Pollution

"San Francisco Baykeeper Wins Sewage Spill Prevention Settlements"

"Sewage spills that have contributed to water pollution in San Francisco Bay will be reduced under two settlements reached last week between the nonprofit San Francisco Baykeeper and the Town of Hillsborough and the neighborhood of Burlingame Hills."

Pollution

Public

California

Source: ENS, 07/24/2009

Read more about "San Francisco Baykeeper Wins Sewage Spill Prevention Settlements"

State, Local Agencies Join Push To Clean Up Air Pollution at Ports

A variety of initiatives aimed at reducing shipping-related emissions are in the works.

SEJ Publication Types:

Topics on the Beat:

Region:

Visibility:

Read more about State, Local Agencies Join Push To Clean Up Air Pollution at Ports

EPA To Announce Final Risk Assessment for SO2

In response to lawsuits, EPA was scheduled to release its proposed rule for a new primary health-based standard by July 30, 2009. That has been postponed once again, and the new court-ordered date for release of the proposed rule is Nov. 16, 2009, with a final rule due by June 2, 2010.

SEJ Publication Types:

Topics on the Beat:

Region:

Visibility:

Read more about EPA To Announce Final Risk Assessment for SO2

Toxic Vapors Seep from Ground, Threaten Baltimore Neighborhood

Fumes from long-ago industrial activity are still seeping into the homes of some Baltimore-area residents. Those fumes include cancer-causing chemicals like trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. The site was one of the first Superfund cleanups, but the cleanup was not thorough enough.

Pollution

Public

Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV)

Source: Baltimore City Paper, 07/23/2009

Read more about Toxic Vapors Seep from Ground, Threaten Baltimore Neighborhood

"EPA Targets Contaminated Alaska Mines"

With a push from EPA and some stimulus money, two contaminated Alaskan mines will be cleaned up.

Pollution

Public

Alaska and Hawaii

Source: Juneau Empire, 07/22/2009

Read more about "EPA Targets Contaminated Alaska Mines"

Fishing for Solutions for Poisoned Trinity River

An abandoned river -- the Trinity -- runs through Dallas. Storms wash old industrial poisons into it via ditches. As poisons accumulated in its sediments, fish became dangerous to eat. "So people stayed away, and over time, it no longer mattered which came first -- the toxic fish or the abandoned river."

Pollution

Public

Southwest (AZ NM OK TX)

Source: Dallas News, 07/20/2009

Read more about Fishing for Solutions for Poisoned Trinity River

EPA To Push Hard-Rock Mining Cleanup Bonds

"The Environmental Protection Agency, complying with a court order, will develop a rule to guarantee companies that mine everything from copper to uranium will pay for needed environmental cleanup, not taxpayers."

Pollution

Public

National (U.S.)

Source: AP, 07/14/2009

Read more about EPA To Push Hard-Rock Mining Cleanup Bonds

"Sunburst Gasoline Cleanup Grows Bigger and Murkier"

It took a lawsuit by residents of Sunburst, Montana, to start cleanup of an underground spill of gasoline that took place 50 years earlier.

Pollution

Public

Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY)

Source: Great Falls Tribune, 07/13/2009

Read more about "Sunburst Gasoline Cleanup Grows Bigger and Murkier"

EPA: Most US Residents Exposed to Excessive Air Pollution Risk

While it does have limitations, the updated National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment offers risk estimates for each of 180 substances, and three separate combined assessments.

SEJ Publication Types:

Topics on the Beat:

Region:

Visibility:

Read more about EPA: Most US Residents Exposed to Excessive Air Pollution Risk

'Carbon Black' Report Shows Impacts On Native Americans

By MIKE DUNNE

An effort to document the lives of Oklahoma Indians introduced reporter Vicki Monks to a story that begged to be told: how a carbon black plant affected the health of a neighboring Ponca Indian community.

Carbon black, made by the burning of waste oil, is used primarily to strengthen the rubber in tires.

Topics on the Beat:

Pollution

Region:

National (U.S.)

Visibility:

Public