yet to break ground, while others are facing delayed timelines due to broad local opposition."
Despite July's gains, private service providers haven't recovered losses taking place over the past several months, adding only 1,600 jobs since July of 2025. Small gains in financial activities (+1,000), private education and health services (+1,700), and leisure and hospitality (+1,500) were partially offset by losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,000), information (-1,200), and professional and business services (-500). Notably, information sector employment fell for the third month in a row, decreasing by 3.5% since this time last year.
"Weak growth in private service-providing industries could be more representative of the economic pressures felt by Ohio's working families," said Bryden. "Slow wage growth, along with sticky inflation we've seen through most of 2026, could be driving down spending among Ohio families, reducing service demand and slowing hiring, in turn."
Local government employment fell by 3,800 in July, driving public sector losses, with small decreases in both federal and state government employment (-100 and -600, respectively).
The household survey: The separate household survey shows that 15,000 working Ohioans left the labor force from June to July, the number of employed Ohioans decreased by 5,000 and the number unemployed decreased by 9,000 (these numbers don't sum to 15,000 due to rounding).
The U.S. labor force population has also been in decline, driving the national labor force participation rate down from 61.5% in June to 61.4% in July. Although Ohio's labor force participation rate has hovered between 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points above the U.S. rate in most months of this year, statewide labor force participation now matches the national rate. Due to Ohio's shrinking labor force, along with the decrease in unemployment - which outweighed employment losses - Ohio's unemployment rate fell from 3.6% in June to 3.4% in July, far lower than the U.S. rate of 4.1% (-0.1 percentage points from June).
"Compared to the national rate, Ohio has maintained stronger labor force participation for most of 2026. However, Ohio's labor force population has been sliding downward since June of 2025, outpacing the decline in the U.S. labor force levels. The number of working Ohioans in the labor force has decreased by 1.2% since July of 2025, compared to a 0.8% decrease in the U.S. labor force over the same period. Softening labor force participation could indicate that Ohioans are less optimistic about the job market. Other factors, like rising transportation costs and the childcare affordability crisis, could also be to blame.
"Finally, the threat of heightened immigration enforcement has likely influenced Ohio's labor force losses, with deeper implications for Ohio's economy as ICE activity ramps up. In addition to driving immigrant workers out of the labor force, a recent study found that states with greater ICE activity have experienced employment declines among U.S.-born men. In fact, the report's authors predict that 800 ICE arrests in Ohio could reduce Ohio employment among immigrant men by 1,800 and among U.S.-born men by 10,700.
"Although the study focuses on enhanced ICE activity's impacts on men, a separate report found that women represent 100% of the decrease in the U.S. labor force population in July, suggesting women are disproportionately impacted by the range of factors driving workers out of the labor force. Moreover, other research has demonstrated immigration enforcement's destabilizing impacts on employment among immigrant women working in the childcare sector, with further implications for childcare access and women's participation in the labor force, in turn.
"Along with decreasing employment and labor force levels, the rise in ICE activity could also partially explain service sector weakness exhibited in 2026, with fewer Ohioans participating in the economy. Wide-ranging economic impacts generated by increasing immigration enforcement show how the administration's mass deportation campaign harms all working families, while threatening the security of immigrants who are an invaluable part of Ohio communities."
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Original text here: https://policymattersohio.org/news/2026/08/21/ohio-employers-add-jobs-while-more-ohioans-exit-the-labor-force/
[Category: Economics]
No Prize Attached: PETA Names Pigeon Forge 'America's Capital of Captive-Animal Misery'
NORFOLK, Virginia, Aug. 22 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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No Prize Attached: PETA Names Pigeon Forge 'America's Capital of Captive-Animal Misery'
Pigeon Forge, Tenn. - Home to one of the country's highest concentrations of captive-animal tourist traps--including old-style bear pits where wildlife languishes on cement--Pigeon Forge has earned a title no city wants in its brochure: "America's Capital of Captive-Animal Misery." In a letter sent today to Mayor Kevin McClure, PETA cites the city's abundance of animal-exploiting businesses--including
... Show Full Article
NORFOLK, Virginia, Aug. 22 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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No Prize Attached: PETA Names Pigeon Forge 'America's Capital of Captive-Animal Misery'
Pigeon Forge, Tenn. - Home to one of the country's highest concentrations of captive-animal tourist traps--including old-style bear pits where wildlife languishes on cement--Pigeon Forge has earned a title no city wants in its brochure: "America's Capital of Captive-Animal Misery." In a letter sent today to Mayor Kevin McClure, PETA cites the city's abundance of animal-exploiting businesses--includingGatorland, where a crocodilian is trapped in a tiny tank inside a souvenir shop--and urges Pigeon Forge to move past its animal-exploitation era to become a center for humane tourism.
