News and Articles


Denali is the highest mountain in North America.

Mount McKinley Renamed Denali Ahead of Obama's Visit

The president is scheduled to visit Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell signed the order renaming North America's highest mountain on Aug. 28.

Panama Canal Authority Suspends Draft Restriction

Caused by El Nino conditions, the restriction had been set to begin Sept. 8.

Drought-Stricken California Island to Increase Fresh Water Supply

Catalina Island will defer, and possibly avoid, 50 percent water rationing with the expansion of a new GE Desalination System to produce up to an added 150,000 Gallons of water per day by treating the concentrated seawater from the existing desalination reverse osmosis system.

A whole house potable water system at a LEED Platinum Certified home in North Carolina collects rainwater from the roofs via leaders and piping and directs it to a series of storage tanks. The potable water tanks are installed in series and connected at the bottom to function as one large tank and to yield a total storage volume of more than 7,000 gallons. (Graphic courtesy of Infiltrator Water Technologies)

Tanks Evolve to Meet Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Water Reuse Demand

The evolved plastic tank is quickly becoming accepted by contractors, designers, and homeowners and because of the variety of size options available to satisfy varying needs.

This map of ocean surface temperatures shows how warm waters in the North Atlantic fueled Hurricane Katrina. (Scientific Visualization Studio/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center photo)

Researchers Find Link Between Amazon Wildfires and Atlantic Hurricanes

"Hurricane Katrina is, indeed, part of this story," said UCI Earth system scientist James Randerson, senior author on the paper. "The ocean conditions that led to a severe hurricane season in 2005 also reduced atmospheric moisture flow to South America, contributing to a once-in-a-century dry spell in the Amazon."

Removal Work Begins at St. Louis Superfund Site

EPA reports that structures and grounds at the site became contaminated with toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, trichloroethylene, and asbestos over decades of use as a manufacturing plant for automotive equipment.

World Nuclear Association Hails Japanese Reactor's Restart

"The restart of Sendai unit 1 puts Japan on the road to recovery. Going forward, it is essential that the nuclear industry works harder at building better relationships with the public as well as improving our performance and future technology offerings," said Agneta Rising, the association's director general.

This Shell photo shows the Noble Corporation

BSEE Outlines Extent of Shell's Alaska Drilling

The agency's director, Brian Salerno, on Aug. 17 said Shell's application to conduct exploratory drilling was approved after extensive review.

NRC

NRC Determines Yucca Mountain's Groundwater Impact 'Small'

This determination means the environmental effects of the spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste disposed there would not be detectable or be so minor they will not destabilize or noticeably alter any important attribute of affected resources.

Timbervest Managed Habitats Up to 30,000 Acres

"Thanks to these projects, thousands of acres of degraded habitats will be restored or improved so that wildlife can thrive. We're proud of the fact that our company succeeds when the environment is restored," said Joel Shapiro, CEO of Timbervest LLC.

WVDEP Sets Water Quality Standards Meeting

During the public meeting, DEP staffers will accept suggestions for criteria changes and additions as part of the upcoming triennial review for West Virginia's Water Quality Standards Rule, which the agency will propose in 2016 for consideration during the 2017 legislative session.

Flushable wipes are packaged with instructions that make it clear they can be safely flushed. (INDA graphic)

The Flushed Wipes Issue Clarified

In collaboration with the wastewater associations, INDA is committed to giving consumers the information they need to make wise choices. We believe consumers will make the right choice when they know what the right choice is.

City Declares Emergency as Spill Estimate Triples

EPA now estimates 3 million gallons of wastewater from an old gold mine spilled into the Animas River, part of the Colorado River system. The wastewater contains lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals.

The proposed rule will encounter fierce opposition from coal companies, coal states

Coal States' Governors Attack President's Climate Plan

"I am extremely disappointed and frustrated by the huge changes the EPA made from the proposed rule. What is being proposed for Kentucky is disastrous – disastrous for our declining coal economy and equally disastrous for our very important manufacturing economy," Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said.

CDC: Drought is a Public Health Issue

Drought can affect air quality and increase the incidence of illness and disease, according to the agency. Currently, parts of California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada are experiencing extreme or exceptional drought.

The ISO greenhouse gas standard has reached the voting stage.

ISO Greenhouse Gas Standard Reaches Voting Stage

"The key areas of focus for ISO 14064-1 will be accounting for indirect greenhouse gas emissions and the linkage between that and renewable energy, which is a very challenging area," said Tom Baumann, chair of the ISO TC 207/SC7 committee that undertook the revision.

Indiana Solar Array Contract Announced

The project in Marion, Ind., will consist of 9,972, 310-watt solar panels and 11 Nextronex 250 inverters and will provide the grid with the equivalent energy to power more than 350 homes.

Honeywell Agrees to Acquire Elster

Honeywell has agreed to pay approximately $5.1 billion for the company, which has three divisions -- Elster Gas, Elster Electricity, and Elster Water -- and will post sales this year estimated to be $1.8 billion.

NOAA Helping Washington State Monitor Algae Bloom

NOAA announced it is committing $88,000 in grant and event response funding to monitor and analyze an unusually large bloom of toxic algae off the state's coast.

The 2015 Alaska fire season is the third-largest season since reliable records began in 1950. More than 4.75 million acres have burned, according to NOAA.

Very Large Fires All Across Southern Alaska

The 2015 Alaska fire season is already the third-largest season since reliable records began in 1950, and more than 4.75 million acres have burned.