"The Tennessee Valley Authority's Colbert and Widows Creek power plants have already burned their last piece of coal to generate electricity, but some environmentalists are worried that the tons of coal ash left behind in watery ponds could cause environmental problems long after the burners were turned off."
"Three attorneys general on Tuesday directly challenged Volkswagen’s defense over its emissions deception, calling the decision to thwart pollution tests an orchestrated fraud that lasted more than a decade, involved dozens of engineers and managers and reached deep into the company’s boardroom."
The U.S. EPA is facing off with Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency over exempting taconite mining operations from clean-water rules meant to protect wild rice.
"The [Canadian] federal government has quietly approved the use of a highly controversial chemical for dispersing ocean oil spills, despite growing scientific evidence it doesn’t always work as claimed and even intensifies the toxicity of oil."
"Concluding a long legal climb to cleaner air, the federal government Monday announced a record $425-million settlement with two oil refiners that is expected to reduce pollution emissions in the West by almost 43,000 tons annually."
"Under new rules announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday, solid waste landfill operators must begin capturing methane emissions from their sites at levels one-third lower than current standards permit."
"The level of mercury found in the umbilical cords of babies in Grassy Narrows First Nation was high enough to affect their brain development, according to a new report obtained by the Star."
"Coal is looking at a starring role during the Republican national convention, as support for clean coal takes a step toward greater bipartisan support.
The fossil fuel was included in the draft political platform ahead of this week's convention in Cleveland.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who serves as the Republican National Committee's platform chairman, said the final platform would seek to lay out an agenda that reverses the "failed" policies of the Obama administration. Barrasso's state is home to one of the nation's largest coal regions."
"California regulators Wednesday again rejected Volkswagen’s plan to fix diesel cars that were programmed to cheat on air pollution tests, saying the proposal lacked enough detail for the state to gauge its effectiveness."
"Dirtier rivers or higher electric prices. That's what environmentalists and utility officials say is at stake in an upcoming federal court ruling in Virginia could have far-reaching effects on how energy companies dispose of coal ash waste left over from decades of burning coal. Spurred by high-profile coal ash spills and new federal regulations, utilities are grappling with the disposal of vast amounts of the heavy-metal-laced waste."
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