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.

Pollution Is Significant in National Parks

July 7, 2010–Both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (primarily from combustion sources) and pesticides are pervasive in 8 diverse US national parks, according to two Environmental Science & Technology studies by international teams of university and government agency researchers.

TOOLBOX: Database May Reveal an Oil Spill Near You

June 30, 2010–Every spill report coming in to the NRC goes into a database which is, for the most part, publicly accessible. You can query the database online, or download it for use in your own computer-assisted reporting project.

TOOLBOX: Denver Post Finds Thousands of Drilling Spills in Colorado

June 30, 2010–A big fraction of the leaks and spills involved not merely oil, but produced water containing hydraulic fracturing fluid. You'll find lots of useful data on the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission website.

TOOLBOX: Follow the Money on Gulf Oil Spill Contracts

June 30, 2010–Investigative Reporters and Editors brings news of a special Gulf Oil Spill Report put out by the Federal Procurement Data System which lists all federal contracts that the General Services Administration (GSA) knows about.

EPA Lists Counties Likely To Violate Lead Standard

June 23, 2010–Counties, currently in 12 states with more likely to be added next year as a result of new lead monitors, must take steps within five years to meet the standard.

Manufacturing Plants Are Source of Drugs in Waterways

June 9, 2010–Wastewater treatment plants can't mitigate the problem, which is compounded by other sources of water contamination, such as drugs that end up in landfills or flushed down toilets, and metabolites or unutilized drugs that pass through people who take the drugs.

BP Hires Cheney Spokeswoman, Defender of Secrecy, as PR Boss

June 2, 2010–Anne Womack Kolton, who as former VP Dick Cheney's press aide defended the secrecy of his energy task force, has been brought in to fix BP's PR problems in the Gulf oil spill.

Dispersants Remain a Mystery to Public, Despite Fake "Disclosure"

June 2, 2010–Dispersant manufacturer Nalco failed to disclose the chemical identity of the ingredients to the news media or public, and ignored a US EPA order to stop using the product in the Gulf.