The European Commission has unveiled a new set of water pollution rules, which will for the first time include certain pharmaceutical products. The Commission is proposing to add 15 chemicals to the list of 33 pollutants that are currently... 

Fourteen air pollution control measures, if implemented today, could not only slow the pace of global warming, according to an intensive study by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), but also improve health and... 

A rise in the atmosphere of aerosols – miniscule particles which include soot, dust and sulphates – has led to more rainfall in certain parts of the world and could provide vital clues for future climate predictions, a... 

by Jess Zimmerman. Stephen Colbert has officially thrown his hat in the ring for definitely possibly considering a run for president. He's already out-polling Jon Huntsman ! So what kind of environmental policy platform could... 

The Environmental Protection Agency is introducing its most ambitious clean air rules in decades, though it is making some concessions to election-minded Republicans who oppose them. The EPA, facing backlash from heavy industry, has... 

More than a million people in the Los Angeles region are exposed to undisclosed, unhealthy levels of air pollution every day, according to a lawsuit filed today by Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, the Natural Resources... 

EPA’s Documerica photos demonstrate progress made fighting pollution in the U.S. Read the rest here: Photos of the Bygone World of the Early 1970s  Read More →

Yesterday, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its annual report of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The TRI consists of information on toxic chemical disposals and toxic air emissions, as well as waste management... 

by Jess Zimmerman. Baltimore company Constellation Energy has retrofitted two coal-burning power plants in anticipation of new EPA emissions laws. Now a lawsuit has delayed the new regulations from being enacted, and Constellation... 

A vacuum cleaner is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. Does not sound so bad does it? Some vacuum cleaners — those... 

by Sarah Laskow. Ozark hellbenders, aka “snot otters” and “lasagna sides,” are among the world's largest and least cute salamanders. Looking at them, it’s probably not a big surprise that they’re... 

by Sarah Laskow. The creatures discovered living in thermal vents near Antarctica — ghost octopi, limpets, yeti crabs — are le awesome. Two major solar industry groups are merging in order to focus on state-level policies.... 

by Sarah Laskow. Just like humans, East Coast tornadoes work extra hours during the week and take it easier on the weekends. According to a new study, tornadoes and hailstorms are less likely to occur on a Saturday or Sunday. That’s... 

A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday issued a last-minute order to delay the January 1 implementation of stricter federal limits on pollution from coal-fired plants, providing a temporary win for utilities worried about the cost... 

A Tacoma-Pierce County WA Task Force just sent its recommendations to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency about how to reduce soot in the air to meet EPA standards. The soot is created partly by diesel vehicles and industry, but the most... 

by Sarah Laskow. The federal budget crisis is turning climate denialism into a vicious cycle : skepticism contributes to lower funding, which means less research, which means less information, which means more skepticism. The USDA... 

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Wednesday unveiled rules for coal-fired power plants that mean costly investments passed on to consumers, but also health benefits. Hundreds of older plants — which together make up the... 

by Jess Zimmerman. When a town hall attendee asked Rick Perry about groundwater pollution from hydrofracking, he sneered at the idea , saying that it would have had widespread press coverage if it were true: Perry: I am truly offended... 

Nitrate pollution occurs usually as a result of agricultural practices (fertilizer). Intensive agriculture practices developed during the past century have helped improve food security for many people but have also added to nitrate... 

by Sarah Laskow. Seattle is banning retail stores from giving out single-use plastic bags. Paper bags will cost a nickel. Google is investing $94 million in solar projects . As many as 500 million trees died in the Texas drought this...