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| Above the fold. News aggregated by www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org | Read today's editorials |
| Daily links to top stories in the news about environmental health. Exclusive: U.S. system for flagging hazardous chemicals is widely flawed. A 27-year-old U.S. program intended to warn the public of the presence of hazardous chemicals is flawed in many states due to scant oversight and lax reporting by plant owners, a Reuters examination finds. Reuters China and India 'water grab' dams put ecology of Himalayas in danger. The future of the world's most famous mountain range could be endangered by a vast dam-building project, as a risky regional race for water resources takes place in Asia. London Observer, United Kingdom. Strange tale of Shell's pipeline battle, the Garda and £30,000 worth of booze. Shell's Corrib gas project has been delayed for years by strong resistance in County Mayo. Now claims are emerging of corporate sweeteners, including a consignment of alcohol for police after a clash with protesters. London Observer, United Kingdom. A Save-the-world field trip for millionaire tech moguls. In Tigray, Ethiopia, it’s not uncommon for a woman there to walk an hour or more to fetch water, drawing it unfiltered from a murky, open well, and then to turn around and haul the sloshing 40-pound jug back home. Can a US charity with a funny name fix this? New York Times [Registration Required] North Carolina's DENR four years behind on Clean Water Act rules. Once an innovative leader in water quality science, North Carolina has fallen behind in meeting federal pollution standards. It's the only state in the region that has not adopted EPA rules on measuring toxic metals in its water. And it's four years behind in asking for public input. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina. On voters’ plates: Genetically engineered crops. When Washington voters decide Initiative 522 this fall, they will do more than determine whether to label food that contains genetically engineered ingredients. They also will take sides in a national battle that has raged for two decades about the benefits and safety of manipulating the DNA of food. Seattle Times, Washington. Chevron refinery fire one year later: Fallout, impact show no signs of waning. When the No. 4 crude unit at Chevron's century-old waterfront oil refinery burst into flames and sent black smoke billowing into a cloudless sky Aug. 6, 2012, it was easy for many to assume that the fallout from the accident would be fleeting. Contra Costa Times, California. Slum farmers rise above the sewers. Tucked deep in Kenya’s sprawling Kibera slum is the shanty that Alice Atieno calls home. It is just one among many small, badly-lit shacks built close together in this crowded slum where an estimated one million people live on about 400 hectares. But right on her doorstep stalks of green leafy vegetables grow in soil-filled sacks. For the mother of six, these kale plants are the source of her livelihood. Inter Press Service Amid pipeline debate, two costly cleanups forever change towns. As the Obama administration inches closer to a decision on whether to approve construction of the much-debated Keystone XL pipeline, costly cleanup efforts in two communities stricken by oil spills portend the potential hazards of transporting heavy Canadian crude. New York Times [Registration Required] In his second term, Obama becomes bolder on the environment. President Obama’s environmental policies are likely to play a prominent role in defining his second term, even as the budget, immigration and health care still dominate the current political debate. Washington Post [Registration Required] Areas of Sacramento will be inundated as sea rises. It could take a few hundred years – or even 2,000 – but the eventual, permanent flooding of low-lying areas in Sacramento is guaranteed if greenhouse gases are not deeply reduced, according to new research. Sacramento Bee, California. Do Illinois' coal-fired plants have a future? Owners of power plants have been squeezed by regulations forcing expensive pollution control upgrades at the same time cheaper sources of fuel have rendered the plants unprofitable. In the next two years, legal decisions are expected to determine whether two-thirds of Illinois plants have any future. Chicago Tribune, Illinois. The water versus energy paradox. Water and energy are hopelessly entangled -- you can't have one without the other. There is no clean water without electricity to pump it and treat it. And electricity needs water to cool power plants or nuclear facilities, while oil and gas requires water for drilling. San Antonio Express-News, Texas. Buried in muck, clues to future NYC drought. Piermont Marsh seems an unlikely place to learn about drought. This warren of narrow streams and muddy, reed-choked embankments clinging to the edge of the Hudson River is the domain of crabs, worms, herons, and other water-loving creatures. But one scientist thinks muddy marshes hold the secrets of future climate change. Climate Desk State asks insurers: Are you ready for climate change? Minnesota has joined four other states in requiring its insurance companies to discuss how extensively they’ve prepared for climate change. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota. Battle between coal, gas hot issue in Pennsylvania. For decades, the coal industry fueled not only America's factories, but its politics. It filled campaign coffers with cash and congressional offices with persuasive lobbyists who helped keep regulation at bay. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania. Franklin Forks: Is this the future of fracking? For Franklin Forks, a hitherto friendly hamlet with an idyllic laid-back pace of life, the painful, drawn-out squabble has been a potent lesson in how a harmonious community can become bitterly divided by the issue of fracking. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom. California issues 'don't eat' warning for Silverwood Lake. A state agency has issued a warning not to eat striped bass, blackfish or tui chub from Silverwood Lake because those fish contain dangerously high levels of mercury and a cancer-causing chemical. San Bernardino County Sun, California. Albany, long buried in paper, resolves to save a small forest. In June, after years of inaction even as other states moved to reduce legislative paper consumption, New York lawmakers gave their final approval to a measure that would allow the Legislature to publish bills electronically, rather than on paper. New York Times [Registration Required] Pot farms on federal land targeted for new penalties. Scientists have likened the illegal marijuana-growing operations in remote areas of the West to leaking chemical-weapons stockpiles, with the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides posing risks to the environment, including to waterways and wildlife. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required] Soylent pioneer thinks outside the lunch box. If you have an aversion to food that is viscous, beige, odourless and bland, you'll hate what Rob Rhinehart is about to dish up. For the past six months, the 25-year-old computer science graduate has been largely living off a home-grown cocktail of essential vitamins, minerals and other life-sustaining micronutrients he has dubbed Soylent. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. [Registration Required] Sewage backups haven't ended. Raw sewage backing into basements from cracked borough pipes was a problem in Haledon for decades, until public disclosure of the situation led to repairs in 2010. But the borough's re-sewering did not reach all homes and residents continue to endure the health hazard. Bergen County Record, New Jersey. Using the law to battle zebra mussels and other unwanted pests. To be certified to use a boat in Texas, people must take a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department boating education course. The department certifies about 12,000 boaters a year. The new legislation adds test questions to existing courses on preventing the spread of invasive species. Texas Tribune, Texas. More news from today Shortcuts to stories from today about The good news, Avian flu, Climate, Children's health, Air pollution, Cancer, Reproductive disorders, Endocrine disruption, Birth defects, Learning and developmental disabilities, Immune disorders, Environmental justice, Superfund, Water treatment/sewage, Food safety, Integrity of science, Green chemistry. You can also read last weekend's news. Plus: If you were on vacation last week, don't miss last week's top stories... Would you like to display the news stories from EnvironmentalHealthNews.org on your own web site? Check out our RSS feeds. Compiled by Environmental Health Sciences | |
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