"Sen. Robert C. Byrd on Wednesday blasted Massey Energy for what he called 'disregard for human life and safety,' following the company's refusal to help fund a new school so Marsh Fork Elementary students could move away from a Massy coal processing plant and slurry impoundment."

"The operators of 10 U.S. mines, including the largest private-sector coal company in the world, have been warned they must improve health and safety conditions or face stricter enforcement and penalties, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday."

"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted [Thursday] to confirm Pennsylvania's controversial mining director as the director of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement."

"An overhaul of federal toxics regulations will require prioritizing tens of thousands of chemicals currently in the marketplace, representatives of industry and advocacy groups agree. At issue: the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act."

"U.S. companies could save tens of billions of dollars by investing in efforts to combat deforestation in developing nations instead of cleaning up their own domestic carbon dioxide emissions, according to a report released Wednesday."

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today published a final rule to ensure that safe and reliable drinking water is provided to aircraft passengers and crew. The rule requires airlines to have their water systems inspected at least once every five years, report the test results to the EPA and fix any 'significant deficiencies.'"

Engineering and construction firm KBR has profited from the war in Iraq, thanks to secret-no-bid contracts coordinated by the office of then VP Cheney, who had previously headed KBR's parent company. Evidence shows that US soldiers were exposed to carcinogen sodium dichromate as part of KBR's activities in Iraqi oil fields.

"Uncle Sam looks to eliminate the biggest hurdle to expanding renewable energy – the need for suitable sites to place commercial-scale wind and solar farms – by reusing hundreds of old mines, landfills and industrial sites."

"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger desperately wants a bill to fund an overhaul of the state's water system -- so much so he is hinting he may veto more than 700 bills awaiting his signature by midnight Sunday if top lawmakers fail agree to one."

"BANGKOK - Senior G77 members walked out of a meeting during climate talks in the Thai capital saying they would not discuss a future without the Kyoto Protocol climate pact, delegates said on Wednesday."