News and Articles


Personal Solar Panels Could Make Electricity More Accessible in the Developing World

The founders of June Energy developed the Emerald, a personal solar panel the size of a paperback, that can be used in developing countries.

Liz Kujawinski, left, and colleague Melissa Kido Soule work on oil dispersant study in WHOI Fourier-Transform Mass Spectrometry Facility. Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Dispersant Study Suggests Prolonged Deepwater Fate

The good news is that the dispersant stayed in the deep ocean after it was first applied; the bad news is that it stayed in the deep ocean and did not degrade.

AWEA: U.S. Wind Energy Industry Now Cost-competitive with Natural Gas

America's wind industry built 5,115 megawatts of wind power last year, barely half of 2009's record pace, but entered 2011 with more than 5,600 megawatts currently under construction -- and with wind cost-competitive with natural gas for new electric generation, utilities are moving to lock in favorable rates.

Study Explores Potential Tungsten Contamination in Drinking Water

A Kansas State University scientist is digging deep to solidify information about potential tungsten contamination in the nation's groundwater and aquifers.

Office of Naval Research, Marine Corps Have Reduced Petroleum, Energy Use in Afghanistan

To cut down on convoys trucking fuel to forward operating bases, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and elements within the Marine Corps have successfully demonstrated their goal to reduce petroleum and energy usage in remote locations in Afghanistan.

More than 24 million Americans have asthma.

NRDC: Lawmakers' Actions against Clean Air Will Put Children at Risk

The Natural Resources Defense Council and Health Care Without Harm say that efforts to block EPA's carbon dioxide pollution actions will result in adverse health consequences.

Railroad Administration Sets Meeting on Exempted Hazmat Transport

The Feb. 22 public meeting in Washington, D.C., is part of the Federal Railroad Administration’s review of its steadily increasing approvals for the movement of damaged packages or leaking tank cars that are not in compliance with hazardous materials regulations.

Pine tree study results may have application for air quality models

Pine Tree Study May Help Make Air Quality Models Closer to Reality

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Alla Zelenyuk said the results could have profound implications for policy governing particulate matter.

CarSharing Industry Forms Association to Drive Best Practices

Founding members are signatories to the Carsharing Industry Code of Ethics and Standards of Practices, which articulates the purpose, definition, and goals of carsharing.

Solar PV May be Viable with Lower Production Costs

“As PV technology improvements reduce cost faster than conventional technologies reduce cost, the world is likely to soon see an environment where PV subsidies are no longer necessary,” said report author Anthony Pavone.

Virgin Islands' Refinery to Install $700M Worth of Pollution Controls

Hovensa LLC also will pay more than $5.3 million to settle Clean Air Act violations; EPA estimates smog and asthma-causing emissions will be reduced by 8,500 tons per year.

DOT, EPA, CARB to Set Clean Car Standard by Sept. 1

The federal and state agencies will work together on fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks.

Dow, The Nature Conservancy Collaborate to Value Nature

The company will "operationalize" sustainability, according to Dow chief executive officer Andrew Liveris.

Would You Support a Climate Tax on Meat, Milk to Reduce Greenhouse Gases?

The researchers show that reduced meat, milk and egg consumption has two effects: a direct one which means significantly lower emissions of methane and nitrous oxide and an indirect one through land being made available which can be used for bioenergy cultivation.

Artist rendering of organic waste anaerobic digestion facility

W2E Now Permitted for Organic Waste Facility in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has granted W2E a solid waste permit for its planned anaerobic digestion facility in Columbia.

Current biochemical reactor appearance

Treating Mine Tailings Runoff

Park City, Utah, hit pay dirt with an anaerobic biochemical reactor that removed more than 99 percent of cadmium and zinc from shallow groundwater.

Ocean Energy Bureau Slates EIS Meetings for Oil & Gas Leasing

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement is developing a programmatic environmental impact statement for the Outer Continental Shelf and is seeking public comment.

SRNL Filter Redesign Reduces Waste Treatment Costs

The redesign of a filtration system by the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory is expected to help the DOE Office of Environmental Management drastically reduce cost and infrastructure for the treatment and permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

2011 World Environment Center Gold Medal Goes to Nestlé S.A.

The jury found that Nestlé’s environmental practices have been guided over the long-term by its “Creating Shared Value” approach to business

U.S. President Barack Obama

Obama Earns Average Grade on Environment, Group Says

Two year's into his term, Obama gets good grades for greenhouse gas endangerment finding but poor ones for endangered species from the Center for Biological Diversity.