Natural Gas Hazards Drawing Federal Attention

July 7, 2010–After hearing for years about public concern over the adverse health and environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing used to increase production of natural gas, US EPA has begun a process (including 4 public meetings in July; CO, NY, PA, TX) to decide what the issues are and how to address them.

New Federal Web Site Pulls Together Coastal Info

July 7, 2010–NOAA's "State of the Coast" contains both quick facts and detailed information regarding this 95,000-mile-long zone and all the players involved. It generally addresses longer-term issues, such as environmental degradation, climate, hazards, economics, and demographics.

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.

TOOLBOX: A Compilation of State Lawyer Licensing Databases

May 19, 2010–One tool to help tell shady lawyers from shiny is the recently updated, free, searchable online compilation at llrx.com.

Massey Mine Disaster Raises Openness Issues

April 21, 2010–Several journalists have raised questions about why more was not known publicly about the safety defects that led to the deaths of 29 miners at Massey's Upper Big Branch Mine in April 2010.

Inside Story: Small Texas Daily Tackles Complex Issue By Focusing on a Basic Human Need: Safety

April 15, 2010–Denton Record-Chronicle city hall reporters Lowell Brown and Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe tackle environmental issues as part of their everyday coverage. SEJournal has the inside story on their award-winning shale-gas-drilling series, which revealed through one neighborhood's ordeal how land deals really work in Texas and the impacts of the controversial technology.

April 22 Earth Day Sparks Local Stories

April 14, 2010–Here are several resources for localizing this 40th anniversary event.

Private Water Wells Commonly Contaminated in Canada

March 31, 2010–A University of Alberta researcher publishes his findings online March 15, 2010, in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Comments on Fed Agencies' Open Government Plans Due March 19

February 24, 2010–Various trackers are sorting through and compiling ideas, comments, and agencies' progress towards meeting the deadline.

Supreme Court Property Rights Case Has Environmental Implications

October 14, 2009–The Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Dec. 2, 2009. The case, which started with legal action in 2004, involves a dispute over restoration of a stretch of Florida panhandle beaches damaged by storms.