Pollution

"The Environmental Protection Agency has a murky future in the Trump administration. Hours before the President promised in his address to Congress 'to promote clean air and clear water,' he signed an executive order to roll back an Obama-era EPA clean water rule. Whatever happens to the EPA, this might be a good time to reflect on its legacy, especially in urban spaces. Though environmentalism conjures 'America the Beautiful' images of purple mountains and unspoiled wilderness, much of the EPA’s heaviest lifting in rescuing this nation from its own filth happened in cities."

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday withdrew a requirement for the oil and gas industry to provide information on methane emitted from its operations, one of what will be several moves to undo the Obama administration's climate change regulations."

"Residents in Flint, Mich., are about to start paying the full cost of their water again, even though what’s flowing from their taps has yet to be declared safe to drink without an approved filter."

"U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order on Tuesday directing environmental regulators to review an Obama-era rule that expanded the number of federally protected waterways as the president targets regulations that conservatives consider government overreach."

"WPX Energy Appalachia has paid a $1.2 million civil penalty for oil and gas violations that affected groundwater and private water supplies in Westmoreland County."

"A natural gas pipeline has been leaking since at least Feb. 7 and the company says it can't safely stop the flow of gas." "Natural gas from a 52-year-old underwater pipeline has been leaking for at least two weeks into Cook Inlet in Alaska, home to a number of endangered species, including beluga whales."

"A pregnant woman's exposure to air pollution has adverse effects on her fetus, according to a new international study, with prolonged exposure associated with nearly 1 in 5 premature births globally."

"A new study looks at fracking sites in four states, finding 6,648 spills between 2005 and 2014. Their research, the study's authors say, highlights a need for better data collection – and may help prevent future incidents."

"BLACKSTONE, Va. — A conservative Virginia Republican said he supports some U.S. EPA efforts and believes the climate is changing during a boisterous town hall last night in a rural part of the state."

"President Trump has vowed to roll back regulations on business, and automakers are wasting no time in pushing his administration to make good on the promise."