Pollution

"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."

"EDMONTON - The coal slurry drifting along the Athabasca River swept through Fort McMurray Friday en route to Lake Athabasca where whatever is left of the murky waste water will likely settle in the coming days."

Texan Steve Lipsky can set his well-water on fire. A major U.S. fracking company, Range Resources, has taken him to court for telling the news media about it.

"In an online photo gallery of neighborhood picnics and sunrises over Lake Michigan, an image of black dust blotting out the sky galvanized residents of Chicago's Southeast Side to demand action against companies storing enormous mounds of petroleum coke along the Calumet River."

A new study says that U.S. emissions of the greenhouse gas methane, often emitted by farm and energy operations, are much larger than previously estimated.

"Scio Township resident Roger Rayle is beginning his 21st year as a citizen volunteer watching over the issue of the expanding Pall-Gelman 1,4-dioxane plume."

"Only about half of the prescription drugs and other newly emerging contaminants in sewage are removed by treatment plants."

"Nitrous oxide (N20) emissions could almost double by 2050 if more aggressive action is not taken, undermining global efforts to curb climate change, the United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP) said on Thursday."