Nicole Williams is an environmental writer, specializing in PFAS contamination and climate change issues. Her work has appeared in Undark and Inside Climate News. Williams and her co-authors’ investigative reporting series on local PFAS contamination recently won first place in science and technology reporting with the New England Newspaper & Press Association. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, the National Association of Science Writers, and the Editorial Freelancers Association. She lives in western Massachusetts, where she explores the rivers and trails with her young son and contemplates the themes of eco-grief and resiliency in her new Substack, come with me.
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Meet the Activist Fighting PFAS Pollution — and Winning
Emily Donovan has a mission: “Make the polluters pay.” The mother of twins took on the role of activist when she started fighting for her North Carolina community in 2017. Her main target: PFAS “forever chemicals,” which do not degrade and at even low levels have been linked to a wide range of human health risks, including fertility issues, immune interactions, cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, asthma, and more.
August 19, 2025