Environmental Health

"The U.S. environmental regulator argued in court on Tuesday that its rule limiting mercury and hazardous air pollutants is 'appropriate and necessary,' not an improper interpretation of the federal Clean Air Act as industry groups and some states contend."

"Late-term miscarriages and spontaneous abortions occurred at an unusually high rate among Washington women from 2000 through 2003 — during the same time frame that lead levels were dangerously high in the city’s drinking water, a study has found."

"PITTSBURGH -- Unions and environmentalists have found one point of agreement in the bitter debate over the natural gas drilling boom: fixing leaky old pipelines that threaten public health and the environment. It's a huge national effort that could cost $82 billion."

"A mysterious pathogen is wiping out starfish along the Pacific coast, a potential catastrophe that has flummoxed marine biologists who are joining forces to find the culprit."

"Critics say the actions to combat the pathogen don't go far enough, especially with regard to antibiotic resistance. Salmonella is blamed for 1.3 million U.S. illnesses a year."

An alliance of Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest have joined forces to push states there for water quality standards that protect populations who eat more fish from toxic effects.

"The 1970s began with a remarkable pulse of federal legislation aimed at protecting endangered species and restoring the nation’s air and waters. But it took until 1978 for another type of environmental threat, toxic hot spots left behind by industrial activity, to gain the spotlight."

"Many workers climb, rappel or reach into daily dangers but draw federal notice only by dying. Given limited budgets and frequent political attempts at reducing enforcement even more, inspectors might be absent until a calamity occurs."

A new California rule may herald the end of toxic flame-retardant chemicals in furniture.