National (U.S.)

"The Senate [Tuesday] will likely vote on an amendment to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and to vastly expand access to domestic oil and gas resources. But unlike similar votes last week, senators this time will vote on a much broader package that includes the extension of expiring tax incentives."

Phil Taylor reports for Greenwire (subscription only) March 12, 2012.

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"Ben Kessler, a student at the University of North Texas and an environmental activist, was more than a little surprised that an FBI agent questioned his philosophy professor and acquaintances about his whereabouts and his sign-waving activities aimed at influencing local gas drilling rules."

"F. Sherwood Rowland, the Nobel prize-winning chemist who sounded the alarm on the thinning of the Earth's ozone layer, has died at 84."

Is it safe to extend the life of the aging US fleet of nuclear power plants -- even those whose obsolete designs match those of the failed reactors at Fukushima?

"Regulators on Friday told the owners of the nation's nuclear reactors to implement new safety rules based on the lessons learned from the earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant a year ago. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said it authorized its staff to issue three immediately effective orders implementing some of the more urgent recommendations."

"The nonprofit group Friends of the Earth filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency today to force the regulation of lead emissions from general aviation aircraft under the Clean Air Act."

"RAPID CITY, South Dakota, March 7, 2012 (ENS) - Several dozen Native Americans critical of TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline Monday blockaded two large trucks in a six-hour standoff at Wanblee, South Dakota."

"About 70 people joined the blockade, bringing food and water, and parking their vehicles across the road to prevent the trucks from traveling across the Pine Ridge Reservation in the south-central part of the state.

"With an abundance of chinook salmon in the ocean this year, federal regulators are proposing the longest season for sport and commercial fishermen in eight years."

"Gasoline companies -- driven by oil speculation and profits -- continue to charge more and more for their product every day. How is the industry spending the money it’s taking from customer’s wallets? In recent weeks, they have flooded television programs with television ads promoting the causes of the industry."

"Visiting the Daimler truck manufacturing plant in Mount Holly, North Carolina Wednesday, President Barack Obama announced a new $1 billion set of incentives to help consumers and businesses purchase new advanced trucks and cars."