All Environment
Extreme drought threatens central California coast's coho salmonCalifornia's extreme drought is dimming prospects for recovery of endangered coho salmon along the central coast. The salmon's migration from river to ocean, and vice versa, is impeded by dry patches in rivers.
Coal-ash spill: How certain that Dan River is safe for drinking, wildlife?Authorities say water from North Carolina's Dan River is safe to drink, a week after millions of gallons of coal-ash sludge leaked into it. But concerns remain about metals in the water and their possible effects on the river's food chain.
FocusWinter weirdness: Is Arctic warming to blame?This winter has brought unseasonable warmth to Alaska, frigid temperatures to much of the Eastern US, and more drought to California. The jury is still out on whether a warmer Arctic is behind the extreme weather.
Despite new coal-ash spill, EPA will stick to semi-tough approachA Duke Energy coal-ash facility accidentally poured 100,000 cubic feet of muck this week into the Dan River on the North Carolina-Virginia border, turning it gray. The EPA is likely to tighten disposal rules on coal ash, but it won't designate it 'hazardous.'
Fracking poses water threat in drought-stricken statesHydraulic fracturing for oil and gas is posing a growing risk to water supplies in several regions around the country, according to a new report.聽Competition between water use for fracking and other uses is not new, particularly in dry areas, but as oil and gas production rises, the issue will only grow in importance.
Renewables disrupt utilities. That's a good thing.Rather than lament renewable energy's disruption of the traditional utility business model, Lovins writes,聽we should help progressive utilities and disruptive upstarts shape a new electricity system powered increasingly by clean, distributed renewables.
Most ocean havens for fish aren't. Researchers ID ways to do better.A comprehensive look at 87 marine-protected areas, set up to protect fish populations, finds that more than half the time the ocean havens make no difference. But researchers identify five factors that seem key to improvement.
Nuclear repository fire contained in New MexicoNuclear repository fire in New Mexico has been snuffed out, according to local officials, after a fire broke out at the facility Wednesday morning. The nuclear repository is used to store low-grade nuclear waste, including plutonium-contaminated clothing and tools.聽
In California drought, a message to consumers: Water is powerConsumers are being told to save water now so they'll have electricity later. California gets 15 percent of its electricity from hydropower, and drought has brought water levels to dangerous lows.
Frost quakes cause strange sounds, light flashes in frigid MidwestFrost quakes, technically known as cryoseism, have been reported in Missouri and across Midwestern states. Swings in temperature lead to frost quakes, which happens when moisture in the ground suddenly freezes and expands.
Snow, ice leaves 400,000 still without power. Can the grid handle winter?Hundreds of thousands remained in the dark Thursday after a winter storm brought a mix of snow, ice, and freezing rain to the Northeast United States. The recent spate of cold weather and winter storms has weighed heavily on the nation's energy infrastructure.
Winter storms send natural gas prices to 4-year highWinter storms in the Northeast United States sent natural gas prices Wednesday to a high not see since early 2010.聽An unusually cold January complete with multiple snow storms has the region burning through more natural gas than expected.
How to use less fossil fuel at homePutting solar panels on your roof will only take you so far. The trick is finding ways to use more of the electricity in your home and send less of it to the grid where you will likely be charged per kilowatt-hour for your share of upkeep.
Is this the beginning of the end of coal?Coal may be poised for a comeback in 2014 as natural gas prices rise and extreme cold push up electricity demand. But new EPA regulations and investor trepidation point to a structural decline for coal, Cunningham writes, not a cyclical one.
Winter storm hits Northeast as emergency energy aid runs lowAfter dumping聽snow, sleet, and freezing rain on Midwestern states Tuesday, the latest winter storm is bringing another blast of cold to the Eastern Seaboard.聽The recent string of winter storms has sapped the home energy assistance funds used to aid low-income households with utility payments.
California drought: Why Jerry Brown doesn't want US House to helpCalifornia Gov. Jerry Brown opposes a US House bill, set for a vote Wednesday, that would send more water to the state's parched farmland, at the expense of endangered fish and other interests.
Minnow endangered no more? How the Oregon chub bounced back.Minnow endangered: The Oregon chub, a tiny minnow that lives only in the backwaters of Oregon's聽Willamette Valley, is set to become the first fish ever taken off the US government's list of endangered species.
Why Europe won't buy Canadian oilCanada says it wants to expand its oil export market, Graeber writes, but overseas obstacles and national trade policies could keep much of its crude oil out of Europe.
Nissan Leaf sales slip on icy weatherNissan Leaf and Chevy Volt sales slid in January, rounding out a bad start to 2014 for electric cars. Bitter cold was mostly to blame for a lack of interest in Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, and just about every other car on the market.
The Lone Star State's clean-energy leaderDenton, Texas is known for its festivals and eclectic music scene, Guevara-Stone writes, but the bustling community 30 miles northwest of Dallas聽is also a leader in clean energy, boasting more wind power per capita than any other city in the nation.
