Public

"The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday declared its first-ever 'public health emergency,' saying the federal government will funnel $6 million to provide medical care for people sickened by asbestos from a mine in northwest Montana."

There is a debate in Congress over the wisdom of a massive expansion of the U.S. electrical grid.

"If you’re thinking about buying a cleaner, more fuel-efficient car, you might think a hybrid is your best option. But some automakers want people to look at an older technology when they’re looking for green cars: the diesel engine."

"The federal agency has proposed regulations that could cut mercury emissions 81% to 93% annually. Industry representatives warn the rules would increase costs and could lead to outsourcing."

"Exxon Mobil Corp. must pay victims of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill $480 million more in interest on their delayed punitive damages awards as well as cover $70 million in the company's own appeals costs, a federal appeals court ruled Monday."

"John Norris, a veteran Iowa political aide who has been chief of staff for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, was nominated Wednesday by President Barack Obama to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission."

"A Purdue University study shows that introducing a new hybrid of the American chestnut tree would not only bring back the all-but-extinct species, but also put a dent in the amount of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere."

"The Energy Department's scaled-back goal for capturing carbon at the proposed FutureGen coal-fired power project is getting poor reviews from environmentalists."

"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today approved the repeal of mandatory royalty waivers, also called 'royalty relief,' required under a 2005 energy law for certain offshore oil and gas production."