Articles by Grist staff

U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Navy sonar case

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in the long-running dispute over the Navy’s use of mid-frequency active sonar off the coast of Southern California. Environmentalists and wildlife advocates argued that restrictions on the Navy’s use of sonar imposed by lower-court judges should be upheld — at least until the Navy conducts its required […]

Snippets from the news

• Penguins will take a hit from climate change. • GAO investigating quick approvals of oil and gas drilling projects in Utah. • Salmon shortage threatens killer whales. • United Nations bashes biofuel subsidies. • These days, cleantech is where the venture capital is. • Forestry companies, green groups, and indigenous groups reach rainforest agreement.

Some venues relocated to minimize eco-impact of Russia’s 2014 Olympics

Final venues have been approved for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Following outcry from environmentalists over the original proposal for a gigantic winter-sports complex adjacent to a national park, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reared his head and suggested changes to mitigate eco-impact. Organizers have relocated some venues, as well as cutting a […]

Ships must slow down where right whales hang out, says NOAA

Ships need to slow down when traveling in the hang-out spots of critically endangered right whales, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday. Ships 65 feet or longer must slow down to 10 knots (that’s 11.5 miles per hour for landlubbers) within 23 miles of major mid-Atlantic ports. Government scientists had originally suggested a […]