FEMA says it didn't treat Puerto Ricans differently
FEMA says it didn't handle housing vouchers for displaced residents of Puerto Rico any differently from those of displaced Texas and Florida residents after last year's hurricanes.
Energy & Environment
The latest updates on energy and environment news, analysis and opinion covering energy policy and its impact on resources and climate.
Trump administration pressure on Tehran forces Iran to start selling discounted oil
By Dan Boylan - The Washington Times
The battle of wills between Tehran and the Trump administration intensified Monday, as Iranian officials privately admitted they will soon sell discounted oil and gas to Asian customers as they brace for the return of U.S. sanctions. Published August 13, 2018
Recent Stories
Toxics from manufacturing turn up in public water systems
Lauren Woeher wonders if her 16-month-old daughter has been harmed by tap water contaminated with toxic industrial compounds used in products like nonstick cookware, carpets and fast-food wrappers. Henry Betz, at 76, rattles around his house alone at night, thinking about the water his family unknowingly drank for years that was tainted by the same contaminants, and the pancreatic cancers that killed wife Betty Jean and two others in his household.
Third strong earthquake shakes Lombok as death toll tops 300
The Indonesian island of Lombok was shaken by a third big earthquake in little more than a week Thursday as the official death toll from an earlier quake topped 300.
Indonesia quake deaths top 130, aid effort intensifies
Aid began reaching isolated areas of the Indonesian island struggling after an earthquake killed at least 131 people as rescuers intensified efforts Wednesday to find those buried in the rubble.
Battling 18 blazes, California may face worst fire season
The largest wildfire ever recorded in California needed just 11 days to blacken an area nearly the size of Los Angeles -- and it's only one of many enormous blazes that could make this the worst fire season in state history.
Largest wildfire in California history still growing
Wildfires tearing through trees and brush, rampaging up hillsides and incinerating neighborhoods: The place-names change but the devastation is showing signs of becoming the new normal in California.
Man saved from quake-flattened mosque on Indonesia island
Soldiers have pulled a man alive from the rubble of a large mosque flattened by an earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok, while thousands of homeless locals waited for aid Tuesday and stranded tourists camped at beaches and in the lobbies of damaged hotels.
'Eat endangered species'
Why are bison no longer endangered? There are an estimated 5,000 bison in Yellowstone National Park owned by the government. An estimated almost 100 times as many, from 300,000 to 500,000, are in herds that are privately owned.
Bunny boom plaguing Washington, D.C., a rebuke to government's 'protect and conserve' decree
Rabbits in the District of Columbia are multiplying like, well, rabbits -- and residents say the municipal government seems to be unaware of the bunny boom.
Portugal battles major wildfire as Europe heat wave endures
Emergency services in Portugal continued their fight Monday against a major, four-day wildfire on the south coast that threatened to engulf a hillside town overnight.
At least 98 dead after quake slams Indonesian island
A powerful earthquake flattened houses and toppled bridges on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok, killing at least 98 people and shaking neighboring Bali, as authorities said Monday that rescuers still hadn't reached some devastated areas and the death toll would climb.
The impacts and costs of flooding
In an era of increasingly intense and frequent severe weather, tens of millions of Americans are all too familiar with the impacts and costs of flooding.
Raymond Reinke, man who harassed Yellowstone bison, arrested at Glacier park
An Oregon man who was caught on video harassing a bison in Yellowstone National Park was arrested in Glacier National Park in the third disturbance in less than a week at a national park, officials said Friday.
SEC drops Exxon climate-change probe in latest blow to #ExxonKnew campaign
The Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its probe into whether ExxonMobil misled investors about climate change, the latest blow to the environmental movement's bid to pin global warming on the oil-and-gas industry.
Iran displays navy's ability to choke off Gulf oil flow
Iran's navy sent dozens of small boats into the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, dramatizing its ability to choke off the strategic Persian Gulf waterway -- a move that could send global oil and U.S. gasoline prices soaring -- and escalating the confrontation with the Trump administration for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Parts of Lynchburg, Virginia, evacuate over possible dam failure
A deluge of rain in Virginia has prompted evacuations below an overflowing dam.
Gulf's 'dead zone' significantly smaller this year: NOAA
The "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico shrank over the last year, researchers announced this week, suggesting at least some turnaround from 2017's record-sized region where sea life struggles.
