Environment
Common rail tankers dangerously flawed, AP analysis finds
The Associated Press reports that one of the most common rail tankers allowed to haul hazardous liquids across the country is dangerously flawed (link comes via Fair Warning and NPR), and industry groups have been fighting pushes to increase safety standards.
Read MoreRecords show refineries in Utah have hundreds of violations
Based on records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune it has been revealed that “a leak, spill, fire, blast or air-pollution violation occurs, on average, every nine days at the five refineries bordering Salt Lake and Davis counties.”
Read MoreMillions of pounds of herbicide being sprayed on Oregon’s forests
In collaboration with the Center for Investigative Reporting, The Atlantic and Living On Earth, Ingrid Lobet reports that “herbicides have become a crucial tool for Oregon’s $13 billion timber industry.” However, “in spite of precautions, lab results suggest that harmful chemicals are finding their way into residents’ bloodstreams.”
Read MorePolluters stick taxpayers with multimillion dollar clean-up bill
“State officials in Missouri talked tough with previous owners of a polluted site, but when it came time to do the cleanup, Missouri taxpayers were stuck with almost the entire bill–$12 million–, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch investigation has found.” “In addition to not holding the polluters to account, the state and city allowed a single…
Read MoreHumanitarian institutions contributing to deforestation
“An investigation by Haiti Grassroots Watch (HGW) in the Upper Turgeau region of Port-au-Prince discovered that about 100 “transitional shelters” – often called “T-Shelters” –were donated to earthquake victims and built in places where, prior to the 2010 catastrophe, there were trees, bushes, or at the very least, no houses.” “Today, thanks to the donations…
Read MoreEPA fails to warn families of lead contamination where smelters once stood
“USA Today’s investigative team found the EPA failed to tell people about or take action on hundreds of former lead smelting sites they’d known about for years. Alison Young and Pete Eisler tested the soil around former plants in 13 states and found potentially dangerous levels of lead remain in people’s yards and in parks.”…
Read More“Fracking” draws little oversight in California
Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Time, reports that “energy companies across California are injecting a mysterious mix of chemicals into the ground to tap oil deposits while frustrating attempts to regulate the controversial process, known as hydraulic fracturing.” “So far, nine states require energy companies to disclose what they put into the ground but the…
Read MoreCalifornians drinking nitrate-contaminated water
Stett Holbrook, for the Food and Environment Reporting Network, reports that “nitrate contamination in groundwater from fertilizer and animal manure is severe and getting worse for hundreds of thousands of residents in California’s farming communities, according to a study released today by researchers at UC Davis.” “The report is the most comprehensive assessment so far…
Read MoreThousands of gas meters leaking in California
“An investigation by KCRA in Sacramento revealed that Pacific Gas and Electric had surveyed homeowners’ gas meters over the last three years and marked thousands of leaks across Northern California.” “However, a company whistleblower says PG&E never told homeowners and two years later many homes continue to leak. PG&E insists there is no danger because…
Read MoreRural schools and communities lose billions in funding
An expired federal program aimed to benefit former logging communities means massive budget wholes for hundreds of schools and communities across the country, an investigation by California Watch found. The Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act provided nearly $3.8 billion for schools and roads in more than 700 counties in 42 states in the…
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