Topic: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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Five ways Americans can save water through food choices

As eaters and consumers, Americans can profoundly reduce water waste and water consumption through the food choices they make. Here are five ways American food consumers can help save water.
Focus
The Monitor's top 11 US stories of 2012

From storms to politics, the year was a wild ride. What are the most meaningful US stories of 2012? Here's the Monitor's list, in roughly chronological order.
Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 7 ways they differ on energy issues

Both President Obama and Mitt Romney claim to want to expand America’s access to conventional fuels and green energy. But their energy plans have very different flavors.
Four gambits Obama could try to boost election prospects

President Obama got big headlines – and a political bounce – from his new policy protecting some young illegal immigrants from deportation and offering them temporary work permits. By a 2-to-1 margin, likely American voters support the move, according to a Bloomberg poll. So what other potential gambits does Mr. Obama have in his hip pocket, especially if he needs another jolt before Election Day? Here are four.
7 ways to trim your summer energy bill

Summer solstice is here, and your home energy costs will rise right along with the temperature. Here are seven easy ways to keep cool and save money on your energy bill.

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What can Congress do to create jobs? Five Republican proposals.

Amid worries that the economy may be tipping toward a second recession, both Republicans and Democrats say creating jobs is their top priority. But the two parties are far apart on their approaches. Democrats favor targeted stimulus – investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and education – while hiking taxes on corporations and the rich to fund this jobs spending. Republicans aim to curb government regulation and cut taxes to give businesses and individuals more incentive to invest. Here are the Republicans' top five priorities.
Cheers all around as Obama sets fuel efficiency goals for big trucks

First US fuel efficiency rules for heavy-duty trucks, unveiled Tuesday, are embraced by trucking firms, manufacturers, and environmentalists. They'll cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Difference Maker David Carroll tracks turtles to reveal what nature has to say to humans

Scientist David Carroll doesn't publish academic papers but tells turtles' stories through his art and writings.
Fuel efficiency: Will new rules cure US addiction to foreign oil?

President Obama on Friday unveiled fuel-efficiency standards of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 – a significant step in dealing with emissions and oil consumption.
Detroit goes green? Carmakers must average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025

Automakers must improve their mileage every year, up to a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg in 14 years. Green groups praise the new regulations, while opponents call them job-killers.
Camaro now outselling Mustang? Vroom.

Camaro combines new look with solid feel to attract buyers. In its first five months, Camaro outsold Mustang 40,000 to 30,000 units.
Heat wave: Four things that will rise with the temperatures

Slowing down because of rising heat is the expected response in any summer heat wave. But in a week like this one, where high temperatures fanned across the country, sizzling toward 100 degrees F. from Texas to Boston, some things also go up. Here are four things to expect to rise along with our desire to stay indoors and beat the heat.
EPA tells coal-fired plants to reduce pollution. Some may just shut down.

The details of new EPA regulations, released Thursday, mandate reductions in power-plant emissions. 'Old, decrepit plants' without pollution controls may be just too costly to retrofit and be shut down by their owners, say analysts.
Yellowstone River oil spill: US to test air in nearby homes

Yellowstone River oil spill: About 150 people showed up at an EPA meeting Wednesday night with questions about health risks, the duration of the cleanup, and whether the oil will permanently damage their livestock or property.
Hitting the beach for the Fourth of July? How to check a beach's water safety.

Just in time for the Fourth of July, a report on the environmental quality of America's beaches. Does your beach get five stars?
New Mexico wildfires approach Los Alamos nuclear lab

New Mexico wildfires are near the boundaries of the 23,000-acre Los Alamos National Laboratory, which holds some low-level radioactive material in an above-ground storage facility about three miles from the flames.
Supreme Court throws out back-door bid to curb global warming

A coalition of states and conservation groups sought to use public-nuisance law to compel five energy companies to curb greenhouse gases linked to global warming. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the case.
Why Michele Bachmann is no Sarah Palin

Newsweek's Washington Bureau Chief warns that Rep. Michele Bachmann should not be underestimated as a presidential contender in the 2012 race.
Did a chemical engineer reduce big city crime?

John Sinfelt, who recently passed away, developed a way to produce unleaded gasoline. There may be a connection between exposure to leaded gasoline during childhood and the likelihood to commit a crime.
Bid to repair Lake Michigan and Great Lakes, one marsh at a time

A $2 billion restoration effort may help rehabilitate Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes, but environmentalists say it may be too late to reverse four centuries' worth of damage.
Opinion: What's the secret to Canada's miracle economy?

No foreclosure crisis. No bank failures. No debt crisis. Low unemployment. A strong currency. Yes, Canada has a lot going for it these days. Here's why.
Will smart-phone friendly mileage stickers help car buyers make smarter choices?

The EPA's next generation of mileage labels are smart-phone friendly and were designed to give consumers more ways to compare the efficiency and pollution levels of vehicles of all engine types.
Obama visits ravaged Alabama; Texas governor says, 'What about us?'

Obama surveyed tornado damage in Alabama Friday, after declaring the state a disaster area. A disaster request from Texas over raging wildfires remains unanswered. Are requests often denied?
Earth Day: How the antiwar movement inspired world's largest green campaign

Earth Day was launched 41 years ago today by a US senator who was alarmed by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and inspired by the student antiwar movement.
Gulf spill: Where did the oil go – and what did it do?

One year after the Deepwater Horizon blow-out began the worst oil spill in US history, scientists continue to investigate the effects of the oil and its residues.
Supreme Court wary of empowering judges to order greenhouse gas cuts

A lawsuit asking a federal judge to order big power companies to cut greenhouse gases, because the emissions are a public nuisance, got a skeptical reception Tuesday at the Supreme Court.
Who can force utilities to cut greenhouse gases? Supreme Court to decide.

The Supreme Court hears a case Tuesday about greenhouse gases and global warming. Case could open the way for states and citizen groups to battle the threat of global warming via judicial order.
Opinion: Supreme Court should reject climate change nuisance suit

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in American Electric Power Co., Inc. v. Connecticut, an unprecedented “public nuisance” lawsuit brought against energy companies. The courts are hardly the place to set broad policy on climate change. Even Obama agrees.
Difference Maker Hilton Kelley helps clean up Texas Gulf Coast town

Hilton Kelley balances fighting air pollution with job creation and talking with chemical and oil companies in Port Arthur, Texas.
Coal power: TVA agrees to phase out 18 units, shift to cleaner fuels

Tennessee Valley Authority says it will phase out 18 older coal-fired generators at three power plants by 2020. Natural-gas and biomass units will replace the coal power as part of a TVA settlement over clean-air violations.