National (U.S.)

"The Lacey Act, a 115-year-old law that seeks to protect threatened species, is still going strong."

The story of how a DuPont chemical called C8, or PFOA, harmed the health of people around Parkersburg, WV, is an epic one that resulted in a huge class-action settlement. "DuPont deceived as many people as they could deceive as for as long as they could," one resident said. Under the current regulatory system, the same thing could happen again.

"Long-term exposure to tiny amounts of Roundup—thousands of times lower than what is permitted in U.S. drinking water—may lead to serious problems in the liver and kidneys, according to a new study."

"U.S. officials responsible for the Aug. 5 spill of toxic mine waste in southwestern Colorado had no plan in place for dealing with a catastrophic breach of the kind that fouled a long stretch of the state’s Animas River, an internal inquiry has concluded."

"Even as Louisiana embarks on a multi-billion-dollar program to begin rebuilding its coast, evidence continues to mount that new coastal land will have to contend with a more rapid rise in sea level than projected in present state plans."

"A U.S. court on Thursday blocked a federal clean water rule from going into effect in certain states until a legal challenge has been resolved, handing a victory to states and business groups that have strongly opposed the regulation."

President Obama spent time in New Orleans talking with residents about Hurricane Katrina on its tenth anniversary -- the progress in recovery, and the work left to do.

"A self-described whistleblower filed a lawsuit against DuPont chemical company Tuesday in the Harris County [Texas] District Court, alleging she was terminated from the company's La Porte plant because of her incessant reports of safety violations."

"In an effort to call attention to the present-day consequences of global warming, President Obama is soon to embark on a journey that no president has taken before. Not only will he set foot in the Alaskan Arctic, at the very edge of the state, but he will spend more time on the ground in Alaska than any president has ever done. Typically, Alaska is a refueling stop for Air Force One when traveling to and from Asia."

"Officials at solar power technology company Solyndra Inc. repeatedly gave false or misleading information to the Department of Energy (DOE) to get the loan guarantee that resulted in widespread condemnation of the Obama administration, an investigation found."