Environment Focus Washington from

Saudi Wind Farm Wins International Award

February 14, 2020 Focus Washington

A wind farm in the Kingdom’s northwest has won an international award for its low production costs. The project, which generates electric power from wind energy in Dumat Al-Jandal, won the 2019 Middle East and […]

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Refineries Show Benzene Levels over EPA Recommendation

February 6, 2020 Focus Washington

At least 10 refineries showed levels of benzene that were above the government’s “action level” for the pollutant at their fence lines as of September of last year, a report has shown. Oil refineries are required to […]

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Trump Administration Reduces Federal Protections For Streams And Wetlands

January 24, 2020 Focus Washington

The Environmental Protection Agency is dramatically reducing the amount of U.S. waterways that get federal protection under the Clean Water Act — a move that is welcomed by many farmers, builders and mining companies but […]

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High EU Official Detects Hints of U.S. Climate Shift

January 24, 2020 Focus Washington

There are signs President Donald Trump is starting to engage more seriously on climate change and listening to the concerns of corporations, the European Commission’s vice-president and head of its ‘Green Deal’ said on Thursday, […]

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Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Scolds Climate Activist Greta Thunberg

January 23, 2020 Focus Washington

Just when the Swiss mountain spat between President Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg seemed to have blown over, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin took a new dig at the young climate activist on Thursday, Reuters writes. […]

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Greta Thunberg Urges World Leaders to Give Voice to Young Activists

January 21, 2020 Focus Washington

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, urged world leaders to listen to young people on Tuesday, Reuters informs. “I’m not a person that can complain about not being heard,” […]

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Rain and Hail Pelt Fire-Ravaged Australian States

January 16, 2020 Focus Washington

Severe thunderstorms are pelting some regions of Australia suffering from historic wildfires with powerful rain and large hail, CNN writes. The storms could bring some much-needed relief to the firefighters battling some of the worst […]

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AP: Australians Leave Homes as Heat, Winds Escalate Fire Danger

January 10, 2020 Focus Washington

Thousands of people fled their homes and helicopters dropped supplies to towns at risk of nearby wildfires as hot, windy conditions Friday threatened already fire-ravaged southeastern Australian communities, The Associated Press writes. The danger is […]

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Thunderstorms Bring Relief, but also Danger to Australian Wildfires

January 8, 2020 Focus Washington

Thunderstorms and showers brought some relief for firefighters battling deadly wildfires across Australia’s drought-parched east coast on Wednesday, but also raised concerns that lightning will spark more fires before dangerous hot and windy conditions return, […]

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Australia Urges People to Flee as Fires Could Surge over the Weekend

January 4, 2020 Focus Washington

Authorities urged Australians on Friday to evacuate parts of the eastern states of Victoria and New South Wales to escape bushfires they fear are set to burn out of control this weekend, Reuters informed. In […]

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AP: Weather Raises Australia’s Fire Danger

January 3, 2020 Focus Washington

One of the largest evacuations in Australia’s history was underway Friday ahead of hot weather and strong winds that are forecast to worsen devastating wildfires raging across the country, The Associated Press informs. More than […]

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Trump’s Administration Terminates Pollution-Tracking Map

December 24, 2019 Focus Washington

A federal database that was tracking pollution in the United States was terminated at the beginning of this month by the White House. The database was in the form of an interactive map hosted by […]

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Trump Snaps at Wind Farms, Says He ‘Never Understood Wind’

December 23, 2019 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump snapped at wind farms on Saturday, with a claim that energy produced by wind turbines causes a large carbon footprint. Trump held was speaking to the conservative student group Turning Point USA, […]

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UN Chief Warns About Climate Change Efforts

December 1, 2019 Focus Washington

The world must stop a “war against nature” and find more political will to combat climate change, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday, the eve of a two-week global climate summit in Madrid, […]

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Winter Storm Strands 1,000 Near Grand Canyon

November 29, 2019 Focus Washington

Some 1,000 people were stranded without heat or power in a small Arizona town near the Grand Canyon on Friday during a major winter storm that threatened to disrupt travel for millions as it moves […]

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Winter Storms Hamper Thanksgiving Travel, Stranding Cars and Planes

