"German automaker Volkswagen is apologizing for its violations of federal air pollution emission standards with a full-page ad in 30 U.S. newspapers, The Verge reports."

"Overuse of antibiotics in animal feed is making it harder for doctors to treat life-threatening infections in young children, a report from U.S. pediatricians warns."

"One recipe for renewable natural gas goes: Place manure from about 2 million hogs in lagoons, cover them with an impermeable material and let it bake until gas from the manure rises. Then, use special equipment to clean the gas of its impurities and ship the finished product out."

"Exxon Mobil Corp., the giant oil producer that's drawn outrage and a legal investigation for its handling of internal climate change research, may have a lot to lose from a warming planet, at least according to one measure."

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has finalized a set of groundbreaking food safety rules for produce farms and importable goods to strengthen its food safety system."

"SAN MATEO ALMOMOLOA, Mexico -- After a staggering decline over the past two decades, the population of the iconic monarch butterfly is expected to recover following coordinated efforts across North American governments, Mexico's environment minister said on Thursday."

"Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton outlined a $30 billion plan Thursday to help parts of the country recover from the decline of the coal industry."

"Waterkeeper Alliance surveyed 250 bridges used by trains carrying volatile crude oil; there are more than 100K in the US".

Reporters trying to get information from federal agencies find press offices stonewalling and running out the clock on their interview requests. "The public information model," one agency flak said, "is dead." The result: the public is uninformed, the government is unaccountable, and people's health is endangered.