Trump administration wants to roll back Obama-era mileage standards
The Trump administration moved Thursday to freeze fuel economy standards, saying that suspending higher Obama-era mileage requirements will give drivers access to "more affordable" vehicles and boost the economy.
Wildfires scorching homes, land -- and California's budget
Just a month into the budget year, the state has already spent more than one-quarter of its annual fire budget, at least $125 million, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Mohler said Wednesday.
Climate activists furious after NYT debunks #ExxonKnew narrative
ExxonMobil received a helping hand Wednesday in its battle to debunk the climate-change movement's #ExxonKnew narrative from an unexpected source: the New York Times.
Maryland officials criticize upstream states for bay debris
After a week of heavy rain, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has a message for states upstream of the Chesapeake Bay: Step up and take responsibility for the sediment and debris pouring into the nation's largest estuary.
'Sharp increase' in global heat-wave deaths expected by 2080, study shows
Deaths related to severe heat waves across the world are likely to increase by over 470 percent by the year 2080, according to Australian researchers raising the alarm that governments should prepare for the fallout from intense temperatures.
National Geographic photog admits viral 'climate change' image of starving polar bear was misleading
National Geographic contributing photographer and speaker Cristina Mittermeier acknowledged Thursday that her now-viral photographs of a starving polar bear went "too far" in linking the bear's condition to the effects of climate change.
U.S. says no need for better gas mileage, heavy vehicles safer
The Trump administration is citing safety to justify freezing gas mileage requirements.
Twin wildfires threatening 10,000 California homes
Twin wildfires tearing through vineyards and brushy hills threatened some 10,000 homes in Northern California Tuesday -- yet another front in the seemingly endless summer of wildfires that have ravaged some of the most scenic areas of the state.
Climate change alarmists burned by studies showing destructive wildfires in decline
Scenes of Californians fleeing their homes and Greeks swimming out to sea have fueled alarm about climate change fueling deadly wildfires, but recent studies show that such destructive blazes are on the decline worldwide.
South Africa tells Putin it can't afford nuclear plants now
South Africa's leader has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country cannot afford to buy nuclear power plants from Moscow, a change from his scandal-ridden predecessor.
Fatal wildfire rips through California towns; residents flee
An explosive wildfire tore through two small Northern California communities Thursday before reaching the city of Redding, killing a bulldozer operator on the fire lines, burning three firefighters, destroying dozens of homes and forcing thousands of terrified residents to flee.
Trump administration sets sights on Libya's oil reserves in behind-the-scenes power play
As Libya endured yet another oil blockade, which pulled nearly 850,000 barrels per day from the world's markets, Trump administration officials worked behind the scenes over the past month to pressure key militia leaders, government officials and oil executives to cooperate or face dire consequences, multiple sources told The Washington Times.
MSNBC's Chris Hayes fuels outcry by describing climate change as 'ratings killer'
MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes' admission that climate change is a "ratings killer" has infuriated environmentalists who accused the liberal network of being more concerned about its bottom line than with fighting global warming.
Watchdog: Energy Dept. broke law with anti-Obamacare tweet
The Energy Department violated the law when it tweeted an anti-Obamacare column by Secretary Rick Perry last year, a government watchdog said Thursday.
Bipartisan letter sent to Trump warning of the Russian threat toward U.S. energy industry
The White House received a bipartisan push Wednesday to ramp up defenses against Russian hacking of U.S. utility networks.
Arson wildfire forces entire California town to evacuate
A fast-moving wildfire -- believed to have been sparked by arson -- tore through trees, burned five homes and forced evacuation orders for an entire forest town as California sweltered under a heat wave and battled ferocious fires at both ends of the state.
Turkey to continue importing Iranian oil, despite U.S. sanctions
Turkey will continue to import oil from Iranian-owned and -operated energy companies, in direct opposition to the latest round of economic sanctions levied against Tehran by the Trump White House, Ankara's top diplomat said.
This vital U.S. Army unit is always in the crosshairs of environmental activists
Six years after Superstorm Sandy battered the Atlantic Coast, the Army Corps of Engineers this summer rolled out its plans to secure the New York shoreline -- and once again found itself in a bitter fight with environmentalists who say the blueprint is an ecological disaster waiting to happen.
Russia hacked electrical grids in 2017, had potential to trigger blackouts: Report
Russia targeted not only elections but also electrical grids in 2017, U.S. government officials confirmed, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Monday night.
