Major chemical producers have agreed to pay billions of dollars to settle claims from U.S. water providers over toxic "forever chemicals" pollution.
Why it matters: The settlements are a significant step forward in the effort to reduce potentially dangerous chemicals in water systems across the country.
Tropical Storm Arlene became the first named storm of the 2023 hurricane season after forming Friday in the east-central Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The big picture: NOAA's forecast for the season remains uncertain due to elevated temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and a developing El Niño in the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean.
Threats from the still-emerging Atlantic hurricane season are converging as oceanic and atmospheric trends underscore how climate change is creating unprecedented storm conditions.
The big picture: The tropical Atlantic is especially toasty, particularly temperatures in a crucial swath of the sea known as the "Main Development Region," where many tropical storms and hurricanes form and intensify.
