Lightning strikes over Lake Mead in Arizona. The West remains in a historic drought, and Lake Mead is currently just 38 percent full. Source: AP/John Locher Washington, D.C. —(ENEWSPF)–August 21, 2015.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s, or EPA’s, Clean Power Plan is one of the most important steps the United[Read More…]

Bears feeding on a fin whale carcass in Larson Bay, Alaska, near Kodiak. Credit: NOAA ALASKA–(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2015.  NOAA is declaring the recent deaths of 30 large whales in the western Gulf of Alaska an “unusual mortality event,” triggering a focused, expert investigation into the cause. An unusual mortality event[Read More…]

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Provide Peer Review of Final Report WASHINGTON –-(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2015.  The Department of the Interior has asked the Bureau of Reclamation to lead Interior’s independent assessment of factors that contributed to the August 5 Gold King Mine incident in Colorado. Interior was asked to[Read More…]

WASHINGTON –(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2015.  Newly published research shows that even very small doses of the Teflon chemical PFOA in drinking water pose a more serious threat to public health than previously thought. EWG’s report on the research, released today, shows that federal guidance on safe levels for PFOA is hundreds,[Read More…]

Total subsidence in California’s San Joaquin Valley for the period May 3, 2014 to Jan. 22, 2015, as measured by Canada’s Radarsat-2 satellite. Two large subsidence bowls are evident, centered on Corcoran and south of El Nido.  Credits: Canadian Space Agency/NASA/JPL-Caltech Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2015. As Californians continue pumping groundwater[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 20, 2015.  Just as children go back to school, research finds that lice in 25 of 30 states in a U.S. study have developed resistance to common over-the-counter treatments like permethrin, calling into questions the justification for exposing children to a neurotoxic and carcinogenic pesticide and elevating the need to consider[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 18, 2015.  Research looking at corn production across the Northern Great Plains finds that fields with lower insect biodiversity are at greater risk for pest problems, showing that insect diversity can reduce the need for pesticides, yet again highlighting the critical need for biodiversity in a resilient and sustainable[Read More…]

Soldiers help extinguish a small fire while battling the Rocky Fire near Clear Lake, Calif., Aug. 12, 2015. The soldiers are California National Guardsmen assigned to the 578th Brigade Engineer Battalion, and the 1st Battalion, 18th Cavalry, 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.  Source: www.defense.gov Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 18, 2015 — More[Read More…]

Millions of people and billions of dollars depend on healthy oceans, but human actions create complex interactions that endanger oceans Washington, D.C.—(ENEWSPF)–August 18, 2015.  The combination of overfishing and climate change may be putting the oceans’ health—and our own wellbeing—at risk. As State of the World 2015 contributing author Katie[Read More…]

Proposal Cuts GHG Emissions, Reduces Smog-Forming Air Pollution and Provides Certainty for Industry WASHINGTON –-(ENEWSPF)–August 18, 2015.  Continuing the Obama Administration’s commitment to take action on climate change and protect public health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing commonsense proposed standards today that would reduce emissions of greenhouse[Read More…]