25,000 Abandoned Mines Are Just the Beginning

October 27, 2010–The BLM is documenting where the mines are, and ramping up efforts to mitigate threats from them, such as water contamination, traps for people and animals, and deteriorating old explosives lurking in some dark corners.

New Ozone Standards Could Have Big Impact

October 27, 2010–If EPA's health-based primary standard is reduced from its current level of 75 parts per billion to 60 ppb, which is the low end of what the agency's science advisors have recommended, about 67% of the US population would live in monitored counties that would be out of compliance.

Report: Nitrogen and Phosphorous Pollution Remains Serious Threat

September 29, 2010–The USGS study used data from thousands of locations to analyze trends from 1992 to 2004. You can probably find many local and regional stories as these pollutants contribute to various environmental and human health problems.

Dead Zones Degrade All U.S Coastal Regions

September 15, 2010–There were just 12 of these hypoxic areas in the 1960s. Now there are more than 300, or nearly half of the 647 waterways investigated by a consortium of federal agencies that released its report on Sept. 3, 2010.

Fracking Associated with Well Water Toxics; Causation Not Yet Proven

September 15, 2010–EPA warns Pavillion, WY residents not to drink or cook with their well water, and that the presence of methane (the main ingredient in natural gas) is so high that they should ventilate any room in which a shower is operating, and to not ignite anything in a closed room in which water is running.

Study: Winter Road Safety Means More Environmental Toxicity

September 15, 2010–Salt and other substances used to make roads and other paved surfaces safer contaminate water ways with deadly toxicity levels that can even last till summer in some areas, according to a USGS study.

Coast Guard Spill-Response Database Offers Near-Real-Time Story Leads

August 25, 2010–The National Response Center, a single call-in facility for the reporting of all kinds of oil and chemicals leaks, spills, and discharges, puts all the data online in a form than can be queried or downloaded.

EPA Gets TRI Data Out Quickly This Year

August 4, 2010–Data for the 2009 Toxics Release Inventory, released July 28, 2010, includes only about 80% of the total expected submissions so it's not possible to look at category totals, trends, and other aspects that require 100% of the data until later this year. However, you can report immediately on many local emitters, including evaluations of their totals and trends.

Managing Stormwater: Key in Water Pollution, Beach Closures

August 4, 2010–Here's a roundup of recent developments and resources that can help you cover how local stormwater management fits into the regional and national picture, including the Natural Resources Defense Council's 20th annual beach report and the proposed Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2010.

Many Petroleum Companies Routinely Emit Significant Toxics

July 7, 2010–The University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute's "Toxic 100 Air Polluters" indicates 4 of the worst 12 air polluters are petroleum companies. You can use this resource to look at other groupings of companies, such as utilities, or drug, chemical, or metals manufacturers, or to look at any of the individual companies.