"WASHINGTON — Workers reacted too slowly to stop a Gulf of Mexico well blowout that forced the evacuation of 44 people and ignited a fire that raged for two days in 2013, according to a federal investigation report released Thursday."

"Thousands of U.S. schools sit along rail corridors used to carry toxic substances such as crude oil and would be at risk in the event of a derailment, an environmental group said on Tuesday as it called for a temporary halt on oil trains."

"They rumble past schools, homes and businesses in dozens of cities around the country — 100-car trains loaded with crude oil from the Upper Midwest. While railroads have long carried hazardous materials through congested urban areas, cities are now scrambling to formulate emergency plans and to train firefighters amid the latest safety threat: a fiftyfold increase in crude shipments that critics say has put millions of people living or working near the tracks at heightened risk of derailment, fire and explosion."

"Residents of a Native village threatened by erosion were thankful Wednesday for President Barack Obama's attention to their plight, saying they hope his visit to Alaska will help them secure funding to build a critical evacuation road to drier ground."

"Railroad tank cars equipped with defective valves still will be allowed to transport crude oil and other hazardous materials through the end of the year, despite a March directive from federal regulators requiring their replacement within 60 days."

"A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck near Grand Coulee Dam, the largest U.S. hydropower facility, in northeastern Washington state on Tuesday, prompting an immediate inspection of the facility but leaving no visible damage, a spokeswoman said."

"Crews battling the largest array of wildfires in Washington state history gained more ground against the flames on Tuesday, as property assessors reported the deadly conflagration had destroyed more than 170 homes and dozens of other structures."

"As drought-fueled wildfires rage across the West, farm communities on the frontlines are feeling the heat."

"Newly released documents reveal the extent of problems with anti-pollution equipment on a Shell-contracted Arctic drillship earlier this year."