Powerful El Niño Will Crush Hurricane Development, New Outlook Says | USA Today
Colorado State University meteorologists now expect four fewer storms than their April outlook forecast, thanks to a powerful El Niño. The updated forecast calls for nine named storms, four hurricanes, and just one Category 3 or stronger, as El Niño ramps up the wind shear that shreds developing storms. Forecasters caution that quiet seasons can still produce devastating landfalls, with Florida among the states most at risk.
A new state law will ban the sale or purchase of PFAS starting next July, and by July 2029 it will be illegal to possess or use the “forever chemicals” except in specific emergencies. It builds on legislation signed last year requiring municipalities to buy only firefighting gear free of the toxic chemicals, which have been linked to several types of cancer.
Bay County Approves Six-Month Moratorium on AI Data Centers | WJHG
Bay County commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on AI data centers requiring five megawatts of power or more in unincorporated areas. During the pause, planning staff will review the county’s land development regulations and coordinate with electric, water, and sewer utilities on where future projects can be built.
St. Johns County Invests $1.6M in Water Treatment Plant Upgrade | Action News Jax
The St. Johns County Utility Department completed a $1.6 million project at the Plantation Water Treatment Plant in Ponte Vedra Beach, replacing an aerator structure that had deteriorated after more than 40 years. The new corrosion-resistant aerator removes hydrogen sulfide gas from well water, and its concrete housing is built to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Jacksonville Awarded $12.5M in Grants for Port, Transit, Tree Canopy, Homelessness Aid | News4JAX
Jacksonville has been awarded about $12.5 million in federal and philanthropic grants, led by an $11.2 million U.S. DOT award to modernize and storm-harden the Mayport working waterfront. Other awards fund downtown multimodal transportation projects, emergency shelter services, tree care in the flood-prone Ribault River corridor, and youth sustainability initiatives.
Waste Management Firm Buys Miami-Dade Trucking Terminal for $51M | Commercial Observer
Waste Connections purchased a 12-acre trucking terminal in Miami Gardens from CenterPoint Properties for $51 million, property records show. The site facing Interstate 95 holds 370 parking spots, and the deal marks CenterPoint’s second sale of a Miami-Dade trucking terminal in the past year.
Circular Services Opens Depackaging Facility in Florida | Recycling Today
Circular Services has opened a depackaging facility in Vero Beach that it calls the first of its kind in Florida and the only commercial-scale operation of its type permitted by FDEP. The system can process more than 600 tons of food and beverage material per week, separating packaging for recycling while diverting organics to the company’s co-located composting site.
Waste Connections to Build PFAS Treatment Plant in North Carolina | Waste Dive
Waste Connections plans a foam fractionation system at its Anson Landfill in North Carolina capable of treating up to 50,000 gallons of landfill leachate per day, expected online by the end of 2026. The technology separates and concentrates PFAS compounds, which are then solidified and returned to the landfill at an estimated cost of 2 to 5 cents per gallon.
The Florida Department of Transportation has begun seawall improvements at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument to protect the 17th-century fort from storm damage. New raised seawalls will go up north and south of the fort, while the historic center seawall receives preservation treatments; the project is expected to take 18 months.
Report Urges States to Lead Data Center Water Oversight | TechNewsWorld
A new Information Technology & Innovation Foundation report argues that states, not the federal government, should oversee data center water use through standardized reporting, watershed-based reviews, and performance standards. Data centers directly consume less than 1% of U.S. water, but inconsistent measurement leaves regulators and communities guessing about local impacts.
Inside The Blueprint To Standardize State Water Reuse Regulations | Water Online
Water reuse is regulated entirely at the state level, creating a patchwork of rules that can stall projects for years. A coalition including the WateReuse Association, AWWA, and WEF has developed a first-of-its-kind State Water Reuse Regulatory Guide to give utilities the regulatory certainty they need to invest in reuse projects.