Also earning Pigeon Forge its certificate of dishonor is Parrot Mountain, which uses parrots and other birds for photo ops and dangerous hands-on encounters--and supplies birds to local hotels, where they're subjected to noisy crowds and other stressful conditions.
PETA is also placing a striking visual plea in the heart of town, urging tourists to steer clear of cruel bear pits, such as the one at a roadside zoo with a long history of federal animal welfare law violations, Three Bears General Store. This is where black bears River, Daisy, and Dolly are confined 24/7 while visitors gawk at them and toss them food scraps. Among the many faults found by the government inspectors was denying an elderly bear adequate veterinary care.
"No city should be known for keeping animals in pitiful conditions, as if we know nothing of their needs and interests, yet that's Pigeon Forge's reputation," says PETA Foundation Managing Director of Captive Wildlife Debbie Metzler. "PETA is urging tourists to steer clear of these cruel tourist traps and calling on city leaders to help make Pigeon Forge a destination known for compassion, not cruelty."
Bears love to climb and explore, crocodilians are doting parents, and parrots are highly social animals who, in nature, fly and forage with their flocks during the day and sleep together in the same tree at night. Animals used in tourist attractions are often confined to tiny, ramshackle enclosures that deny them virtually everything natural and meaningful to them. Deprived of space, stimulation, and control over their lives, many suffer severe psychological distress, and some even resort to hurting themselves by chewing on their own limbs or pulling out their fur or feathers.
PETA's billboard is located near 2970 Parkway, in Pigeon Forge, less than half a mile from Three Bears General Store.
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PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to use for entertainment"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/no-prize-attached-peta-names-pigeon-forge-americas-capital-of-captive-animal-misery/
[Category: Animals]
ICYMI: Mini Timmaraju Joins Jonathan Capehart to Discuss FDA Nomination of Anti-Abortion Extremist Heidi Overton & What It Means for November
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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ICYMI: Mini Timmaraju Joins Jonathan Capehart to Discuss FDA Nomination of Anti-Abortion Extremist Heidi Overton & What It Means for November
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Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju joined Jonathan Capehart on The Last Word to highlight the danger of Trump's nomination of Heidi Overton as FDA Commissioner, who called medication abortion "dangerous to women." Timmaraju slammed Overton for spreading "classic anti-abortion
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release:
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ICYMI: Mini Timmaraju Joins Jonathan Capehart to Discuss FDA Nomination of Anti-Abortion Extremist Heidi Overton & What It Means for November
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Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju joined Jonathan Capehart on The Last Word to highlight the danger of Trump's nomination of Heidi Overton as FDA Commissioner, who called medication abortion "dangerous to women." Timmaraju slammed Overton for spreading "classic anti-abortionextremist propaganda" and "junk science" in her false characterization of mifepristone.
Timmaraju highlighted that abortion medication has been approved and proven to be safe and effective for over 25 years. The number of abortions has increased post-Dobbs, in large part because of access to medication abortion, which is why mifepristone has become a top target of the anti-abortion movement. From the FDA's ongoing sham "study" of mifepristone to the pending federal cases winding their ways through the courts to impose unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone, Overton would join the agency at a particularly dangerous time for the medication's future.
This is not a coincidence - her nomination is part of a broader push by Trump and his allies to install extremists who will weaponize their agencies to fast-track an ideologically extreme, unpopular agenda nationwide.
Timmaraju promised that Reproductive Freedom for All will be communicating with voters between now and November around Overton's commitment to the anti-abortion agenda. Timmaraju closed the interview: "Banning abortion is one of the number one negatives for Republicans, so this is frankly a really interesting and crazy time for the administration to be appointing somebody like a Heidi Overton."
