environment

Nonprofits, businesses and local and state governments raised $3.5 million for health testing for residents who lived near a contamination site in northeast Wichita.

The new plan removes most references to climate change, greenhouse gases or environmental justice. But many of its goals, outside of the community-wide greenhouse gas reduction target, remain unchanged.

The plan sets a target of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from a 2021 baseline within the next 10 years.

Previous rules required spills of any size to be reported to the state, while the new rules set minimum quantities to alert regulators.

Residents who live and work near industry harbor a litany of concerns about its environmental impacts. Some are engaged in conversations with the EPA about what can be done.

Report finds most community-wide emissions come from commercial properties, while the landfill is the biggest emitter from city operations.

The federal government is requiring utilities across the country to take an inventory of public and private water service lines, so it can determine which are made of lead.

The commission had the opportunity to vote on a new set of regulations developed by the Sedgwick County-Wichita Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, but felt more research was necessary to prepare regulations.

The county commission will vote Wednesday on expanded regulations for large-scale solar farms, as the temporary ban on new solar applications comes to a close.

The groundwater is contaminated with trichloroethene, a chemical that may increase the risk of certain cancers.