Greek wildfires kill 74 -- the deadliest season in decades
Wildfires raging through seaside resorts near the Greek capital torched homes, cars and forests, killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. Twenty-six of the dead were groups of families or friends found huddled together, some of them clasp in hugs. Others swam out to sea to escape the inferno and some never came back.
Forest fire burns west of Athens, residents flee on mopeds
A swift-moving forest fire burned through a mountainous area west of Athens on Monday, prompting residents to flee as smoke from the blaze turned the sky over the Greek capital a hazy orange.
Record high in Japan as heat wave grips the region
Japan recorded its highest temperature ever Monday as a deadly heat wave continued to grip a wide swath of the country and nearby South and North Korea.
Baltimore joins liberal cities seeking compensation from oil industry for climate change
Baltimore officials have moved forward with a lawsuit seeking to hold the oil industry financially responsible for climate change, a day after a judge threw out a similar claim filed by New York City.
Iowa tornadoes hit unexpectedly, causing damage and injuries
A flurry of unexpected tornadoes swept through central Iowa, injuring at least 17 people, flattening buildings in three cities and forcing the evacuation of a hospital.
Bloom Energy's bumpy future
Bloom Energy plans to go public on the New York Stock Exchange in late July. For a green energy start-up backed by the big Silicon Valley venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, Bloom has had a bumpy 16 years reaching this milestone. The financial and energy media have covered Bloom's self-inflicted controversies, which are hardly over.
Judge tosses NYC lawsuit blaming oil companies for climate change
A federal judge on Thursday threw out New York City's lawsuit against five of the world's largest oil companies, dealing another setback to liberal jurisdictions seeking to hold the petroleum industry financially responsible for global warming.
Colorado environmentalists fume over Starbucks mug featuring drilling rig
Less than two weeks after putting the kibosh on plastic straws, Starbucks has run afoul of the environmental movement with a newly released mug showcasing Colorado's oil-and-gas industry.
House passes $58.7 billion funding package for interior, environment, financial services in 2019
The House on Thursday took another step forward on its 2019 spending bills, passing a $58.7 billion package that funds interior, environmental, financial services and general government programs.
Trump charm offensive a strategic bid to detach Russia from China: experts
While the administration is taking clear actions to counter Moscow, some regional experts argue President Trump is simultaneously engaged in a careful strategic dance to decouple Russia from China, which the White House sees as the more serious long-term threat to the U.S.
Democrats label Brett Kavanaugh 'the next Scott Pruitt'
Senate Democrats labeled President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh as the "next Scott Pruitt" on Tuesday, arguing he will damage America's air and water if he's confirmed to the high court.
Major Chinese refinery switches importing crude oil from U.S. to Iran
One of China's largest independent oil refineries will switch from U.S. oil to Iranian crude amid continuing fallout from the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing.
Hawaii volcano boat tours continue after lava injuries
Hawaii tour boat operators plan to continue taking visitors to see lava, but will follow the Coast Guard's revised policy and stay farther away after an explosion caused molten rock to barrel through the roof of a vessel, injuring 23 people.
Over 34,000 D.C. water customers under boil advisory area after pump station malfunction
An estimated 34,000 customers of D.C. Water are on a boil alert from Thursday night into the weekend after a drop in pressure at a pumping station raised fears of contamination that could lead to illness.
U.S. accuses North Korea of violating oil sanctions: Report
The U.S. accused North Korea of violating U.N. sanctions by illegally smuggling oil into its borders, The Associated Press reported Thursday.
Plastic straw bans won't save oceans: 'We're trading a lot for nothing'
The rush to clean up the oceans by deep-sixing plastic straws is swelling as big corporate fish like Starbucks jump aboard, even as skepticism builds over whether the campaign is more trouble than it's worth.
MLB brings green initiatives to Washington for All-Star Break
MLB wants the 2018 All-Star Game to be the first event in professional team sports to receive certification from the Council of Responsible Sport, a board that encourages socially and environmentally conscious sporting events.
Trump stirs up NATO meeting with objection to Russian-German gas pipeline
President Trump on Wednesday stoked divisions in Europe by wading into the middle of an intense fight over the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, a project that critics fear will give Moscow new leverage in the region and could create a geopolitically dangerous Russian-German economic alliance.
