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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In Gear Ford rises, Prius falls in hybrids' solid start to 2013

Hybrids and plug-ins together took 3.71 percent of the US auto market last month, Voelcker writes, just 0.01 percent below their all-time high share of 3.72 percent last December. The more hybrids and plug-ins that are sold, the more economies of scale can kick in to lower their component costs, from lithium-ion cells to electric traction motors.
Energy Voices Ernest Moniz confirmed unanimously as Energy secretary

Ernest Moniz earned bipartisan approval Thursday as the Senate voted 97-0 to confirm the nuclear physicist as the next secretary of the Department of Energy. The support for Ernest Moniz is in contrast to divided opinions over Gina McCarthy, President Obama's pick to head the EPA.
In Gear Should EPA gas-mileage ratings tests change?

Major disparities in the listed MPG and the actual performance of two Ford hybrids have put the EPA's mileage tests under scrutiny. With most vehicles, the EPA is essentially on target, but changes might be on the horizon.
GOP senators boycott vote on McCarthy for EPA

Frustrated by what they call a lack of transparency from the EPA, all eight Republican senators on the Environment and Public Works committee boycotted a scheduled vote on Obama nominee Gina McCarthy to head the EPA.
Opinion: Smoking gun in West, Texas, fertilizer blast: lack of government oversight

While the cause of the blast in West, Texas, is still undetermined, what is clear is that the West Fertilizer Company stored large quantities of reactive products in the middle of a small town with little state or federal oversight. Citizens must be empowered to act when regulators don't.
Focus On Earth Day 2013, a planetary report card on global warming

Planetary carbon dioxide concentrations are the highest they've been in the past 800,000 years, an ignominious milestone for Earth Day 2013. Still, the world is making some progress toward addressing global warming.
Texas fertilizer plant: Why was the blast so enormous?

The explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant had the force of a magnitude 2.1 quake. Here's a look at how the combination of fire and materials at the facility could have produced the blast.
Texas fertilizer plant blast: Was it 'freak accident' that tore town apart?

Authorities suspect the massive explosion in West, Texas, was an industrial accident – far from the first time that the building blocks of modern fertilizer caused heavy damage and casualties.
Death toll rising in firestorm at Texas fertilizer plant; sabotage discounted (+video)

First responders on Thursday continue to search buildings near a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, site of a fire and huge explosion that rocked the town Wednesday night. 'Like a nuclear bomb' is how the town's mayor described the blast.
In Gear Toyota hybrid sales pass 5 million; 2 million in the US

Toyota has been refining its hybrid mtoro technology for a decade and a half, becoming an industry leader in the process. Now, Toyota has announced that its hybrid sales have surpassed the 5 million mar worldwide.
Change Agent Rural electric co-ops go green

Electric cooperatives have served rural Americans for generations. Some are taking advantage of their member-owned status to begin weaning their regions off of fossil fuels.
Energy Voices EPA nominee Gina McCarthy says coal a 'significant' energy source (Sponsor content)

Gina McCarthy, President Obama’s pick to lead the EPA, told a Senate panel on Thursday that coal will remain important in the US energy mix and that if confirmed that she will be flexible in applying new pollution rules for coal-fueled power plants.
Energy Voices Gina McCarthy: How would she change EPA?

Gina McCarthy's Senate nomination hearing was as much about the role of the Environmental Protection Agency as her ability to direct it. How should Gina McCarthy enforce regulations on oil, gas, and coal, and do those regulations hurt or help the economy?
For Keystone XL foes, oozing Canadian crude in Arkansas spill is black gold (+video)

Thousands of barrels of Canadian crude spilled from an ExxonMobil pipeline in Arkansas Friday. Opponents of the proposed Keystone XL say the black goo in backyards makes their case.
Energy Voices What does the ExxonMobil spill mean for the Keystone XL pipeline?

The ExxonMobil pipeline spill accident comes roughly two weeks before State Department officials head to Nebraska to vet public comments on the Keystone XL pipeline. How will the ExxonMobil spill in Arkansas impact the Keystone XL pipeline debate?
In Gear MPG confusing? Ford holds a contest for app developers to help.

With all of the options available to drivers, and the multitude of fuel efficiency claims, finding the greenest option can be difficult. But Ford is offering prizes of $50,000 to software developers to come up with a smartphone app that helps people make sense of the barrage of information.
Clean fuel regulations: EPA, oil industry vie over effect on gas prices

EPA on Friday proposed new regulations to require refineries to make cleaner gasoline. The cost? EPA says less than a penny a gallon. Oil industry says nine cents a gallon – and higher gas prices.
Energy Voices EPA further limits sulfur. Will higher gas prices follow?

The Environmental Protection Agency announced new standards on sulfur in gasoline Friday that many say will lead eventually to a hike in gas prices. The EPA expects a 1 cent per gallon increase; industry says it will be much more.
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.
Warming Arctic: Receding ice leaves Hudson Bay polar bears less time to eat

Polar bears' territorial tendencies and the diminishing ice season on Hudson Bay are conspiring to leave the animals less time to eat, researchers say. This bodes ill for their ability to reproduce, and survive.
Energy Voices More politics than policy in Arctic oil drilling debate

The political debates around Shell's Arctic drilling plans and the Keystone XL pipeline are becoming less about energy and more about partisanship, Graeber writes.
Energy Voices Ethanol mandate: Did the EPA jump the gun?

The Environmental Protection Agency may have jumped the gun on ethanol mandates, Alic writes. Consumer groups are balking at a mandate they think could harm vehicles and leave car-owners stranded without insurance in the case of ethanol-related damage.
Obama's $2 billion plan to wean US off foreign oil (+video)

During a visit to Argonne National Lab, President Obama proposes using royalties from offshore drilling in federal waters to create an 'Energy Security Trust Fund' to pay for research into battery and clean-fuel technologies.
Energy Voices Court case: Coal mine gets permit. Can EPA take it back again?

Arch Coal and the EPA faced off in federal appeals court over agency's revoked permit for West Virginia coal mine. The case has several industries worried that the EPA could take back their permits retroactively under the Clean Water Act.
Energy Voices Is the EPA an impediment to economic recovery? (Sponsor content)

The Environmental Protection Agency needs to analyze and understand the full, cumulative economic impacts of its regulations, Tracey writes, and not seemingly choose sides when it comes to energy production.