Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD)

Day After Story on Weak Enforcement, Iowa Cracks Down on Polluter

"Iowa’s attorney general is suing a corn processing plant, alleging it has released more air pollution than allowed for at least the past 18 months. Filing of the lawsuit came a day after the Center for Public Integrity’s iWatch News highlighted the state environmental agency’s passivity in curbing emissions at the plant in the Mississippi River town of Muscatine."

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Source: iWatch News, 12/05/2011

Erionite, Like Asbestos, Can Cause Cancer

The naturally-occurring erionite causes malignant mesothelioma and evidence suggests it is much more toxic than asbestos. Concern is rising as development that disturbs erionite deposits occurs in 12 western states.

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October 21, 2011

DEADLINE: AHCJ-CDC Health Journalism Fellowships

AHCJ has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – with the support of the CDC Foundation – for this national fellowship program for journalists. Ten fellows will be chosen to spend December 4 -8, 2011 studying public health issues at two CDC campuses. The competitive fellowships are open to professional journalists working in the United States. The fellowships include membership, travel, lodging and meals. Applications due Oct. 21.

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New Disposal Rules Could Mean Less Oil Waste Buried in N. Dakota Land

"TIOGA - Brenda and Richard Jorgenson have a long list of reasons why they dislike and fear the reserve pit from an oil well buried on their land, located a half-mile from their house. They say it reeked of chemicals when it was being filled with diesel-saturated mud, rock cuttings and fluids left over from drilling last year."

Source: Bismark Tribune, 09/19/2011

Voluntary Sage-Grouse Protection Efforts Awarded $71 Million

Greater sage-grouse are at just 3% of their historical numbers, and warrant protection, according to the Bureau of Land Management. But since other species are in even more dire straits, the birds haven't been declared a threatened or endangered species. The US Dept. of Agriculture money is a work-around aimed at saving the birds and their habitat.

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Projects in 6 States Selected To Help Pioneer 3 Biofuels

USDA continues to expand its Biomass Crop Assistance Program that provides financial incentives for producers of various biomass products with the latest selected project areas for growing camelina in CA, OR, WA, and MT, poplar trees in OR, and switchgrass in KS and OK.

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FWS Proposes To Expand Hunting at 10 Wildlife Refuges

Hunting, under certain conditions, is already allowed at more than 300 of the 553 sites in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Contact local environmental, animal rights, and hunting groups for opinions for or against these proposals that would allow additional species to be killed at 10 refuges in 8 states.

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