"Sea levels are rising faster than expected from global warming, and University of Colorado geologist Bill Hay has a good idea why."

Floods, sewage overflows, and power outages have made public drinking water supplies temporarily unsafe in many utility service areas across the states hit by superstorm Sandy. The best course of action for water users in those areas is to pay attention to messages from local utilities and state authorities.

"The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has created incomplete lab reports and used them to dismiss complaints that Marcellus Shale gas development operations have contaminated residential water supplies and made people sick, according to court documents and other sources."

"CHAUVIN, La. -- Generations of shrimpers, crabbers and oystermen have set out from this bayou village to net their catch. They share an emotional bond with Iowa's farmers: Both harvest nature's bounty to earn a livelihood. These fishermen depend on the sea, just as the nation's top corn growers rely on the rich Midwest soil."

"Set aside the science lessons. The fight over fluoride is as much or more a clash of philosophy."

"Growers are reluctantly trying to irrigate less to preserve their threatened underground aquifer."

"Partisan battles are engulfing the nation’s ocean policy, showing that polarization over environmental issues doesn’t stop at the water’s edge."

"It's been a long time coming, but work is finally under way to contain pollution from one of Portland harbor's dirtiest sites, the former home of a DDT and rocket-fuel maker that's loaded with the full suite of harbor toxics."

"Already divided over the issues of climate change and sea-level rise, Delaware politicians, voters and communities now face a costly debate over short- and long-term rescue options for eroding beaches along the Delaware Bay and Delaware River."

"SEATTLE — Gliding through the clear, emerald water of Puget Sound, Diver Laura James stopped when something shiny on the bottom caught her eye. She reached down and picked up a tire-flattened beer can."

"Under fire for dumping toxic pollution into Lake Michigan, owners of the last coal-powered steamship on the Great Lakes promised four years ago they would eliminate its murky discharges in time for the 2012 sailing season."

"A controversial American businessman dumped around 100 tonnes of iron sulphate into the Pacific Ocean as part of a geoengineering scheme off the west coast of Canada in July, a Guardian investigation can reveal. Lawyers, environmentalists and civil society groups are calling it a 'blatant violation' of two international moratoria and the news is likely to spark outrage at a United Nations environmental summit taking place in India this week."

Efforts to remove 17 miles of dioxin-laced muck contaminating New Jersey's Passaic River seem to have failed.

"Climate change is expected to drop water levels in the Great Lakes, experts said Wednesday. Levels could drop anywhere from a few inches to several feet as water evaporates in the drought conditions."

NOAA is considering the Georgia Aquarium's proposal to import 18 beluga whales from the Sea of Okhotsk for display and breeding at aquariums.