Cap-and-trade is deader than dead. Everyone in Washington officialdom knows that. Virtually no one in Washington officialdom understands how it would work or how much economists think it would cost, but they’re certain it’s bad, bad, bad and had to die.
Source: Grist (2010) Read More
Under mounting pressure, the EPA launched a comprehensive study of hydraulic fracturing’s potential impacts on drinking water resources. The move signaled federal recognition that questions about contamination required systematic review. Communities awaiting answers looked to the agency for clarity — and for evidence that could withstand political crosswinds.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2010) Read More
Court rulings narrowed the reach of the Clean Water Act, limiting federal oversight of certain streams and wetlands. Environmental advocates warned that smaller waterways — often feeding larger rivers — could slip beyond regulation. For drilling operations and wastewater disposal sites, the implications were immediate. A legal technicality in Washington could determine what protections applied at the edge of a rural creek.
Source: The New York Times (2010) Read More