Public

Some half a million people live in Texas' colonias, impoverished communities often without flush toilets, clean drinking water, or electricity. Such commmunities exist in other border states, and their residents suffer disproportionately from a spectrum of serious diseases that arise from this environment.

"DuPont Co. rejected affordable plant and equipment upgrades, ignored near-miss incidents and violated the chemical giant's own widely touted safety guidelines in failing to prevent three January 2010 accidents that left one Belle plant worker dead, federal investigators said in a report issued Thursday."

"Phosphate has been essential to feeding the world since the Green Revolution, but its excessive use as a fertilizer has led to widespread pollution and eutrophication. Now, many of the world’s remaining reserves are starting to be depleted."

"Green groups are cheering a proposed rule released by U.S. EPA this week that they hope will close a dangerous hazardous waste recycling loophole created in the waning days of the George W. Bush administration."

"Marauding insects have become a leading threat to the nation’s forests over the past decade, a problem made worse by drought and a warming climate, a federal report says."

"JAPAN -- Two reactors shut down for regular inspections have now been running at full capacity for months despite not receiving the final clearance from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)."

"Five out of the eight tuna species are at risk of extinction, conservationists warned today, as they called for urgent action to tackle over-fishing."

"House Republicans outlined a new round of spending cuts from environmental agencies Wednesday while denying President Barack Obama any increase for one of his top investment priorities: the National Science Foundation."

"Three senators reached a deal on Thursday to repeal the $6 billion per year ethanol tax credit by the end of July, an agreement that must still be passed by Congress."