November 28, 2019 Focus Washington

Two winter storms blasted the United States on Wednesday, stranding motorists and causing thousands of flight delays as Americans jammed highways and airports to visit family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday, Reuters writes. Scores […]

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Vegan Sues Burger King for Making Meatless Whoppers on Same Grill as Meat

November 18, 2019 Focus Washington

Burger King is being sued by a vegan customer who is saying that the meatless Whoppers were made on the same grills used for meat. According to Reuters, Phillip Williams filed a class-action lawsuit in […]

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Apple Commits $2.5bn to Combat Housing Crisis in California

November 5, 2019 Focus Washington

Apple announced a comprehensive $2.5 billion plan to help address the housing availability and affordability crisis in California. As costs skyrocket for renters and potential homebuyers, and as the availability of affordable housing fails to […]

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New Wildfire Engulfs San Bernardino Homes

October 31, 2019 Focus Washington

New wildfires have spread and engulfed several houses, threatening other homes nearby in San Bernardino, Southern California, CNN reported citing officials. Residents awoke to be rushed into evacuation as the fires are racing from hillsides […]

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Brazil Says Oil On Its Beaches Could Come from Venezuela

October 10, 2019 Focus Washington

Thick crude oil that has been mysteriously washing up on beaches in Brazil is “very likely from Venezuela,” Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said on Wednesday, citing a report by state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro […]

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The New York Times: Notre-Dame’s Toxic Fallout

September 15, 2019 Focus Washington

The April fire that engulfed Notre-Dame contaminated the cathedral site with clouds of toxic dust and exposed nearby schools, day care centers, public parks and other parts of Paris to alarming levels of lead, The […]

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Japan May Have to Dump Radioactive Fukushima Water into the Ocean

September 11, 2019 Focus Washington

Eight years after Japan’s worst nuclear disaster, the government is not sure what to do with the contaminated water that remains – but its environment minister says dumping it into the ocean might be the […]

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Mick Jagger Criticizes Trump over Environmental Policy

September 9, 2019 Focus Washington

Singer Mick Jagger spoke out recently against President Donald Trump’s environmental policy and his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. “We are in a very difficult situation at the moment, especially in the […]

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Hundreds of Flights Canceled Due to Hurricane Dorian

September 4, 2019 Focus Washington

Hurricane Dorian has moved northward, prompting Florida airports to cancel hundreds of inbound and outbound flights. Nearly 1,200 flights scheduled to start or end in Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach were canceled Tuesday […]

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Florida Issues Evacuation Orders Over Dorian Threat

September 2, 2019 Focus Washington

Hurricane Dorian continued to batter the Bahamas and Abaco Islands early Monday with winds up to 200 mph and extreme storm surges, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Category 5 storm has become the […]

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Dorian Strikes Bahamas as Second Strongest Atlantic Hurricane on Record

September 1, 2019 Focus Washington

Hurricane Dorian crashed into the Bahamas on Sunday as the second strongest Atlantic storm on record and inched closer to the U.S. mainland, with parts of Florida evacuating and Georgia and the Carolinas bracing for […]

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Pope Challenges World Leaders to Start with ‘Drastic’ Climate Change Action

September 1, 2019 Focus Washington

The Pope urged the governments to take serious actions towards climate change. The Hill reports that the Pope said that governments have a “responsibility” at the United Nations Climate Action Summit this month to show […]

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POLITICO: How the G-7 Fell for the Amazon Scam

August 30, 2019 Focus Washington

Emmanuel Macron may not technically be a celebrity, but he tweets like one, POLITICO’s Rich Lowry writes in an opinion piece. Prior to the G-7 summit, the French president declared on Twitter, “The Amazon rain […]

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EPA Wants to Ease Regulation of Methane Emissions

August 30, 2019 Focus Washington

The Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal on Thursday to ease regulation of methane emissions, a particularly potent greenhouse gas believed to contribute significantly to climate change, because it believes the Obama administration improperly regulated […]

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Swedish Teen Climate Activist Greta Thunberg to Sail into New York for U.N. Summit

August 28, 2019 Focus Washington

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was expected to sail into New York Harbor on Wednesday in a zero-carbon emissions vessel, completing her 14-day journey from England to partake in a United Nations climate summit in […]

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