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Appeals court rules EPA must protect waterways from construction pollution

The U.S. EPA is required by the Clean Water Act to protect the nation’s waterways and drinking water from construction-industry pollution, and the agency must develop regulations to address construction-site runoff by December 2009, a federal appeals court ruled [PDF] Thursday. Sediment from construction sites, usually washed into rivers and other waterways via storm water, […]

Snippets from the news

• House passes No Child Left Inside environmental-education bill. • Sharing the catch is good for fish and fisherfolk. • Evangelicals less concerned about climate change. • Will T. Boone Pickens convince Wal-Mart to switch from diesel to natural gas? • What are Al Gore’s plans with Plenty magazine? • France will not impose picnic […]

It’s like social activism, only artier

Friday is PARK(ing) day, and you are cordially invited, via this DIY kit [PDF], to join the fun.

The financial meltdown and other considerations for clean energy development

Tom asked earlier what the "anarchic" disintegration of Lehman Brother’s carbon trading desk — taking place within the broader disintegration of the entire company — means in the bigger picture. And the answer, most likely, is pretty much nothing. This is true for a variety of reasons, not least among them that Lehman Brothers was […]

Environmental champion Philip Clapp, dead at 54

Philip Clapp. Photo: National Environmental Trust Philip Clapp, a lifelong champion for environmental causes and an early, eloquent voice on global climate change, died in Amsterdam early this morning. He was admitted to the hospital there two weeks ago with a sudden and unexpected illness. He was 54. "This is such a shock," said Carl […]

Snippets from the news

• T. Boone Pickens puts hold on water-pipeline plan. • Grizzlies are thriving in Montana. • Seattle bag tax will be put to a vote. • Berkeley approves city-backed loans for solar panels. • Web sees rise of carpooling startups.

Gray wolves in northern Rockies to remain on endangered list for now

Gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains will remain on the endangered species list for the foreseeable future, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesperson. FWS’ Ed Bangs said Tuesday that the agency will withdraw its rule (released in March) that had declared the gray wolf population in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming recovered and […]

Snippets from the news

• Bushmeat should not be banned, says U.N. • Chamber of Commerce opposes carbon-dioxide regulation. • Public transit system makes profit by lowering fares. • Accounting system at Minerals Management Service found inadequate. • Greenpeace releases guide to greener electronics.

Ozone hole bigger this year than last

Happy International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer! Sad to say, the hole that plagues the ozone is already bigger this year than last, and will likely not max out in size until late September or early October. As of Saturday, the hole measured 10.4 million square miles; last year, at its biggest, […]

Hurricane Ike leaves toxic mess on Galveston Island

Hurricane Ike left a big mess behind as it passed over Galveston, Texas, and other Gulf Coast areas, but the mess wasn’t just from debris. Just as with Hurricane Katrina, the combination of destructive high winds and subsequent flooding have created a toxic soup that’s potentially dangerous to residents, cleanup crews, and the environment. Floodwaters […]