Health and Public Safety
August 13, 2013 -
Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington found elevated levels of arsenic and other heavy metals in groundwater near natural gas fracking sites in Texas' Barnett Shale, providing further evidence tying fracking to arsenic contamination.
August 1, 2013 -
Across the South, Republican governors and state legislatures have turned down federal funding to expand Medicaid, excluding millions of uninsured, working-poor residents from health care coverage -- and missing an opportunity to shift costs away from expensive emergency-room care.
July 25, 2013 -
A new report from environmental groups documents widespread disregard for the Clean Water Act by electric utilities -- and an effort by the White House Office of Management and Budget to dilute proposed EPA rules trying to curb the industry's water pollution problem.
July 23, 2013 -
Amid plans to increase shipments of tar sands oil through Mobile, Ala., residents rallied in front of city hall today to urge officials to get the unusually dirty and dangerous fossil fuel out of their community.
July 17, 2013 -
Democracy North Carolina criticizes the $99,000 fine that's part of the proposed settlement between the utility giant and state regulators over water contamination from its coal-fired power plants as "piddling" while raising concerns about the company's political influence and close ties to Gov. Pat McCrory.
July 15, 2013 -
Civil rights and gun safety leaders are calling for the repeal of what some decry as racially biased "shoot-first" laws, which are especially popular in the South. Some are putting renewed pressure on the corporate members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the business advocacy group that promoted such laws in the states.
July 9, 2013 -
After proposing a rule to clean up toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants, the EPA holds a single public hearing -- but dramatically limits its scope. Environmentalists cry foul.
