Pollution

"General Electric Co. and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offered different lessons Wednesday on the first year of PCB Hudson River dredging -- starting with how much PCBs were removed."

"State and federal officials were, at one point, looking at almost a complete loss of support from Asarco for projects to clean up contaminated sites. Then, a dramatic recovery of copper prices lead to benefits for Tacoma, Everett, and elsewhere in the state."

"The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee said on Thursday it was investigating the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and human health."

"A range of health problems are linked to the pits on military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Toxic substances have been found in the smoke."

"The cement industry is launching a late push to water down new regulations that would limit the amount of mercury and other hazardous pollutants emitted by their plants."

"Across the country, stormwater runoff hammers thousands of rivers, streams and lakes. Communities are left to struggle with the consequences of too much pavement and too little oversight. Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to tighten federal stormwater rules that have been criticized by environmental groups and deemed ineffective by a national panel of researchers."

Growing pollution in the Baltic Sea has been making it unswimmable and contaminating fish. Now Russia has sealed a deal to put a pipeline beneath the Baltic -- with big international repercussions.

"Lead in paint, gasoline and drinking water is prohibited as dangerous for health and the environment. But the material is scattered in abundance outdoors when it comes to hunting grounds and firing ranges. Tons of lead from ammunition can accumulate on the ground over years and decades. No federal law addresses lead containment at outdoor shooting ranges operating around the country."

"The EPA wants YOU. Uncle Sam's chief environmental agency is launching a citizens' watchdog program to help track water pollution and waste disposal related to natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale."

Toxic coal-tar liquids from ancient gas-manufacturing plants have been creeping through the soil of the mid-Hudson Valley for more than a century. Cleanup projects may cost some $3 billion.