For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels-including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave-for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
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Original text here: https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/icymi-mini-timmaraju-joins-jonathan-capehart-to-discuss-fda-nomination-of-anti-abortion-extremist-heidi-overton-what-it-means-for-november/
Ebola in DR Congo: 180 Children Have Lost Both Caregivers 100 Days Into Outbreak
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 22 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Ebola in DR Congo: 180 Children Have Lost Both Caregivers 100 Days Into Outbreak
KINSHASA - At least 180 children have lost both parents or primary caregivers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the Ebola outbreak was declared 100 days ago.[1]
Thousands more children have lost one parent or caregiver, exposing them to heightened risks of abuse, exploitation, trafficking
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 22 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Ebola in DR Congo: 180 Children Have Lost Both Caregivers 100 Days Into Outbreak
KINSHASA - At least 180 children have lost both parents or primary caregivers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the Ebola outbreak was declared 100 days ago.[1]
Thousands more children have lost one parent or caregiver, exposing them to heightened risks of abuse, exploitation, traffickingand severe psychological distress as families and already fragile social services struggle to cope.[2]
In what is now the DRC's deadliest outbreak - which has killed more than 330 children - children are bearing some of the most devastating and lasting consequences, including the loss of parents and caregivers and increased risks of abuse, exploitation and psychological distress.[3]
Save the Children is working with government and partners in Ituri province to establish safe spaces - called Observation Care Centers - for children whose parents or caregivers are being treated for Ebola.
Latest figures from the Provincial Division of Social Affairs in Ituri, the epicenter of the outbreak, show that 180 children have lost both parents or caregivers to the virus that broke out on May 15. Most are now being cared for by relatives or in state-run childcare facilities while longer-term family-based arrangements are found.
A further 114 children are separated from their parents and being supported by humanitarian organizations and family members, while their parents receive treatment for Ebola.
Children who are orphaned, separated or left unaccompanied by Ebola face heightened risks of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, physical violence, forced recruitment by armed groups and severe emotional distress. In communities affected by the virus, children can also face stigma and isolation, while strained protection systems leave many without the care and support they urgently need.
According to latest data from the Ministry of Health, over 4,945 cases of Ebola and 2,325 deaths have been reported to date. At least 800 children are confirmed to have contracted the disease and more than 330 children have died.
The outbreak has expanded rapidly over the past 100 days. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), it has recorded around nine times more confirmed cases and six times more deaths than were reported during the same period of the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.[4]
With the outbreak still spreading - now in six provinces up from just two - Africa CDC estimates that only about 10% of potentially exposed contacts have been identified, while about four in five new infections are found outside known chains of transmission, highlighting the scale of undetected spread.
Save the Children's Observation Care Centers will host children on a full time basis while their parents receive care in the Ebola Treatment Center in the same compound. Throughout a 21 day surveillance period, the children will sleep, eat, live, and be supported psychologically in a safe environment.
Emmanuel Kalinde, Child Protection Manager in Ituri, said:
"Behind every statistic is a child whose world has been turned upside down. Many of these children are mourning parents, grandparents, siblings and caregivers who were the center of their lives. Grief can leave a child incredibly vulnerable, especially in communities already facing conflict and displacement. Our job is to help ensure that no child is left behind. With the right support they can begin to heal and regain a sense of hope."
Greg Ramm, Save the Children's Country Director in the DRC, said:
"Ebola is stealing more than lives. It is taking away the people children run to when they are scared. Every child who loses a parent, caregiver or loved one faces a future filled with uncertainty, and many are at risk of being left without the protection and support they need.
"The children at the center of this crisis need more than emergency medical care. They need safe care arrangements, protection, emotional support and the chance to continue learning and simply be children again. The longer this outbreak continues, the greater the risk that vulnerable children fall through the cracks and face exploitation, abuse, neglect or permanent disruption to their futures.
"Child protection cannot be treated as a secondary concern in an Ebola response. Every effort to stop transmission must be matched by efforts to protect the children left behind. Governments, donors and the international community must urgently invest in scaling up support for frontline health services, alternative care, mental health support, community-based child protection programmes, and the essential services families rely on."
