Environment
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 -
A new poll finds that the majority of North Carolina residents oppose fracking, but their elected state representatives are aggressively pushing to fast-track the controversial gas drilling technique in the state. Could a backlash be brewing?
July 12, 2013 -
Hundreds of Eastern North Carolina residents plan to sue pork giant Smithfield Foods over the company's hog farm pollution, which they say has infringed on their property rights. Meanwhile, state lawmakers are finalizing an ALEC model bill designed to discourage such farm nuisance suits.
July 11, 2013 -
More legislators in North Carolina than in any other state have signed Americans for Prosperity's pledge that discourages action on climate change. Credit for the pledge's political success goes to the billionaire brothers of Koch Industries who founded AFP -- but also to North Carolina's own Art Pope, a conservative mega-donor and longtime AFP leader.
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.
July 5, 2013 -
The NRDC's annual report on bacterial contamination at U.S. beaches finds serious problems at popular swimming spots across the South. The group is calling on the federal government to take action to better protect beachgoers from serious health risks.