News and Articles


December's Storm Related Losses Topped $4 Billion

While preliminary data show a higher-than-normal number of disasters, overall losses were below normal, in terms of economic and insured losses. The United States represented 60 percent of all global insured losses in 2015, according to the company.

New biopesticide will help control population of lampreys while also protecting Great Lakes

Lamprey Pheromone Becomes First Vertebrate Pheromone Biopesticide

The EPA has, for the first time ever, registered a sea lamprey mating pheromone as a vertebrate pheromone biopesticide, which will be used to help collect and remove adult lampreys before they have a chance of reproducing.

The Sustainable Development Goals stress zero poverty, zero hunger, good health, clean water and sanitation, and affordable clean energy.

UN's Sustainable Development Goals Now in Place

The 17 goals build on the eight Millennium Development Goals that sought to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, reduce child mortality; ensure environmental sustainability, and more.

California Water Pretreatment Facility Gets Grant

FEMA's announcement said the pretreatment facility will filter out debris, turbidity, and heavy metals discharged into the watershed that feeds the New Hogan Reservoir.

Safety-Kleen Environmental Raising Rates for Handling Used Oils

"We are again taking the necessary steps to address the continuing rapid decline in crude oil indices and base oil pricing. These adverse energy market dynamics are decreasing the values of our re-refined products and byproducts, as well as our recycled fuel oil," said Safety-Kleen Environmental Executive Vice President Kevin Hayden.

The Cooper Drum superfund site, located just 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles, has reached a $22 million settlement with the EPA in which new groundwater treatment systems will be constructed on the site as well as the company will reimburse the EPA for its past cleanups of the contaminated site.

Superfund Site in Los Angeles County Reaches Settlement with EPA

The Cooper Drum superfund site, located just 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles, has reached a $22 million settlement with the EPA in which new groundwater treatment systems will be constructed on the site as well as the company will reimburse the EPA for its past cleanups of the contaminated site.

New USGS Director Confirmed

Dr. Suzette M. Kimball has been leading the agency in an acting capacity since February 2013.

Living Shorelines Blunt Effects of Climate Change, Study Shows

"Shoreline management techniques like this can help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere while increasing coastal resilience," said Russell Callender, Ph.D., acting director of NOAA's National Ocean Service.

DOE Resumes Search for Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Repository

DOE will follow the process laid out in a strategy document from 2013. The strategy is to establish a pilot interim storage facility that mainly will accept used nuclear fuel from reactors that have already been shut down; a larger interim storage facility; and one or more long-term geologic repositories.

Using Videos to Inform Kids on Water Conservation

Save Our Water – California’s official conservation education program – has created a series of educational videos about water conservation to help keep kids informed on the current drought, and to also show them ways to conserve water themselves.

EPA Reaches Settlement with Clorox for Mislabeled Products

In 2013, Clorox attached misleading labels on their pesticide products on more than 600 occasions. The company reached a $250,000 settlement with EPA earlier this week.

Paris Accord, Disaster Risk Agreement Among UN Leader's 2015 Highlights

The Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction was agreed on in March and points the way toward resilience.

The White House #H2OInnovation public-private partnership is intended to foster water sustainability and increased efficiency and reuse.

White House Unveils #H2OInnovation Plan

As part of this outreach, the Obama administration released a new report that lays out the water innovation strategy in greater detail and hosted a roundtable on water innovation Dec. 15.

City Declares State of Emergency Over Lead Levels in Drinking Water

On Oct. 16, 2015, the city switched back to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department as its source of water, but lead levels "remain well above the federal action level of 15 parts per billion in many homes," according to the city's announcement.

EPA Moves to Protect Big Bend National Park and Other Wild Areas from Air Pollution

The EPA recently finalized a plan to address serious air pollution that is dramatically reducing visibility at the Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks in Texas and the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

World Leaders Hail Paris Climate Deal

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Paris Agreement "is a monumental triumph for people and our planet. It sets the stage for progress in ending poverty, strengthening peace, and ensuring a life of dignity and opportunity for all."

New Orleans Gets More Money for Katrina Damage

The settlement consists of $1.2 billion in previously unobligated recovery funds. The city of New Orleans, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness worked with FEMA to develop a final estimate of eligible costs for repairs.

Ten Killed in San Bernardino Were Environmental Health Specialists

They were all members of SEIU Local 721. Some of its members also were wounded in the gunfire.

Hand injuries from chemicals are a leading cause of injury in the cleaning industry.

Is This the End of Cleaning Chemicals as We've Known Them?

Engineered-water cleaning systems do work. They are an effective alternative to chemical cleaning that are not only very environmentally friendly, but a cost savings as well.

Mutual Housing California Begins Multi-Million Dollar Green Renovation

A Sacramento property recently started a $7.3 million green renovation provided by Mutual HoA Sacramento property recently started a $7.3 million green renovation provided by Mutual Housing California.using California.