A mysterious ailment is causing algal blooms and killing dolphins, manatees, and pelicans along the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most valuable and diverse ecosystems in North America.

"State and federal investigators in Louisiana are working to uncover what caused fatal blasts at two different chemical plants in the span of two days."

"GEISMAR, La. -- A bomb-like explosion ignited a raging fire at the Williams Olefins chemical plant early Thursday, killing one man and injuring dozens as terrified workers sought shelter from the sprawling flames."

"The U.S. Justice Department filed a joint lawsuit with Arkansas on Thursday against oil producer Exxon Mobil Corp over the pipeline spill in March of thousands of barrels of heavy Canadian crude oil in a suburban neighborhood."

"The Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District has issued another notice of violation to LG&E over blowing coal ash and dust at its Cane Run power plant in western Louisville."

For the first time, hydraulic fracturing is specifically addressed in state oil and gas regulations set to take effect June 18. Environmental groups say that is a good first step, but the regulations don’t go far enough to protect Tennessee’s natural resources and keep the public informed about drilling operations.

"ATLANTA -- The Southern Co. makes billion-dollar decisions that affect millions of people in Georgia, yet it has attracted little political scrutiny — until now. Leaders of the Atlanta Tea Party are challenging Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power over the monopoly's reluctance to increase its use of solar power, the ballooning costs of building a new nuclear power plant and even its legal right to monopoly status."

"On the coastal plain of eastern North Carolina, families in certain rural communities daily must deal with the piercing, acrid odor of hog manure—reminiscent of rotten eggs and ammonia—wafting from nearby industrial hog farms. On bad days, the odor invades homes, and people are often forced to cover their mouths and noses when stepping outside. Sometimes, residents say, a fine mist of manure sprinkles nearby homes, cars, and even laundry left on the line to dry."

A war over water among Georgia, Alabama, and Florida has put Florida -- and Apalachicola Bay's oyster industry -- into ecological crisis.

"RALEIGH — Fish in one of North Carolina’s largest watersheds are more polluted by an industrial contaminant than previously reported, and state health officials have failed to expand warnings against eating PCB-contaminated fish, according to a new study."

"The Arkansas Department of Health says people with dizziness, nausea and headaches have the option to leave, and it is their personal choice."

"Louisiana will receive $340 million from BP in early Natural Resource Damage Assessment money for four projects to restore barrier islands and to finance two coastal science centers, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Tuesday in a news conference in Jean Lafitte. The money comes from $1 billion that BP set aside in 2011 to build early projects to compensate for damages to natural resources resulting from the three-month flow of oil resulting from the blowout of BP's Macondo well in April 2010."

"After six years of searching, an entomologist has concluded that three varieties of butterflies native to south Florida have become extinct, nearly doubling the number of North American butterflies known to be gone."

""These are unique butterflies to Florida. This is our biological treasure. Each unique species that we lose, we won't ever get that back again," Marc Minno, who conducted the survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, told Reuters on Monday.

"MOBILE, Alabama -- Three people were hurt in a fuel barge explosion on the east side of Mobile River on Wednesday night, Mobile Fire-Rescue reported.

"CLEARWATER -- Despite warnings from scientists, rising sea levels still seem little more than a distant, imperceptible threat, a phenomenon whose change is measured in centimeters over decades."