Trains carrying hazardous liquids have recently caused more than a dozen explosions, fires, and spills around the country. But communities have little say over hazardous rail facilities in their midst. The rail industry is exploiting obscure historic exemptions from state and local laws protecting communities.
"Duke Energy agreed Tuesday to pay North Carolina regulators $7 million to settle allegations of groundwater pollution at its coal ash pits and to perform accelerated cleanups costing millions of dollars at four sites."
"The Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules Tuesday to reduce toxic air pollution from oil refineries by forcing operators to adopt new technology that better monitors and controls emissions."
"Herbicides and insecticides are key tools in managing invasive species — but managers are working to find more environmentally friendly substitutes".
"VINELAND, N.J. -- Following months of investigations and public hearings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to add the former Kil-Tone Company grounds to its Superfund list of the most hazardous waste sites in the country."
"A coalition of U.S. states warned on Monday that a spike in earthquakes potentially tied to oil and gas activity in places not typically prone to them needs urgent attention from regulators and others to protect public safety."
"Following an 18-month scuffle under the Freedom of Information Act, the Pentagon has released records detailing serious contamination on Okinawa base land slated soon for return to civilian use."
"Royal Dutch Shell PLC's announcement [Monday] that it is putting an indefinite pause on its Arctic exploration activities could play a major role in the Obama administration's decision whether to hold additional oil and gas lease sales in the region."
"The holy grail of space exploration is to find extraterrestrial life. An important precursor to that is finding liquid water—and that's exactly what NASA [Monday] announced scientists have discovered on Mars."
"Republican U.S. presidential candidate Jeb Bush will lay out energy policy proposals on Tuesday that seek to spur job growth and take aim at President Barack Obama's plan to limit carbon emissions from power plants."
