Author Archive
Obama’s Budget Seeks $300 Million for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on February 14th, 2012
Yahoo!: According to the Associated Press, under a budget proposal submitted by President Barack Obama, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative would receive another $300 million for tackling environmental problem in the Great Lakes system. If approved, the funding would go to individual projects and partnerships the federal government has with state, local and tribal agencies that specifically seek to help alleviate ecological concerns. Initially Obama sought $5 billion for Great Lakes restoration projects...
Exxon Mobil to Pay $1.6 Million in Penalties for Yellowstone River Oil Spill
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on January 21st, 2012
Yahoo!: Exxon Mobil has reached an agreement with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to pay $1.6 million in penalties over the Yellowstone River oil spill, according to the Associated Press. The agreement specifically details that the oil company will spend $1.3 million on future environmental projects, pay $300,000 in cash, and reimburse state agencies for $760,000 in emergency response costs. The penalty is the largest in the history of the agency. With this landmark decision, here are some...
United States: Geothermal Project to Tap into Volcano for Energy Production
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on January 14th, 2012
Yahoo!: According to USA Today, Seattle-based geothermal energy developer AltaRock Energy is planning on pumping 24 million gallons of water into Newberry Volcano, a dormant volcano near Bend, Ore., this summer. The project looks to tap into a new green energy source with the hopes that the water will return to the surface hot enough to generate energy.
So far, several investors, including $6.3 million from Google and $21.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, have stepped up to the promising energy...
Texas Drought Threatens Endangered Whooping Cranes
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on January 9th, 2012
Yahoo!: According to the Associated Press, the devastating drought in Texas this past year is threatening the survival of an endangered species. Only about 300 whooping cranes remain in the wild and use Texas as their wintering grounds. But the drought has made food and water scarce and so far scientists have discovered at least one crane that has died, eliciting alarm since it abnormal to see dead birds this early in the season.
The lack of food is even more problematic on the way back to nest in Canada...
Study: Chesapeake Bay Seeing Signs of Dead Zone Recovery
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on November 6th, 2011
Yahoo!: According to the Washington Post, researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science have found the Chesapeake Bay is showing signs of recovering from its pollution problem.
Researchers specifically noted that they have found that oxygen-depleted dead zones, polluted areas that cannot support animal or plant life, have continued to decrease since nutrient pollution limits were established in the 1980s. Here are some facts about the Chesapeake...
EPA Declassifies Confidential Information on Possibly Dangerous Chemicals
Posted by Yahoo!: Rachel Bogart on June 9th, 2011
Yahoo!: According to a press release, the EPA has removed industry confidentiality claims for over 150 chemicals as a part of an effort to get more information to Americans about what is in the products they use every day or are used in the construction of buildings, including homes.
Until Wednesday, manufacturers and companies have been able to keep information about the chemicals they use in their products out of the hands of the public. These products include building materials like fire retardants,...