Articles by Grist staff

Oil hits $100 a barrel

Some folks are reeling after yesterday’s brush with significant arbitrariness (if there is such a thing) as oil prices briefly hit $100 a barrel in trading before settling slightly lower. The significance of $100-a-barrel oil has often been debated, with environmentalists and others coming down on all sides of the issue. Some greens get all […]

Two years after Sago Mine explosion, many mine-safety standards still not implemented

In January 2006, 12 coal miners were killed when an explosion in West Virginia’s Sago Mine trapped them underground. In response, Congress passed legislation strengthening mine safety standards. Two years later, many of the standards have yet to be implemented, to the frustration of the United Mine Workers union. Says union president Cecil Roberts, “[The […]

Britain expected to back new construction of nuclear power plants

Britain is expected to next week give a nod to new nuclear-power-plant construction. A judge overturned an initial go-ahead in February, saying the government failed to properly consult the public; officials have undertaken five months of public consultation in the lead-up to the expected announcement. “Dozens of individuals and organizations have contributed to the consultation […]

Bush administration will offer oil leases in prime polar-bear habitat

The U.S. Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service plans to offer offshore oil and gas drilling rights to 29.7 million acres of Alaska’s Chukchi Sea. The area is home to one of two U.S. polar bear populations; interestingly enough, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — also a part of the Interior Department — is within […]