News and Articles


CSB Sets Sept. 28 Meeting on Freedom Industries Spill

Two and a half years after a chemical spill from Freedom Industries' Charleston, W.Va., facility, contaminated the public water supply for 300,000 people, the safety board will meet there and is likely to vote on its final report and recommendations.

Offshore Wind Strategy Has Arrived

The Department of Energy announced the publication of a collaborative strategic plan to continue accelerating the development of offshore wind energy in the United States.

Pennsylvania Measure Will Speed Mine Subsidence Insurance Payments

"Mine subsidence insurance is vital for people to protect their homes against damage from ground movement due to an underground mine collapse or water release, and homeowners' insurance typically does not cover this," Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller said. "It is vital we get these families the money they need quickly."

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Lyndsey Slabe eyes cleanup efforts in Bay Long, La., on  Sept. 10, 2016. A unified command of the Coast Guard, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, and ECM Maritime Services was established Sept. 6 to the spill. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles)

Spill Cleanup Under Way in Louisiana

Repair work on the damaged section of pipeline was under way on Sunday, and by then more than 6,000 gallons of oily water mixture had been recovered, the Coast Guard's District 8 reported.

EPA Adding Eight Sites to Superfund List

Half of the 18 sites EPA is adding or proposing to add were in operation within the past two decades. More than 850 Superfund sites nationwide have some type of actual or planned reuse under way, according to the agency.

Winners Announced for 2016 Climate Leadership Awards

U.S. Green Building Council and Second Nature select Arizona State University and Johnson County Community College as 2016 winners of higher education climate leaders competition due to their ongoing commitment to climate leadership.

Oklahoma Shuts Some Disposal Wells After 5.6 Magnitude Earthquake

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin tweeted that the order affects 37 disposal wells. Every well within 5 miles of a 10-mile section of the fault involved in the earthquake is to be shut down within seven days, and other wells in the area must be shut down within 10 days.

Climate Change Causes Pika Mammals to Disappear from American West

A recent U.S. Geological Survey study discovered that Pikas, small herbivores that live in mountain ranges in the American West, are disappearing from the areas due to climate change.

Tacoma wins award for flood planning project

Tacoma Flood Protection Project Wins Public Works Project of the Year Award

The American Public Works Association (APWA) has selected the Tacoma Central Wastewater Treatment Plant Flood Protection Project for one of its 2016 Public Works Project of the Year Awards in the Disaster/Emergency Preparedness category.

All employers, employees, and contractors within all three segments of the oil and gas industry (upstream, midstream, and downstream) are responsible for ensuring safe and healthful work sites.

LDAR Programs Continue to Evolve

LDAR programs are shifting from reactive to proactive, evolving from mere compliance to actively seeking and repairing leaks to using the best available control technology and practices to prevent leaks from occurring in the first place. Mandated use of preventive technologies and programs could be next.

Groundwater Cleanup Proposed for Vestal Water Supply in New York

The EPA has proposed a cleanup plan for the heavily contaminated Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1 Superfund site in Vestal, New York.

The list of metals that has been investigated related to former smelter operations includes arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, thallium, antimony, zinc, and copper. Arsenic is the primary contaminant of concern resulting from the smelter

Everett Smelter Lowlands Cleanup Proposed

The Washington State Department of Ecology's public comment period is open through Sept. 20.

Canadian Oil Refinery to Reuse 100 Percent of Water with New Wastewater Treatment Technology

Once fully operational this will be the only refinery in North America to recycle all wastewater for steam production, with the GE ZeeWeed Membrane Bioreactor and Reverse Osmosis Technology.

The scrubber was installed inside the treatment building eliminating the concern of freezing during cold months and costs associated with winterization. (Anguil Environmental Systems photo)

Treating Chlorinated Compounds from Groundwater Remediation

The complete vapor treatment system consists of several design features that ensure safe and effective operation in the expected challenging process environment.

LADWP Gets New Interim General Manager

"LADWP's most important responsibility is to the people of our city -- its leader needs to be someone who understands what it takes to provide the quality, reliable service Angelenos deserve," said LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. "As I talk with David and review his impressive track record, it's clear to me that he isn't just a proven customer service specialist, he's the ideal candidate to lead LADWP into its next era."

BHP Billiton Expects Dam Failure Findings Soon

The giant mining company reported a $6.2 billion year-end loss on Aug. 16 but said "good progress" is being made on environmental restoration, community resettlement, and community health following the November 2015 collapse of the Fundão tailings dam at Samarco in southeastern Brazil, a disaster that killed 19 people, including 14 working on the dams at the time.

EPA and DOT Finalize Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks

EPA and DOT Finalize Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks

In terms of emissions and energy use, trucks are the second-largest segment in U.S. transportation.

GE to Provide Water Recycling Technology for Chinese Coal-Fired Power Plant

Jingneng Zhuozhou coal-fired power plant to reuse 99 percent of wastewater.

Xylem Agrees to Acquire Sensus

"This will be an important milestone in our strategy to move Xylem's portfolio of solutions up the technology curve. The combination of Xylem's world-class brands and products with Sensus' leading-edge smart technologies will create a differentiated offering that will better meet our customers' evolving needs, including greater energy efficiency, water conservation, and improved life-cycle costs," said Patrick Decker, Xylem's president and CEO.

Wildfires Will Expose Millions of Americans to Air Pollution

Wildfires Will Expose Millions of Americans to Air Pollution

Intense climate change in states like California has resulted in wildfires that are not easily containable, leading to health risks due to air pollution.