National (U.S.)

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has pledged $1 million to help Utah communities deal with environmental justice challenges over the next two years."

"Children's toys carrying the Barbie and Disney logos have turned up with high levels of lead in them, according to a California-based advocacy group -- a finding that may give consumers pause as they shop for the holiday season."

A new study suggests that even women who try hard to avoid worrisome chemicals may fail to keep them out of their bodies. Environmental exposure seems to be the culprit. And once the chemicals are in the blood of pregnant women, their fetuses may be exposed, too.

"The Environment Report's Shawn Allee investigates Dow Chemical and dioxin contamination in mid-Michigan. Central Michigan has lived with toxic dioxin pollution in two major rivers and Saginaw Bay for decades. Shawn looks at who's been affected, why it's taken so long to clean up, how the science behind dioxin has played into this, and what the cleanup means for the rest of the country."

"The US Senate will act in early 2010 on legislation to battle climate change, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday, ending hopes of a breakthrough by next month's global talks."

The secretive Food and Drug Administration withheld information about contaminated tacos sold to school lunch programs that caused kids to continue to get violently sick in several states for years.

"The rapid adoption by U.S. farmers of genetically engineered corn, soybeans and cotton has promoted increased use of pesticides, an epidemic of herbicide-resistant weeds and more chemical residues in foods, according to a report issued Tuesday by health and environmental protection groups."