"Flint Mayor Karen Weaver has suspended water billing temporarily — for about a month — while the city works out how it will apply $30 million from the State of Michigan to help residents who’ve paid for nearly two years for water that’s unsafe to drink."
"A court in Japan ordered one of only two nuclear power plants operating in the country to shut down on Wednesday, citing insufficient safety measures put in place after meltdowns at a facility in Fukushima five years ago."
"Funding for “vital” research to improve flood forecasts, warnings and defences has been slashed by almost two-thirds since 2009, figures obtained by the Guardian show."
"Heavy rains and high winds from a storm system moving north from Mexico flooded parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, leaving at least one person dead, officials said on Wednesday."
"Duke Energy has appealed the state’s $6.8 million fine involving the Dan River coal ash spill, calling the action “entirely arbitrary and capricious” and requesting “dismissal of the ... civil penalty in its entirety.”"
"NEWARK — Elevated levels of lead caused officials in New Jersey’s largest school district on Wednesday to shut off water fountains at 30 school buildings until more tests could be conducted, officials said."
"President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will on Thursday pledge to safeguard the Arctic with a series of initiatives that will protect more than 10 percent of the marine areas, designate shipping corridors with low environmental impact, and establish new offshore oil and gas leasing plans, White House officials said."
"WASHINGTON — Unseasonably warm weather has prompted the National Park Service to revise its prediction for peak blooms for Washington's cherry blossom trees.
The agency said in a news release Tuesday that it has revised the projected dates to March 18-23. Peak bloom is when 70 percent of the trees around the Tidal Basin are in blossom."
The Associated Press had the story March 8, 2016.
"Federal auditors should examine a program that has allowed leading coal companies to lower cleanup insurance costs and could leave taxpayers on the hook if the miners declare bankruptcy, Democratic lawmakers said on Tuesday."