Trump claims Germany 'totally controlled' by Russia, airs list of grievances at NATO summit
President Trump tore into the NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday with a double-barrel assault on Germany, saying a pipeline deal would render the country "captive to Russia" even as Berlin looked to the U.S. for defense from Russian aggression.
Trump pardons the Hammonds, Oregon cattle ranchers in land dispute
President Trump drew cheers Tuesday in the rural West by pardoning the Hammonds -- father and son ranchers who became symbols of the Obama administration's tight-fisted control of public lands and inspired the Bundy-led Oregon occupation.
Many out of power, water in flood-hit Japan; over 150 dead
Akira Tanimoto says his apartment narrowly survived the floods and mudslide at his residential complex over the weekend, and even if he wants to go back there with his wife and two pet birds, he can't because there is no water, power or food available.
Starbucks to phase out plastic straws by 2020
Starbucks plans to eliminate plastic straws in locations across the globe by 2020, the company announced on Monday.
U.S. citizens in Haiti warned to shelter in place
U.S. citizens in Haiti were told to shelter in place Sunday after a State Department alert warned of ongoing violence and protests in Port-au-Prince and the rest of the island.
Pope Francis warns climate change turning Earth into desert, garbage
Pope Francis is urging governments to make good on their commitments to curb climate change, warning that continued unsustainable development and rampant consumption threaten to turn the Earth into a vast pile of "rubble, deserts and refuse."
Recent Opinion Columns
Dark green money
In his review of "Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right," environmental writer Bill McKibben condemns moguls such as the Koch brothers for hiding "their contributions through outfits like DonorsTrust." In other words, according to Mr. McKibben, DonorsTrust, which is "committed to the principles of limited government, personal responsibility and free enterprise," is a conservative dark money conduit.
Fake support for a free market in energy
All of a sudden everyone on the left wants "free markets in energy policy." As someone who's advocated for that for, oh, about three decades (let's start by shutting down the Energy Department), this riff should be music to my ears. But is laissez faire energy policy really what liberals are seeking?
Taking aim at the real polluters
Two of the world's biggest polluters are China and Russia. You would think that U.S. environmental groups would be major critics of these countries; yet, the reality is some take money from entities controlled by these governments and disseminate their propaganda.
An outdated mandate that drives up gasoline prices
Only in Washington do we call expanding a program "reform" and more special-interest handouts "fixes." That's precisely what's happening with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) — an outdated ethanol mandate that drives up gasoline prices and puts refiners out of business.
Energy infrastructure: Ensuring reliability, resiliency
President Trump recently announced the framework for his infrastructure plan and I applaud him for not only recognizing the need to improve all facets of our nation's infrastructure but for also demonstrating the leadership needed to push forward this major initiative.
Making a historic investment in public lands infrastructure
World-class infrastructure is the pride of a prosperous nation. America is the greatest country this world has ever known — she deserves the greatest infrastructure. Unfortunately, our roads, bridges and tunnels have been neglected due to years of inaction. Our public lands have suffered a similar fate. As secretary of the Interior and chief steward of our public lands, I inherited a maintenance backlog of more than $11 billion in our national parks alone.
Energy-dominant U.S. will transform global landscape
I had an argument recently with a woman in Moscow over American energy production. She simply did not believe that the United States has become the largest energy producer in the world -- which marks a real shock to the ordinary Russian's self-image.
Burying 'sue and settle'
Whether you consider yourself pro-regulation, anti-regulation or something in between, chances are you're in favor of clear, open rules. Whatever the policy a particular government agency is following, it should be transparent to all, right?
Paving the path to U.S. energy dominance
This week, the Trump administration is hosting "Energy Week" to discuss with state, tribal, business and labor leaders how we can pave the path forward toward U.S. energy dominance.
The promise to keep
President Trump usually prefers to blaze his own path through the thicket of global diplomacy — "globaloney" a wit once called it -- much to the dismay of the scented-handkerchief crowd. He softened his skepticism of NATO, and that's a good thing, and postponed a final decision on whether to keep his promise to withdraw the United States from the Paris treaty on global warming. He wanted to keep the good feelings intact at the G-7 summit.
Why it's a critical -- and ideal -- time to upgrade America's energy infrastructure
Our nation's aging infrastructure is in significant need of investment and care if we want to ensure a secure future for coming generations.
