Water & Oceans

"Advocates say vulnerable communities can’t afford to wait 20 years for service line replacement and that more outreach is required."

"Steven Haller remembers the look of fear on people’s faces when toxic algae in Lake Erie made it into his community’s water supply 10 years ago, shutting it down for two days."

"One of the rarest species of whale in the world has increased slightly in population, encouraging conservationists to call on the federal government and the shipping and fishing industries to do more to bring the giant animals back from the brink of extinction."

"A federal agency proposed an expansion of the Okefenokee Swamp’s vast wildlife refuge on Friday, which could lead to a buyout offer for land intended for a private company’s mining project that conservationists have fought for years."

"Floods in Bangladesh have destroyed an estimated 1.1 million metric tons of rice, according to data from the agriculture ministry, prompting the country to ramp up imports of the staple grain amid soaring food prices."

"Miners Vale, BHP, and Samarco are discussing a near $30 billion compensation deal with Brazilian authorities related to the 2015 Mariana dam collapse, they said on Friday, with an agreement set to be signed on Oct. 25, sources said."

"A multimillion-dollar bank stabilization project proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could protect one of the densest collections of ceremonial and burial mounds still existing in North America."

"Entanglements are a leading cause of death for endangered North Atlantic right whales. Removing fishing lines from the ocean could help minimize this risk—but only if lobstermen get on board, experts say."

"Hurricane Oscar made landfall in eastern Cuba Sunday evening amid a power blackout, adding to fears that the storm may prove to be especially dangerous."