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Coast Guard to Take Testimony on Shell Grounding
May 20, 2013 8:42 am | by DAN JOLING, Associated Press | CommentsCircumstances surrounding the grounding of a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge off a remote Alaska island will be explored in a public hearing in Anchorage. The Coast Guard says a marine casualty investigation into the grounding of the Kulluk will begin at noon Monday at the Loussac Library and could last two weeks.
NRC Meets with Public After NC Nuke Plant Shuttered
May 20, 2013 8:41 am | CommentsThe sudden shutdown of a nuclear power plant outside North Carolina's capital city because of year-old data is likely to prompt questions at a local meeting with federal regulators. Nuclear Regulatory Commission employees hold an annual public meeting and question-and-answer session about the Shearon Harris nuclear plant on Monday.
NC Nuclear Plant Shut Down After Tiny Cracks Discovered
May 17, 2013 10:31 am | by EMERY P. DALESIO, AP Business Writer | CommentsA nuclear plant near North Carolina's capital city was shut down after operators reviewing ultrasonic tests from last year found the results showed tiny marks of corrosion and cracking that need repair, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.
Xcel Energy Proposes Power Plants in Southeast ND
May 17, 2013 10:27 am | CommentsXcel Energy is proposing two natural gas-fired power plants in southeastern North Dakota to help meet electricity needs during times of peak demand in the upper Midwest in coming years. The plants would be built near Hankinson, about 70 miles south of Fargo, if they are approved by regulators.
Foes Line Up Against Sale of W.Va. Power Plant
May 17, 2013 10:25 am | CommentsOpposition is mounting to Mon Power's proposed purchase of a coal-fired power plant in north-central West Virginia -- a deal critics say is overvalued and would unfairly raise rates. The Public Service Commission has scheduled hearings in Charleston for May 29-31.
Authorities: Crime Not Ruled Out in Texas Blast
May 17, 2013 10:19 am | by NOMAAN MERCHANT, Associated Press | CommentsInvestigators reviewing the explosion that ripped through a fertilizer plant in West, Texas last month have narrowed the number of possible causes to three: a problem with one of the plant's electrical systems, a battery-powered golf cart, and a criminal act.
Dozens Killed in Congo Mine Collapse
May 17, 2013 10:14 am | CommentsThe government of Congo says more than 20 people have died in village of Rubaye in the region of Masisi in North Kivu province in the far eastern part of the country when a bush mine collapsed Friday evening. A search for possible survivors is underway.
NRC to Discuss Review of Va. Nuke Plant
May 17, 2013 10:10 am | CommentsThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a meeting in Virginia to field questions on the agency's assessment of the safety performance last year at the Surry nuclear power plant. The meeting is scheduled for May 23 in Surry. NRC staff will be available to answer questions.
Ill. 'Fracking' Bill Ready for Vote
May 16, 2013 10:31 am | CommentsSupporters of high-volume oil and gas drilling say a bill to regulate the practice in Illinois is ready for a vote after last-minute negotiations over hiring and environmental concerns. The House bill was introduced in February with strong support but became stalled over an amendment requiring energy companies to hire Illinois-licensed water well drillers.
Arizona Land Swap for Copper Mine Gets Committee Approval
May 16, 2013 10:21 am | CommentsFederal legislation that would allow plans for a copper mine in southern Arizona to move forward has cleared one of its congressional hurdles. Arizona Democratic U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar say their legislation passed Wednesday in the House Natural Resources Committee.
Residents Protest Refinery in China
May 16, 2013 10:01 am | by ARITZ PARRA, Associated Press | CommentsMore than 2,000 people in southern China unfurled banners and shouted "Protest! Protest!" on Thursday to oppose plans for a petroleum refinery, in a large environmental rally that local authorities allowed to go forward in order to let the public vent frustration.
Mo. Rendering Plant to Cleanup 2,500 Animal Carcasses
May 16, 2013 9:41 am | CommentsState officials say up to 2,500 animal carcasses are buried in a trench near a closed cattle rendering plant in southwest Missouri. The owner of the former Halfway Packing Company in Polk County has signed an agreement to clean up environmental hazards on the property.
Fertilizer Plant Operator Defends Safety
May 16, 2013 9:28 am | CommentsThe developer of a proposed southern Indiana fertilizer plant said Wednesday the project will be safe and not handle explosive materials like a Texas plant where a deadly explosion occurred last month. All of the products made at the Ohio Valley Resources LLC proposed for the Ohio River city of Rockport will be liquid, non-flammable and non-explosive.
BP Challenges 'Fictitious' Claims from Oil Spill
May 16, 2013 9:18 am | CommentsBP is seeking to stop paying millions of dollars in what it calls spurious compensation claims stemming from the catastrophic 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The company warned Thursday that the excessive claims are jeopardizing its financial prospects.
NRC Chief: No Commitment on Hearing at Cal Nuke
May 15, 2013 9:53 am | CommentsThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not decided whether it will hold a public hearing on a plan to restart the troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant in California, the nation's top nuclear regulator said Tuesday. NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane is aware of strong public interest in California and among some members of Congress for a public hearing, but said agency officials still are working to determine the best way to inform the public.
