Tag: pollution

Dam Owner Guilty in Field Turf Pollution of Washington River

SEATTLE—A company that operates a century-old hydroelectric dam near Mount Rainier National Park and its chief operating officer each pleaded guilty to a single criminal count Monday in connection with a spill of synthetic field turf and the tiny rubber particles used to make it into the Puyallup River in 2020. The company, Electron Hydro…


Angry Ohio Townspeople Seek Answers on Train’s Toxic Spill

Hundreds of irate residents of the Ohio town where a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals packed into a high school gym on Wednesday, seeking answers to what health dangers they face. East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, looking angry and tired, said at Wednesday’s town hall that he wanted to help provide some reassurance for…


As ‘Skyglow’ Grows, Study Documents Glaring Global Light Pollution

WASHINGTON—Light pollution caused by the incessant nighttime glow of electric lights appears to be intensifying, according to research using observations from tens of thousands of people at various locations around the world. The study, published on Thursday, found that the number of visible stars reported at the observation sites from 2011 to 2022 decreased by…


Makers of New Heavy Trucks Must Cut Nitrogen Oxide Pollution by Over 80 Percent: EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Tuesday that new heavy truck makers will have to cut nitrogen oxide emissions by more than 80 percent, the latest move in an effort toward implementing the Biden administration’s “Clean Truck Plan.” The new standards will go into effect from 2027. Specifically, nitrogen oxide emissions from new semis…


Electric Cars Are Not ‘Zero-Emission Vehicles’

News Analysis While praising California’s decision to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035, Governor Gavin Newsom declared that this will require “100 percent of new car sales in California to be zero-emission vehicles” like “electric cars.” In reality, electric cars emit substantial amounts of pollutants and may be more harmful to the environment than conventional cars….


Biden Administration Denies Cheniere’s Request to Sidestep LNG Pollution Rule

WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Tuesday it has denied a request from leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Cheniere Energy Inc. to exempt turbines at its two U.S. Gulf Coast terminals from a hazardous pollution rule. The rejection raises questions about whether the Texas-based company will have to reduce exports of the supercooled…


Power to the People—Even If It Comes From Coal

Commentary Despite its name, the Democratic Party has no time for democracy. Public opinion and democracy be damned, especially when it comes to battling climate change. On June 30, the Supreme Court struck down an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan compelling states to shutter coal-fired power plants and shift to low-carbon alternatives such as natural…


Microplastics and Pollution Combine to Become Much More Toxic: Study

Microplastics can pick up pollution in their travels and pose an even greater threat to human health, according to a new study. In the ocean, for example, toxic compounds can hitch a ride on plastic and make the material 10 times more toxic than it would normally be, according to the research published earlier this year…


UK Water Bosses ‘Should Have Pay Scrutinised’ After Rivers Found to Be Dirty

Water bosses whose companies dump sewage in the UK’s waterways should have their bonuses reined in, the head of regulator Ofwat has said. In a letter to company boards, David Black said they need to ensure chief executives are not given bonuses that “reward poor performance”. “Companies’ performance in some areas, most notably on the…


Ottawa’s Climate Plan a Cautionary Tale for Governments Everywhere

Commentary City of Ottawa politicians have done us all a great favour with their climate change plan. It is not that, at 0.014 percent of world emissions, anything Ottawa does will make any difference to world climate, of course. It is that, by enabling a plan forecast to cost over $57 billion, Ottawa has set…