Environmental Politics

"NEW YORK -- Ben Wootton was just getting ready to bring his company out of bankruptcy last month when word from Washington stopped him in his tracks."

"WASHINGTON -– The bipartisan budget deal unveiled Tuesday night includes a provision that would open up new parts of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling."

The Obama White House announced that newly appointed Keystone XL opponent John Podesta would recuse himself from any decisions about the controversial pipeline. But documents have shown that ERM, the company that produced a favorable report on the pipeline for the State Department, had serious conflicts of interest, which were hidden by both ERM and the State Department.

"If drug companies follow guidance issued Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration, within three years it will be illegal to use medically important antibiotics to make farm animals grow faster or use feed more efficiently."

"Saying it wants to focus on the biggest polluters, the EPA proposes to cut federal inspections by one-third and reduce civil enforcement cases 23%. Environmental groups are alarmed."

"John Podesta, a vocal opponent of the Keystone XL pipeline, is returning to the White House to shore up U.S. President Barack Obama just as the administration weighs whether to approve the project."

"WASHINGTON -- U.S. Supreme Court justices offered President Barack Obama's administration some encouragement on Tuesday as they weighed the lawfulness of a federal regulation limiting air pollution that crosses state lines, mostly emissions from coal-fired power plants."

"As the oilsands campaign co-ordinator for the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Eriel Deranger receives numerous queries from people concerned about the environmental effects of development. But Deranger was skeptical this summer when she received an email from a fellow who claimed to be an acquaintance of Neil Young’s, and said the rock singer was interested in visiting northern Alberta."

"WASHINGTON — As the State Department readies its final review of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, environmentalists on Monday stepped up their fight against the project."

"Governor Christie has refused to join a coalition of eight Eastern states seeking to curb air pollution blowing in from Midwest and Southern coal-fired power plants that help make New Jersey’s air quality among the worst in the nation."