Natural Resources

"An environmental disaster is unfolding in the Pacific after a large ship ran aground and began leaking oil next to a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Solomon Islands, Australian officials said Friday."

"A federal appeals court today [Friday] rejected the Army Corps of Engineers' approval of a 17-mile transmission line across the James River, determining the corps did not properly analyze the full impacts of the power line that critics say degrades the site of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Va."

"The House of Representatives Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at safeguarding nearly 2 million acres of public lands and permanently continuing a federal fund that supports conservation projects around the country."

"If you’ve ever been for a hike in Rock Creek Park after a rainstorm, you probably know the smell."

"A federal appeals court on Monday denied a request to reconsider a ruling throwing out a permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross two national forests, including parts of the Appalachian Trail."

"The Interior Department is looking to increase its reliance on seasonal National Park Service (NPS) staffers who have received less training than their full-time counterparts in order to cut costs, according to a new report."

"As the Southwest faces rapid growth and unrelenting drought, the Colorado River is in crisis, with too many demands on its diminishing flow. Now those who depend on the river must confront the hard reality that their supply of Colorado water may be cut off."

Jim Robbins reports, with photography by Ted Wood, in a 5-part series for Yale Environment 360 January 14, 2019.

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"As sea levels rise, saltwater is entering farms near the bay, damaging crops and releasing legacy nutrients into already-polluted waterways. "

"As warming brings earlier spring rains in the Arctic, more permafrost thaws, releasing more methane in a difficult-to-stop feedback loop, research shows."

"Increasing spring rains in the Arctic could double the increase in methane emissions from the region by hastening the rate of thawing in permafrost, new research suggests.

"Thousands of protests have been lodged with U.S. land managers in opposition of next month’s oil and natural gas lease sale despite a decision to remove from the offering several parcels near a national park in northwestern New Mexico."