Drinking Water & Microplastics: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson is urging EPA to add microplastics to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, pushing public water systems to track and report them. Local Media: Vermont Community Newspaper Group’s five weekly papers in Lamoille and Chittenden counties—including the Stowe Reporter, News & Citizen, the Other Paper, the Shelburne News, and the Citizen—were bought by the National Trust for Local News for a nominal fee, keeping local editorial leadership. Climate Policy Watch: A federal judge blocked New York’s $75B “Climate Superfund” law, saying it’s preempted by the federal Clean Air Act—raising questions for similar state efforts. Vermont Flood Costs: Vermont Treasurer’s Office is touring flood-impacted communities while building context for the state’s Climate Superfund assessment. Bear Research: Vermont Fish & Wildlife is using a $3,042 donation from the Vermont Bear Hound Association to buy GPS collars to study bear reproduction. Waste & Recycling: Vermont’s household hazardous waste EPR program is getting operational help from Reverse Logistics Group, including billing and sales data support. Farming & Chemicals: California announced it will phase out paraquat over health concerns, with implications for farmers. Adaptive Recreation: Vermont Adaptive opened the Taff Adaptive Yurt at Bolton Valley to expand year-round accessible sports. School Tech: Vermont’s smartphone separation law is taking effect, with some schools already using “bell to bell” phone collection.