Public

EPA's takover of the cleanup of TVA's coal-ash spill in Tennessee came after revelations that TVA's effort to do the job by dredging threatened to become a "major toxic event."

"A U.S. ban on the use of carbofuran in food won't affect production of the pesticide at the Institute chemical plant because most of the product is shipped overseas, officials said Tuesday."

Marathon negotiations seem to have produced a deal on key points of climate-and-energy legislation among House Democrats. Energy Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) announced late Tuesday that he though he had enough votes to pass the compromise. It reportedly gives away about half of the CO2 credits to utilities and other heavy industry -- instead of auctioning them.

"Drivers in the US Southeast could get relief at the pump thanks to a proposed government-owned stockpile of gasoline to offset major supply disruptions, but lawmakers from those states have yet to back the legislation that would create the emergency fuel reserve."

"Environmentalists fear that as many as a million acres of wetlands will fall victim to a confusing patchwork of local rules that will leave them vulnerable to destruction if money for Michigan's protection program dries up."

"When it comes to food safety, state lawmakers around the country seem to believe in the adage, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself."

"China's frenetic construction of coal-fired power plants has raised worries around the world about the effect on climate change. ... But ... China has emerged in the past two years as the world's leading builder of more efficient, less polluting coal power plants, mastering the technology and driving down the cost."

"A last-minute health advisory issued by the Bush administration for water contaminated with the toxic chemical C8 may not be nearly stringent enough, according to a new scientific paper."

EPA announced Monday that it would take over cleanup of the Kingston, Tennessee, fly ash spill from a TVA plant under the Superfund hazardous waste law.