Public

"SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- A photograph displayed in Jacki and John Williford’s home commemorates a camping trip that would go down in family history."

"A proposed copper-nickel mine in northeast Minnesota would generate water pollution for up to 500 years and require billions of dollars in long-term cleanup costs, state regulators have concluded as they near a key stage in the project’s review."

"Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a law that may lead to a change in state building standards that would discourage the use of potentially hazardous flame-retardant chemicals."

"Two activists and photographer to remain in jail after they, and 27 others, were arrested on ship approaching Arctic oil rig"

"BOSTON -- A Massachusetts power plant recently cited by federal regulators as one of the state's heaviest polluters is planning to shut down."

"HANOI -- Oil is spilling from a cargo vessel that ran aground on the reefs off Vietnam’s Ly Son island, roughly 730 kilometers (450 miles) south of the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi."

"TOPEKA, Kansas -- The Kansas Supreme Court Friday invalidated the 2010 air pollution permit granted to Sunflower Electric Power Corp. by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment."

"The United Nations’ aviation agency approved the first steps toward a market-based approach to reduce emissions in the $708 billion airline industry."

Food poisoning outbreaks, chemical explosions, seafood inspections -- none of these will be effectively addressed by the federal government during the ongoing shutdown. Some people are starting to ask if public health and safety are at risk.