Morale at federal environmental and energy agencies has hit a new low.
FEDERAL AGENCIES: Already bad morale gets worse -- survey
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OIL AND GAS: Colo. forest plan would close Thompson Divide to new leasing
The White River National Forest is proposing to close Colorado's pristine Thompson Divide area to new oil and natural gas leasing as part of what it calls a concentrated effort to guide energy development where appropriate and to preserve key areas in a forest that draws millions of recreationists a year.
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DOE: More panel members tied to labs that they oversee
Nearly half of the members of a commission reviewing the Department of Energy's national laboratories have ties to those institutions.
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AIR POLLUTION: Industry, state regulators wary as EPA offers to help with ozone rules
The Obama administration is working to calm fears that pollution produced by wildfires or drifting from overseas will make it difficult -- if not impossible -- to comply with stricter national ozone standards.
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APPROPRIATIONS: Bid to block grouse listing in, effort to block water rule out of CRomnibus -- source
The spending bill congressional negotiators hope to release later today will include language that would block -- at least temporarily -- an endangered species listing decision on the sage grouse but wouldn't block the Obama administration's "Waters of the United States" rule, a source familiar with the discussions told Greenwire.
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ENERGY POLICY: NEI's Fertel pitches nuclear for final power plant rule, urges states to move toward clean energy standards
Will U.S. EPA include more specificity and opportunities for nuclear power in its final rule for regulating emissions from existing power plants? During today's OnPoint, Marv Fertel, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, discusses the future of nuclear energy as part of the Clean Power Plan and talks about market conditions that are affecting the viability of nuclear in the United States. Fertel also explains why he believes both the House and Senate will pass energy legislation during the 114th Congress.
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BELGIUM: Wind power storage island could break ground next year
Construction on a wind energy storage facility off the coast of Belgium could get underway early next year, providing a much-needed alternative for the European nation that is struggling to transition away from nuclear energy.
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CHINA: Local leaders probe aluminum plant accused of causing cancer in village
Chinese officials are looking into a town in Hunan province where runoff from an aluminum plant allegedly caused at least 10 villagers to develop cancer.
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SCOTLAND: Partisan spats heat up over wave technology troubles
Often praised by environmentalists, the Scottish National Party is taking heat from the Green Party for letting wave power fall to the wayside.
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ECUADOR: Gift shop closure could spell doom for Galapagos research station
It's time to either adapt or die for the oldest research operation on the Galapagos Islands.
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AUSTRALIA: Tesla charges into new market with Sydney showroom, charging network
Tesla has started selling its fully electric cars in Australia and has plans to create a charging network on the continent.
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ISRAEL: Oil spill may take years to clean up -- experts
An oil spill that flooded a nature reserve in the Israeli desert may take years to clean up, ecologists said today.
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WISCONSIN: Claims board hears another high-speed rail complaint
Canadian Pacific Railway is asserting that Wisconsin owes its employees more than $500,000 for helping develop a high-speed rail line between Madison and Milwaukee in 2009 and 2010.
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IDAHO: Lawmakers take new approach but maintain push for lands takeover
Idaho lawmakers are changing tone, planning to ask nicely instead of continuing to demand that the federal government cede control of its lands in Idaho to the state.
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CALIFORNIA: Water conservation program spends big during drought
Still suffering from persistent drought, Los Angeles upped its spending on water conservation measures.
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AIR POLLUTION: Feds mulling 'orange cloud' regulation
The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement is mulling new guidelines to limit nitrogen oxide pollution from strip mine blasting.
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TRANSPORTATION: States struggle to regulate Uber, Lyft
Ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft are pushing to ease state regulations on background checks for drivers even as they have come under fire internationally.
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Number of plug-ins rises -- especially in Calif.
About half of all plug-in electric vehicles in the country are in California, the Energy Information Administration said today.
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AGRICULTURE: Cows go missing as beef prices soar
Rising beef prices have officials in Idaho and other states worried about a resurgence of cattle rustling.
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PUBLIC HEALTH: Major school districts require antibiotic-free chicken in cafeterias
An alliance of big-city school districts adopted standards yesterday for sourcing antibiotic-free chicken to serve in their cafeterias.
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