Publication Items

Contamination by Genetically Modified Rice Is Costly to Bayer [1]

Bayer CropScience has agreed to pay up to $750 million to about 11,000 farmers to compensate for contaminating two varieties of long-grain rice. The settlement requires participation of farmers who planted at least 85% of the average 2.2 million acres of long-grain rice grown each year from 2006 to 2009.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Agriculture [4]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Contamination by Genetically Modified Rice Is Costly to Bayer [1]
GAO: US Water Drinkers in Dark on Violations, Contaminants [6]

While EPA oversees the Safe Drinking Water Act programs, much of the daily responsibility is delegated to state agencies. The non-partisan Government Accountability Office says the states are under-reporting violations and contamination to EPA. Moreover, EPA has fallen behind in setting standards for known contaminants that may cause health problems.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [7]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [8]
Pollution [3]
Health [9]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about GAO: US Water Drinkers in Dark on Violations, Contaminants [6]
EPA May Finally Release Final Ozone Standards [10]

The standards were initially scheduled to be released in August 2010, then October 2010, after EPA determined that the ones approved during the George W. Bush administration weren't grounded in science, didn't protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, and didn't protect the environment.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Health [9]
Environmental Health [12]
Air [13]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA May Finally Release Final Ozone Standards [10]
EPA Proposes Expanding Scope of TRI to Additional Industries [14]

The new industries would be Iron Ore Mining, Phosphate Mining, Municipal Waste Incineration, Industrial Dry Cleaning, Petroleum Bulk Storage, and Steam-Only Production from Fossil Fuels.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [7]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Economy & Business [15]
Chemicals [16]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Expanding Scope of TRI to Additional Industries [14]
EPA To Announce Secondary Standard for SOx and NOx [17]

While primary standards are designed to protect human health, secondary standards are established to protect the environment. In the case of NOx and SOx, some of the primary targets include reduced aquatic and terrestrial acidification, and reduced nitrogen deposition on land and water.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Environmental Health [12]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA To Announce Secondary Standard for SOx and NOx [17]
Plastics: All Kinds of News [18]

Are you looking for a story of interest to consumers, retailers, manufacturers, lawyers, politicians, health officials, and editors of the business, politics, health, energy, science, and environment beats? Here are some starting points for coverage of plastics issues. Once you delve into this topic, other angles and sources will emerge.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Chemicals [16]
Region:
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [19]
California [20]
National (U.S.) [21]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Plastics: All Kinds of News [18]
Communities in 40 States Get EPA Grants To Redevelop Brownfields [22]

On June 6, EPA announced a new round of grants going to nearly 200 communities in some 40 states and 3 tribal areas. Most of them go to poor and minority areas with high unemployment rates.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Planning & Growth [23]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Communities in 40 States Get EPA Grants To Redevelop Brownfields [22]
Several Tools Available To Check Drinking Water Quality [24]

EPA has updated its Enforcement and Compliance History Online database so that federal standards violations through 2009 can be quickly identified. For example, pick a county and quickly get a customized listing of systems that fall into categories such as serial violators, or occasional violators of things such as health-based standards or monitoring requirements.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [8]
Pollution [3]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Several Tools Available To Check Drinking Water Quality [24]
Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution Without Pipes [25]

"Nonpoint" sources of water pollution worry officials. When rain falls or snow melts, the runoff can pick up fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural fields, sediments from construction sites, engine oil from city parking lots, germ-laden dog poop from curbside, etc.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [8]
Pollution [3]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution Without Pipes [25]
Fracking Companies Withhold Baseline Well-Water Data [26]

ProPublica reporter Abrahm Lustgarten (left) revealed that some of the biggest fracking companies have been collecting extensive baseline data since 2008, keeping it concealed from public knowledge — including denying Duke University researchers the data when asked for it. The withheld data could either exonerate the companies or prove them responsible for pollution.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [7]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [3]
Energy & Fuel [27]
Chemicals [16]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Fracking Companies Withhold Baseline Well-Water Data [26]

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