Pollution

"Duke Energy’s plan to dig up 12 more coal ash ponds, announced Tuesday, means the company now aims to excavate 24 of its 36 ponds in the Carolinas."

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new safety requirements for underground storage tanks on Monday, a move it says will protect water sources by preventing potential petroleum leaks."

"At least some of the tar balls found littering one of southern California's most popular beaches last month were matched by lab tests to crude oil that spilled from a ruptured pipeline along the Santa Barbara coast about 100 miles away, state and pipeline company officials said on Monday."

"Drinking water wells in Texas counties that are home to intensive hydraulic fracturing operations contain elevated levels of more than two dozen metals and chemicals, including carcinogens, according to a new study in Environmental Science & Technology."

"A federal judge dismissed a challenge by two major railroads of a California law requiring the companies to have oil spill prevention and response plans and to certify their ability to pay for the cleanup should one occur."

"U.S. EPA [Friday] unveiled proposed regulations that would tighten fuel efficiency standards to significantly cut carbon emissions from tractor-trailer rigs and other heavy- and medium-duty vehicles by 2027."

"Petroleum coke, or 'petcoke,' is still a problem in Chicago despite city regulations, and it could quickly become a problem in other parts of the state if there are no limits or rules on storage of the toxic powdery byproduct of oil refining."

"Four years ago, in August 2011, U.S. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the first federal program to cut carbon emissions from the nation's biggest vehicles by raising the fuel standards those heavy-duty fleets must meet."

"Regulators are severely underestimating the health harms from the pollution that power plants dump into waterways, an environmental group said Wednesday."

"Federal agency aims to save the 500,000 to 1 million birds that die in the industry's vats of oily residue each year."