This outbreak is unfolding in communities already affected by armed conflict, mass displacement and chronic humanitarian needs. For many children, Ebola is the latest shock in a series of crises that have already disrupted their safety, education and wellbeing, placing additional strain on already fragile health, protection and social support systems.
Save the Children is supporting infection prevention, community engagement, case detection and referral, and the continuity of essential services for children and families. The aid agency is also providing psychosocial support and child protection services, including support for children who have lost caregivers, while working to ensure children can continue learning and access healthcare, nutrition and protection services safely throughout the crisis.
In the DRC since 1994, Save the Children partners with 13 local organizations, as well as international agencies and government authorities, to deliver life-saving support in health, nutrition, education, child protection, food security, water, sanitation, and hygiene for children and their families.
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Footnotes:
[1] According to the Provincial Division of Social Affairs in Ituri
[2] Over 2,000 people have died from Ebola, according to latest data from the Ministry of Health, most of them adults and parents to many children.
[3] DR Congo: As Ebola child deaths pass 300, UNICEF warns outbreak also threatens essential health services
[4] Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation | Ebola | CDC
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/ebola-drc-180-children-have-lost-both-caregivers
[Category: Sociological]
Alliance for the Great Lakes: Ohio Water Victory Builds Momentum for Data Center Protections
CHICAGO, Illinois, Aug. 22 -- The Alliance for the Great Lakes issued the following statement on Aug. 21, 2026:
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Ohio Water Victory Builds Momentum for Data Center Protections
Data centers are expanding rapidly across the Great Lakes region, bringing new questions about how these facilities could affect our water. From the amount of water they use to the wastewater they discharge, communities and decision-makers are grappling with how to support economic development without putting our water resources at risk.
In Ohio, one recent proposal raised serious concerns. Earlier this year, Ohio
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, Aug. 22 -- The Alliance for the Great Lakes issued the following statement on Aug. 21, 2026:
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Ohio Water Victory Builds Momentum for Data Center Protections
Data centers are expanding rapidly across the Great Lakes region, bringing new questions about how these facilities could affect our water. From the amount of water they use to the wastewater they discharge, communities and decision-makers are grappling with how to support economic development without putting our water resources at risk.
In Ohio, one recent proposal raised serious concerns. Earlier this year, OhioEPA proposed a new general permit that would have made it easier for data centers to discharge wastewater into Ohio's rivers, streams, and Lake Erie under a "one-size-fits-all" permit with minimal oversight.
Wastewater from data centers can be hot and contaminated with pollutants. The proposed permit threatened to weaken water protections and put drinking water, public health, and aquatic ecosystems at risk, especially in the Lake Erie watershed, which is already under stress from nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms.
So, we got to work.
We partnered with other nonprofits to raise the alarm in media interviews, on webinars, and at speaking engagements. We delivered detailed comments against the proposal to Ohio EPA. We created an action alert to help Ohioans voice their concerns about the proposal, and we asked everyone who took action to share the alert with friends.
Ohio EPA was flooded with requests to withdraw the proposed permit. Our supporters and their networks alone sent more than 200 comments. The proposal received more than 7,000 comments, the vast majority of them negative.
Last month, Ohio EPA announced they were withdrawing the proposed general permit. For now, data centers that want to directly send wastewater into Ohio waters will be required to obtain individual, site-specific permits - and Ohioans will be able to weigh in on wastewater permits that affect their own communities.
Building momentum to protect waters across the Great Lakes region
The Ohio victory is just one part of a larger effort to protect waters across our region from large data centers.
* Last August, we released a groundbreaking report that showed the Great Lakes region isn't prepared for increasing water use demands from data centers and other large water users. We called for transparency in water use decisions and policy solutions that support economic development while protecting our waters. The report sparked media interviews, speaking engagements, and conversations with legislators, regulators, and nonprofit partners across the region.
* In March, we released a guide to help residents, concerned citizens, grassroots organizations, and local leaders make sense of the impacts of water-intensive data center development. Communities across the Great Lakes region have used the information and checklists in this playbook as they evaluate how proposed data center development could impact their communities.
