Articles by Grist staff

N.Y. wind rush brings corruption complaints, divides rural communities

Lured by generous state subsidies, the wind industry is having its day in the sun breeze in upstate New York. But the scramble for turbine-friendly land has led to complaints of corruption and caused schisms in rural communities. At least two wind companies are being investigated for shady dealings, and evidence of possible improper influence […]

Common chemical in food containers not a health threat, says FDA

Food containers made with common chemical bisphenol A pose no health threat, according to a draft assessment by the Food and Drug Administration. More than 100 government- and university-funded studies have linked BPA to cancer, diabetes, behavioral disorders, and reproductive problems, and an April report from the National Toxicology Program declared there was “some concern” […]

Snippets from the news

• Oil and gas leases on Colorado’s Roan Plateau sell for record amount. • High fuel prices mean ramped up drilling and mining. • Climate change, past forest management make western U.S. susceptible to fire. • Electric bikes sell like hotcakes. • Invasive snail could hurt Lake Michigan. • New species of robin found in […]

Sen. Boxer none too happy about feds’ attack on ESA

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) wrote a letter Friday to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne expressing “great concern” over the Bush administration’s sneaky attack on the Endangered Species Act. The change would allow federal agencies to green-light many projects with no independent review of impact on endangered species — which, uh, kind of defeats the purpose. Boxer […]