Feds and Private Sector Funding Major Solar Panel Projects

July 6, 2011–Project Amp, expected to lead to the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on about 750 industrial buildings in 28 states, would feed enough energy to the grid to power 90,000-100,000 homes. Taking a different approach, Google and a company called SolarCity are teaming up to spur installation of solar panels to power individual homes, committing $280 million to the project.

Pa. Radio Host Says Criticism of Shale Fracking Got Him Fired

June 15, 2011–Robert Foltz, host of the "Let's Talk" show on WMBS in Uniontown for 10 years, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he was fired just moments after a local municipal official said on his show that drilling for gas in the Marcellus shale formation had contaminated the local groundwater supply with bromine.

Plastic Bag Industry Tries To Silence Critics

June 15, 2011–The New York Times' Felicity Barringer tells the story of Andy Keller, 38, who dresses up in bags as "Bag Monster" to promote his reusable "ChicoBag," invoking the ire of three plastic bag manufacturers in South Carolina.

Is FCC Slow To Reveal Cell Phone Risks?

June 1, 2011–A World Health Organization panel finds cell phone radiation might present a cancer risk , and spotlights ongoing reluctance by the Federal Communications Commission to share publicly all the health information it has on the subject — and possible complicity with industry in hushing the research.

EPA Suspends Chemical Reporting After Industry Complaints

May 18, 2011–Reporting of potentially toxic chemicals in commerce under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)will not be required during the next reporting period, which runs from June through September.

Court Rejects 'National Security' Claim on Secret Trade Docs

May 4, 2011–The Trade Representative had denied a Freedom of Information Act request by the Center for International Environmental Law for documents related to the Chile-US Free Trade Agreement. It claimed some documents should remain secret on the grounds of "national security."

Energy Markets Partly Blinded by EIA Budget Cuts

May 4, 2011–In response to deep cuts in its budget, EIA announced that it would not be able to compile and publish products like its ongoing estimates of US oil reserves. In fact, EIA will not even be able to continue its investigation of whether speculators are driving up oil prices.

Multiple Sources Reveal Fracking Chemicals

April 27, 2011–New tools provide limited information on substances used in specific wells during the oil and natural gas extraction process called hydraulic fracturing. From 2005-2009, 780 million gallons of 750 substances were injected underground — a starting point for your coverage of this angle.

Blowout in the Gulf: The BP Oil Spill Disaster and the Future of Energy in America

April 15, 2011–

Are Farmland Prices Ready To Burst?

March 30, 2011–If this happens, the agricultural community could suffer much as many people did after the recent housing-market implosion. It could significantly damage farmers, food production, certain banks, and bond holders who are the sole source of capital for some banks.