Environmental Politics

"The House adjourned at 9:24 p.m. [Monday] after debating several more amendments to the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, and is expected to hold votes on these on Tuesday in the process of wrapping up the bill." The Tuesday votes are likely to illuminate the stark differences between Republicans and Democrats on energy and environmental policies, but House-passed riders may have dim hopes in the Senate.

"A Japanese nuclear power plant has come under fire for trying to sway the outcome of a public forum on atomic safety, dealing a fresh blow to the industry's credibility four months after the world's biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl."

"House Republicans outlined a new round of spending cuts from environmental agencies Wednesday while denying President Barack Obama any increase for one of his top investment priorities: the National Science Foundation."

"Three senators reached a deal on Thursday to repeal the $6 billion per year ethanol tax credit by the end of July, an agreement that must still be passed by Congress."

"New Hampshire Governor John Lynch on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have ended the state's participation in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program, citing concerns about environmental and economic competitiveness."

"Presenting a green-minded position on climate change to constituents ... appears to be beneficial for politicians, according to a new study by the social psychologist Jon Krosnick of Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment."

"An international study which debunks research linking cellphones to cancer risks received major funding from wireless manufacturers."

"Environmentalists are waving a red flag in their fight to prevent uranium mining in Virginia, claiming there's a chance toxins from mine operations could make their way into Fairfax County's water supply if the ban is lifted."

"If European lawmakers have their way, by next year any American flying from Boston to Paris will have to pay for the plane's carbon emissions over Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Ocean and France."

"The Environmental Protection Agency has become a target of House Republicans and of GOP presidential hopefuls. They say its rules are job killers. A new White House report finds air pollution rules from the EPA cost far more than other government regulations. But they also result in far more benefits than other government mandates."