Disasters

"Flow lines — the small, low-pressure pipes blamed for a fatal home explosion in Colorado last month — have long been a weak point at oil and gas well sites. They've been cited as the problem in more than 7,000 spills, leaks and other mishaps since the beginning of 2009, according to an E&E News analysis of state agencies' records."

"America’s tallest dam was built from earth, stone and concrete – and the towering ambition of Gov. Pat Brown."

"ALTON, Ill. — The first priority was, of course, keeping everyone safe, as floodwaters got so high that city crews stationed a canoe to navigate one of the lower downtown streets earlier in May."

"California lawmakers blasted state water officials Thursday for their oversight of the half-century-old dam that anchors the state's water system, in a hearing focusing on the design problems and aging that contributed to the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people downstream."

"New Jersey's working class are forgotten as federal government funds fixes for wealthier neighbors".

The heavier rains that could accompany climate change are raising serious concerns about whether California's Trinity Dam can safely handle them.

"As global temperatures rise and the oceans warm, what used to be 500-year floods are now happening more frequently."

"A wildfire in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has forced dozens of nearby residents to leave their homes, authorities said on Sunday, adding the blaze might not be fully contained for months."

"Unrelenting rain will drench the already saturated U.S. Midwest on Thursday and Friday, forecasters said, after floods in the region killed at least five people and forced residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate their flooded communities."