Pollution

Under Kathleen Hartnett White's six-year tenure at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state realized impressive declines in the levels of pollution during that time. For example, from 2000 to 2006, Houston (pictured above) grew by approximately 1 million people, a 25 percent increase, and yet saw eight-hour ozone design values plunge 26 percent. (Alex Garrido / Wikimedia Commons)

Beltway Confidential

How one Trump nominee combined environmental quality and economic development

Charles McConnell · November 27, 2017 5:01 am

This aerial photo shows spills from TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone pipeline, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, that leaked an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil onto agricultural land in northeastern South Dakota, near Amherst, S.D., the company and state regulators said Thursday, but state officials don't believe the leak polluted any surface water bodies or drinking water systems. Crews shut down the pipeline Thursday morning and activated emergency response procedures after a drop in pressure was detected resulting from the leak south of a pump station in Marshall County, TransCanada said in a statement. The cause was being investigated. (DroneBase via AP)

Energy and Environment

TransCanada: More than 44,000 gallons of oil recovered from Keystone spill so far

Kimberly Leonard · November 25, 2017 4:26 pm

Exxon (pictured), Shell, and BP, among other large energy companies, announced on Wednesday that they have signed a pledge to reduce methane emissions from natural gas production. The declaration represents another example of major energy companies taking a more aggressive posture toward climate change than the Trump administration. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Energy and Environment

Exxon, Shell, BP pledge to reduce methane emissions from natural gas

Josh Siegel · November 22, 2017 7:29 pm

California Governor Jerry Brown speaks in the U.S. Climate Action Center at the COP 23 Fiji UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Brown's and Michael Bloomberg's "America's Pledge" campaign works to compile and tally the climate actions of states, cities, colleges, businesses, and other local actors across the entire U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Energy and Environment

California Gov. Jerry Brown to protesters during climate speech: ‘Let’s put you in the ground’

Mandy Mayfield · November 11, 2017 5:38 pm

Syria President Bashar Assad intends to double down on an already proven strategy of redirecting carbon emissions out of the atmosphere. (Pankaj Nangia/Bloomberg News)

Beltway Confidential

How Syria will fulfill its Paris climate accord obligations

Tom Rogan · November 8, 2017 5:09 pm

"As we move forward, the agency will be able to prioritize, be more responsive to local needs, and move forward on a case-by-case basis." (AP Photo/Michael Virtanen, File)

Energy and Environment

EPA slow-walks decisions on who can’t meet ozone rules

John Siciliano · November 7, 2017 12:29 am

The Treasury Department said Exxon Mobil displayed "reckless disregard" in working with the president of Rosneft, who was on the list of banned individuals. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Energy and Environment

EPA fines Exxon $2.5 million for air quality violations

John Siciliano · October 31, 2017 5:43 pm

The California fires have released more than 10,000 tons of PM 2.5, particles that are a couple micrometers in diameter and regulated by the EPA due to concerns about their impact on human health. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Energy and Environment

California wildfires polluting air much faster than Cali cars

Diana Stancy Correll · October 13, 2017 10:04 pm

The Paris accord isn't just a bad deal, it's a fake deal. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

Beltway Confidential

The lies behind the Paris climate accord

Tom Rogan · August 8, 2017 5:27 pm

The bill is a challenge to the way the Obama administration updated the ozone regulations in 2015, making them more strict before states had a chance to meet the 2008 standards. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)

Energy and Environment

House votes to rein in EPA smog rules

John Siciliano · July 18, 2017 9:47 pm

Political commentator Van Jones suggested President Trump study California to learn how an economy can prosper with stronger environmental regulations. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Energy and Environment

Van Jones: Trump wants the US to be the world’s best polluter

Matthew Trunko · June 1, 2017 10:48 pm

Anti-nuclear activists jumped on the Handford incident to raise new support for opposing the nation's current nuclear waste policy. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Energy and Environment

White House says no sign of radioactive leaks after Hanford breach

John Siciliano · May 10, 2017 6:36 pm