Energy goals: Jobs, production, modern infrastructure -- and good environmental stewardship
American consumers deserve safe, secure and efficient energy that's affordable and meets the needs of the 21st century economy. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has already begun work on a pro-domestic energy policy that will improve our nation's energy infrastructure, create jobs and reduce energy bills, but much more needs to be done.
King Coal's big comeback
Buried in an otherwise humdrum jobs report for March was the jaw-dropping pronouncement by the Labor Department that mining jobs in America were up by 11,000 in March. Since the low point in October 2016 and following years of painful layoffs in the mining industry, the mining sector has added 35,000 jobs.
Unleashing American energy
President Trump has nullified many of Barack Obama's climate change fantasies and the sky is still up there. But judging by the uproar from voices in the climate change industry, only an unexpected miracle is keeping the firmament in place. As cooler heads keep an eye on the thermometer in the months and years to come, America can balance legitimate concerns about pollution against the necessity of exploiting affordable energy.
From The Vault
Scott Pruitt departs EPA after scandals -- and fulfilling conservative goals
Scott Pruitt resigned Thursday as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, ending a rocky 15-month tenure after fulfilling a number of top conservative goals while battling myriad scandals over his personal behavior in office.
California's new water restrictions send residents fleeing to saner states
"Please sir, I want some more," is no longer a sentiment just for Oliver Twist in the orphanage. A new law in California limits how much water can be used by each household. Now their showers, how many flushes, and how often they can do their laundry will be under the watchful eye of the state government.
A secure energy grid starts with copper
It's not hard to imagine the role that energy plays in our daily lives — in fact it becomes immediately apparent when we experience even a brief power outage in our home or workplace. Quite simply, it stops us in our tracks.
America's squandered oil wealth
Bismarck is reported to have said, "there is a providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America."
Boulder joins San Francisco, New York in seeking millions from oil industry for climate change
Coastal municipalities like New York City and San Francisco suing oil companies over rising sea levels gained an unexpected ally Tuesday with Boulder County, which is about 1,000 miles from the nearest ocean.
Bahrain's largest oil find estimated at 80 billion barrels
The small island-nation of Bahrain says its largest ever discovery of oil amounts to an estimated 80 billion barrels.
EPA chief Scott Pruitt scraps Obama-era fuel efficiency rules
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on Monday formally scrapped a key piece of the Obama administration's fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light-duty trucks, throwing the future of the program into doubt.
Arnold Schwarzenegger to sue oil companies for 'first-degree murder'
Arnold Schwarzenegger said Sunday that he plans to take big oil companies to court for "knowingly killing people all over the world."
China Energy, world's largest power company, to invest $83 billion in West Virginia shale gas
China Energy, the world's leading power company, announced Thursday it plans to spend more than $83 billion on shale gas and chemical projects in West Virginia, a deal that represents a massive foreign investment in American energy.
Trump administration to offer 76M acres for offshore drilling, largest lease sale in U.S. history
The Trump administration is putting more than 76 million acres of federal water up for lease in the largest offshore drilling initiative in American history.
EPA chief Pruitt announces end of Clean Power Plan
Scott Pruitt announced Monday that the Trump administration would roll back Obama era regulation on coal-fired power plants.
Warmed again by coal
Gentlemen, start your thermostats. Ladies, too. The Obama war on coal, which cost Hillary Clinton the vote in once-reliably Democratic West Virginia, is over. Maybe the war on nuclear energy, too. Americans might soon heat their homes without choosing between the warmth and food and medicine.
'Polar Row' exploration team smashes world records in icy north
Besides achieving the fastest average rowing pace in the Arctic Ocean, the Polar Row crew was the largest to row across the Arctic and the first to row from south to north across it. They also reached the northernmost latitude by a rowboat in a proper ocean crossing and broke the world record speed for rowing across the whole Arctic Ocean.
Trump's former Las Vegas cohorts gird for battle to stop his Yucca Mountain nuclear waste plan
The White House's plan to revive a nuclear waste dump at Nevada's Yucca Mountain has pushed President Trump into an all-out war with Las Vegas, as powerful casino owners and city economic leaders vow to fight the administration tooth and nail over the proposal.
Why coal is Number One
Quick: what was the number one source of electricity production in the U.S. during the first half of 2017? If you answered renewable energy, you are wrong by a mile. If you answered natural gas, you were wrong by a tiny amount.