* We've been working to pass Illinois' POWER Act, a bill that would establish a framework for more sustainable data center water use in Illinois. We worked with partners to draft the bill, met with General Assembly and Governor's Office leadership, testified in support to the Illinois House Executive Committee, and submitted numerous testimonies as the bill moved through the chambers. We also provided an action alert that helped hundreds of our supporters urge their legislators to pass this important legislation. The Governor of Illinois has adopted many of the core policy solutions within the POWER Act. The POWER Act is now a top priority for the Governor and General Assembly. The act will be debated during the fall veto session, and your support will be critical to help it get across the finish line.
* We've been hard at work in Ohio, advocating to ensure that any legislation enacted protects water quality and quantity in a meaningful way. In May, the Ohio Governor paused tax incentives for data centers while a select legislative committee considers legislation that proposes water use reporting and water quality monitoring requirements. We testified at the statehouse and continue to engage with partners on this legislation to ensure it effectively protects our water resources. This bill will be considered again in the fall, and your continued support and engagement will be so important.
* Regulations, technology, and public awareness around water and data centers have been changing rapidly. We continue to support advocacy across the Great Lakes states and analyze emerging trends and research. In the coming months, we'll provide updates on the latest on data centers in our region.
How you're making it happen
Momentum is growing to protect our water from large data centers. And you're making it happen. Thank you to the donors whose generosity supports our research, writing, and outreach. Thank you to all the Ohio supporters who told Ohio EPA to withdraw the bad permit. Thank you to all the Illinois supporters who ask their state legislators to pass the POWER Act. And thank you to everyone who's shared information about water risks from large data centers.
We have much more work ahead of us. When we work together for our waters, we can secure lasting and durable impact and victories.
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Original text here: https://greatlakes.org/2026/08/ohio-water-victory-builds-momentum-for-data-center-protections/
[Category: Environment]
AU, Allies Seek 5 Tenn. School Districts' Plans to Post Ten Commandments
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued the following news on Aug. 21, 2026:
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AU, allies seek 5 Tenn. school districts' plans to post Ten Commandments
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In letters sent yesterday to five Tennessee school districts, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, ACLU, and Freedom From Religion Foundation have requested all public records relating to the districts' recently announced plans to display the Ten Commandments in schools. The records will shed light on the implementation
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 -- Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued the following news on Aug. 21, 2026:
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AU, allies seek 5 Tenn. school districts' plans to post Ten Commandments
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In letters sent yesterday to five Tennessee school districts, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, ACLU, and Freedom From Religion Foundation have requested all public records relating to the districts' recently announced plans to display the Ten Commandments in schools. The records will shed light on the implementationof a new state law that authorizes local boards of education to post the Ten Commandments in a "prominent" location in school buildings.
Directed to Blount County School District, Rutherford County Schools, Washington County Schools, White County Schools, and Wilson County Schools, the letters seek all school-district emails and other communications, as well as all board documents, regarding the display of the Ten Commandments. The letters also request, pursuant to Tennessee's Public Records Act, all proposed or approved display designs.
New Tennessee law 'allows' public school districts to display Ten Commandments
The letters follow recent votes by the districts' boards of education requiring their schools to post the religious rules. A Tennessee law enacted earlier this year, House Bill 47, provides that boards may "allow" schools to display the Ten Commandments in "a prominent location." The statute defines "prominent location" as a "school entryway, cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display." Under the law, displays must include "text in a font size that is no smaller than [at] least twenty-six (26) point, and in a style and manner that is easy for students to see and read."
Americans United, the ACLU of Tennessee, ACLU, and Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following joint statement regarding the requests for public records:
"Forcing biblical scripture on public-school children violates families' religious freedom. Families and faith communities, not the government, get to decide what role religious doctrine and belief play in their lives. We are committed to protecting students' and parents' constitutional rights and are launching an investigation of every school district that foolishly accepts the state's invitation to trample those rights. We urge families who will be affected by these religious displays to contact our organizations."
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INFODOC: https://www.au.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2026/08/Tennessee-School-Districts-Records-Request-Ten-Commandments-8.20.26.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.au.org/the-latest/press/ten-commandments-tennessee-records/
[Category: Political]
