Environment | WPN World People News

The Clean Water Rule restores clear protection to 60% of the nation’s stream miles and millions of acres of wetlands that were historically protected by the Clean Water Act, but have lacked guaranteed safeguards for nearly a decade. The rule enjoys broad support.

Hikers make their way through aspens in the Sunset Roadless Area.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday announced that it has reached an agreement with F&R Contractors Corp. and F&R Contractors LLC (F&R) to settle the companies’ alleged violations of requirements to control pollution from stormwater discharges. The agreement requires F&R to pay a $500,000 penalty, establish new staffing positions to oversee a stormwater compliance program, adopt companywide practices that require site meetings and inspections prior to construction, and provide comprehensive stormwater compliance training for employees and contractors.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a joint federal Clean Water Act order to ensure the cleanup of heavy crude oil leaked from a pipeline near Refugio State Beach, Santa Barbara County, Calif. The order requires Plains Pipeline, L.P. (a.k.a. Plains All American Pipeline), the pipeline owner and operator, to continue its cleanup work inland, beachside, and in the ocean, to contain the oil and prevent further shoreline contamination.

A farmer in The Gambia shows a dry tuft of rice in a drought period.

A bat with nightmarish fangs, a stealthy wolf snake, a ‘dementor’ wasp and the world’s second longest insect are among the 139 new species discovered by scientists in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong region in 2014. Many are already at risk, according to a new report by WWF.

Japan plans to hunt 333 minke whales annually for 12 years as part of a so-called scientific research programme.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have reached a settlement over DOE’s failure to meet a critical September 2014 Tri-Party Agreement milestone for beginning sludge removal from the K West Basin. The settlement includes an updated achievable and enforceable timetable for beginning and completing sludge removal from the Basin.

A Fall River, Mass. company, Precise Packaging, LLC, will purchase nearly $150,000 of equipment to assist emergency response capabilities in Fall River, under the terms of a recent EPA settlement. EPA had alleged that Precise Packaging violated federal Clean Air Act requirements to develop and implement a “Risk Management Plan” designed to prevent and/or minimize impacts from potential chemical releases at the facility.

WFP delivering emergency aid in Nepal.