"The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it will impose stricter pollution controls on millions of acres of wetlands and tens of thousands of miles of streams."
"The death toll from severe storms that punished five Southern U.S. states jumped to a staggering 178 after Alabama canvassed its hard-hit counties for a new tally of lives lost." Latest updates put the toll at 247.
"The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to hear from the public about what's being called the National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement." Consumer advocates say it puts people at risk of food-borne disease by allowing the spinach and lettuce industries to police themselves when it comes to food safety.
At a time when tea-party budget-cut fervor is taking food out of the mouths of children, the paper industry is reaping billions in unintended taxpayer-funded federal subsidies from a loophole meant to encourage alternative fuels.
"Home is where the heart is. It's also probably where a lot of stink bugs are right now, crawling out from cracks and crevices. They were introduced into Allentown, Pa., from Asia in the 1990s and have been spreading ever since, reaching seemingly plaguelike proportions in the mid-Atlantic states. But an experiment is under way to reintroduce the stink bug to its mortal enemy: a parasitic Asian wasp."
A House Homeland Security subcommittee April 14 approved a bill (HR 901) that effectively extends chemical plant security rules put in place by the Bush administration. Chemical industry groups applauded, while Greenpeace said it puts public safety at risk. Various trade publications reported the action, although most mainstream media did not.
"Most Americans fear that the United States someday could face the kind of nuclear emergency that's plagued Japan in recent weeks, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll."
"House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday walked a fine line on the thorny issue of oil-industry tax benefits targeted for elimination by the White House, stating that 'we oughta be looking at' ending some subsidies even as he ruled out any potential tax increases."
"Some of the nation's richest and most important ecosystems lie where the ocean meets the land. It's these same coastal areas that are going to disappear as sea level continues to rise as a result of climate change."
"From chainsaws to flute solos, the lyrebird can mimic almost any sound it hears. But eavesdrop on this magical bird, and what it is singing can sometimes be troubling."
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