All Environment
- Tropical storm Dorian loses strength in Atlantic Ocean
Tropical storm Dorian continued to weaken in the Atlantic Ocean, centered off the coast of west Africa late Thursday, as Flossie spun far from land in the Pacific Ocean. Both tropical storm Dorian and Flossie are expected to weaken further over the coming days.
Gulf rig fire: How safe is offshore natural gas drilling?A Gulf rig fire off the coast of Louisiana underscores the dangers of offshore natural gas and oil drilling. Though no sheen was reported during initial surveys after the Gulf rig fire, federal officials said it was time the industry address safety issues in offshore natural gas and oil projects.
World will use 56 percent more energy by 2040Developing countries are driving the consumption of inexpensive fossil fuels, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Government intervention and international exchanges of low-carbon technology could help mitigate the effects of climate change, experts say.
- Tropical storm Dorian moves west across Atlantic
Tropical storm Dorian grew stronger Thursday morning as it moved west across the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of west Africa. Currently, there are no land threats from tropical storm Dorian.
Does fracking lead to earthquakes?There is mounting evidence that fracking can cause seismic temblors thousands of miles from the site, King writes. The fracking is not the culprit but rather the disposal of the brine used to do it.
FocusAs Poland's fracking future turns cloudy, so does Europe'sIf any European country could have a US-like fracking boom, it's Poland. But optimism has waned.
Wood-rail bird spotted in US. Birders go nuts.Wood-rail bird is causing a stir in the birding world. The rare Rufous-necked wood-rail bird has never before been spotted in the US, but for the last two weeks one of the birds has been right at home among the cattails at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
- Wood-rail bird spotted in US. Birders go nuts.
Wood-rail bird is causing a stir in the birding world. The rare Rufous-necked wood-rail bird has never before been spotted in the US, but for the last two weeks one of the birds has been right at home among the cattails at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Rig blowout: Gulf of Mexico natural gas well catches fireA rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico caught fire and continued to burn Wednesday. No injuries have been reported, and officials stress the rig blowout wouldn't be close to as damaging as the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Middle East unrest continues to roil oil marketsWhile the poles are shifting away from the Middle East in terms of oil production, global economic concerns and conditions remained anchored solidly to the region, Graeber writes.
Electricity prices on the rise. Higher bills to come?A rise in natural gas prices pushed wholesale electricity costs higher in the first half of 2013, according to the Energy Information Administration. While that doesn't directly translate to retail energy costs, the upward trend doesn't bode well for ratepayers in the long run.
- Rig blowout forces evacuation of Gulf natural gas rig
Rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday forced the evacuation of 47 workers aboard a drilling rig, authorities said. Natural gas flowed from the leaking rig off the Louisiana coast in the wake of the rig blowout.
Corpse flower: Missed it in D.C.? There's another in California.Corpse flower attracted crowds in Washington Sunday night, but if you missed the stinky flower bloom you can see another one within the next week at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The school says its greenhouse will be open to the public during the one-day blooming of the so-called corpse flower.
Peach State no more? Blueberries lead Georgia's fruit crops.Peach State may actually be the Blueberry State. Georgia is famous as a major producer of the peach but the so-called Peach State actually makes more money from another fruit crop: the blueberry.
Greenpeace: Shenhua coal project dumps toxic water in ChinaGreenpeace: Shenhua coal-to-liquid pilot in near Ordos City in Inner Mongolia is draining groundwater and discharging high levels of toxic wastewater, according to a report released Tuesday by the environmental campaign group. The Greenpeace Shenhua report found that the coal project drained more than 50 million tonnes of groundwater from the Haolebaoji region since 2006.
Idyllwild fire mostly contained. Now mudslide threatens California homes.With the Idyllwild fire 85 percent contained early Tuesday, some residents now face the potential for flooding and mudslides in burned areas. Storms doused flames from the Idyllwild fire, but forced the evacuation of 20 homes in the path of potential flooding and mudslides.
US Navy eyes recovering bombs from Great Barrier ReefTwo US jets jettisoned four unarmed bombs in Australia's Great Barrier Reef after aborted training mission. Officials of Great Barrier Reef park, world's biggest network of coral structures, say finding options for rapid recovery of bombs is high priority.
Schwarzenegger filming documentary on climate change and wildfiresActor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is at work on a documentary on climate change and how it impacts the fire season. Mr. Schwarzenegger was in western Montana, profiling the Snake River Hotshots as they work on the lines of the 9.6-square-mile West Mullan Fire burning north of the town of Superior.
Hydropower: the unsung hero of renewable energyHydropower accounts for more electricity production than solar, wind, and geothermal combined, but gets far less press because it is a mature technology with a much lower annual growth rate than most renewables. Still, hydropower will likely continue its leading role as the world’s most important producer of renewable electricity until well into the next decade.
Why oil companies are leaving the Gulf of MexicoNew drilling technologies have contributed to exponential production gains for onshore oil and natural gas in the United States. The Gulf of Mexico is still giving up substantial amounts of oil, but some companies seem to be betting the biggest bonanza will be onshore.
