EPA has announced plans to place additional limitations on the use of three organophosphate pesticides — chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion — to protect endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Anticipated changes to product labels include the addition of pesticide buffer zones; application limitations based on wind speed, soil moisture [...]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing its strategy for increasing the supply of renewable fuels, poised to reach 36 billion gallons by 2022, as mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
“As we work towards energy independence, using more homegrown biofuels reduces our vulnerability to oil price spikes that everyone feels at [...]

The challenge of meeting future water needs under the impacts of climate change and rapidly growing human demands for water may be less bleak than widely portrayed a team of Swedish and German scientists says
If the overall water resources in river basins were acknowledged and managed better, future food crises could be significantly reduced, say [...]

By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
Environmental activists no longer have a monopoly on April 22.
Events this week show that Earth Day is attracting a broad and growing fan base that includes music lovers who flocked Sunday to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and college students, community gardeners, moviegoers, corporate executives and others.
“When Earth Day started, [...]

The finding has important political implications for the management of air polution.
After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.
Based upon the court ruling, the [...]

In an effort to protect people where they live, work, and play, EPA announced the distribution of $197 million appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to assess and clean up underground storage tank petroleum leaks. EPA estimates that these funds will create or retain significant numbers of jobs and contribute [...]

Cleaning fluids used in hospitals may pose a health risk to both staff and patients. A pilot study published in BioMed Central’s open access journal Environmental Health has found that potentially hazardous chemicals are contained in a selection of agents used in several different hospitals.
The study was conducted at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Sustainable [...]

A long-term study of sisters reinforces the importance of healthy living for better health.
Women who maintain a healthy weight and who have lower perceived stress may be less likely to have chromosome changes associated with aging, than obese and stressed women, according to a pilot study that was part of the Sister Study.
The long-term [...]

In another sign of change in Washington, The Environmental Protection Agency will soon begin $2.25 million program to test the air in and around schools for toxins.
The program will be the first time tests are specifically aimed at air contamination near schools.
“Questions have been raised about air quality around some U.S. schools, and those [...]

For the first time, the EPA is proposing to set emission limits for formaldehyde, benzene, acrolein and other air toxics from certain stationary diesel and gas-fired engines. In 2008, over 1 million of these engines generated electricity, powered equipment and operated during emergencies at industrial, agricultural and other facilities.
The new rule would only [...]