Latest Pollution Headlines
All the headlines from our Pollution Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Proposed EPA Cuts Include Oil Spill, Lead Poisoning Prevention and Climate Research
Apr 5 2017 // The Trump administration is proposing to slash funding for grants to prevent lead poisoning, climate change research and criminal enforcement against polluters as part of its plan to reduce funding at the Environmental...
Losses from Colorado Mine Spill Could Be Far Less than Feared
Apr 4 2017 // Economic damage from a Colorado mine waste spill caused by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may be far less than originally feared after attorneys drastically reduced some of the larger claims, The Associated Press...
As Supreme Court Justice, Gorsuch Could Influence Trump Climate, Deregulation Agenda
Apr 3 2017 // Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee could help decide the fate of his moves to undo climate-related U.S. regulations, but legal experts said Neil Gorsuch’s judicial record makes it hard to predict whether as a...
USGS Lowers Seismic Hazard Forecast for Oklahoma in 2017
Mar 31 2017 // Oklahoma experienced fewer earthquakes last year compared with 2015 and a recent study of human-induced earthquakes predicts another year of reduced seismicity for the state in 2017. The U.S. Geological Survey warns,...
Duke Energy Sues 30 Insurers Over Carolinas Coal Ash Cleanup Costs
Mar 31 2017 // The largest U.S. electric company sued 30 international and domestic insurance companies Wednesday, saying they should cover part of the utility’s multibillion-dollar cleanup costs in the Carolinas for toxic...
What Could be Hotter than Phoenix? The Answer Might Just Be Phoenix
Mar 30 2017 // Can you imagine an even hotter, drier Phoenix? Certainly not if you’ve been to the sun-drenched Arizona capital in the summer. Such an inconceivable scenario is being proposed by the LA Times. “Today, Phoenix...
XL Catlin Adds Marlane to Its Environmental Business in California
Mar 30 2017 // XL Catlin’s environmental insurance business has appointed Denali Marlane as its Western regional underwriting manager in San Francisco. Marlane will manage XL Catlin’s environmental underwriting...
Exxon Dealt a Blow as Texas Judge Sends Climate Suit to New York
Mar 30 2017 // Exxon Mobil Corp.’s attempt to derail a multistate fraud probe into whether the company fully disclosed to investors the financial risks of climate change was dealt a major blow after a Texas judge moved the case...
Trump Moves to Undo Federal Climate Change Policies
Mar 28 2017 // President Donald Trump is moving aggressively to undo policies designed to keep the carbon-cutting promises the U.S. made alongside nearly 200 other countries in Paris, while stopping short of a decision to formally...
Reported Dakota Access Pipeline Vandalism Exposes Risk of Sabotage
Mar 23 2017 // The developer of the Dakota Access pipeline has reported “recent coordinated physical attacks” on the much-protested line, just as it’s almost ready to carry oil. Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners...
Des Moines Water Works Suit Over Agricultural Drainage Pollution Dismissed
Mar 20 2017 // A federal judge has dismissed a Des Moines water utility’s lawsuit against three counties that accuses them of allowing agricultural drainage districts to send nitrate pollution into the rivers the water utility uses...
U.S., Peabody Energy Agree to $43 Million Environmental Fund; Bankruptcy Plan Approved
Mar 20 2017 // A U.S. judge formally approved Peabody Energy Corp.’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy late Friday after the coal producer struck a settlement with the U.S. government over legacy environmental claims at a gold and...
It Could Be Trump or the Weather, But More People Think Climate Change Is Real
Mar 16 2017 // You can blame it on the weather, or you can blame it on Trump. A record number of Americans are concerned about global warming, believe it is occurring and consider it a serious threat that is caused by human activity. A...
EPA Official Allegedly Aided Monsanto in Fight Against Roundup Cancer Study
Mar 16 2017 // The Environmental Protection Agency official who was in charge of evaluating the cancer risk of Monsanto Co.’s Roundup allegedly bragged to a company executive that he deserved a medal if he could kill another...
Appliances to Pipelines: Trump Plans Major Rollback of Obama Climate Change Rules
Mar 15 2017 // President Donald Trump is set to sign a sweeping directive to dramatically shrink the role climate change plays in decisions across the government, ranging from appliance standards to pipeline approvals, according to a...
Everest Introduces New Environmental Policy Form with $10M in Capacity
Mar 14 2017 // Everest Insurance has expanded its environmental offering with the new Everest Environmental Apex policy form, which provides up to $10 million in capacity in a lead or excess position with the ability to schedule general...
Rising Sea Temperatures Could Kill 90% of Coral Reefs by 2050: Scientists
Mar 14 2017 // There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. Now this Maldivian reef is dead, killed by the stress of rising ocean temperatures. What’s left is a haunting expanse of...
Homes in Environmental Hazard Zones
Mar 6 2017 // Millions of homes and condominiums are in high danger zones for environmental hazards, according to the Environmental Hazards Housing Risk Index, produced by ATTOM Data Solutions. The report showed 17.3 million single...
California Governor Calls for $437M in Spending for Flood Control
Feb 27 2017 // California Gov. Jerry Brown is calling for a boost in spending on water and transportation infrastructure as the waterlogged state grapples with an emergency dam repair, frantic levee fixes and catastrophic road damage...
New Jersey Supreme Court Issues Ruling in $500M Contamination Lawsuit
Feb 20 2017 // The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Givaudan Fragrances Corporation (Fragrances) in a $500 million insurance coverage lawsuit against Aetna Casualty & Surety Company and additional insurers named as...
