Smoke

Monday Briefing

May 21, 2012 |

United Kingdom lowers expectations for shale gas. Supporters of the controversial drilling practice known as fracking — which blasts water, sand and chemicals at extreme pressures to release gas trapped deep in rock – have argued it could transform Britain’s energy market. But the government is backing away from the idea. Industry experts disclosed at a meeting attended by top officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron, that the UK’s reserves were smaller than thought and could be uneconomical to extract. The disclosure, ahead of energy market proposals due this week, is certain to be welcomed by environmentalists. Separately, there still are high hopes for shale gas in Australia. The Independent, The Sydney Morning Herald

Rampant sand mining taking an environmental toll in India. The sand is being excavated for use in the nation’s construction industry, the world’s third-biggest. But the unprecedented scale of the mining of sand — needed to build offices, factories, high-rise apartments, schools and highways — is creating problems. Sand is a natural aquifer, and ecologists say the mining, some of it unauthorized, reduces the recharge of rivers. It also increases the risk of flooding and harms coastal farm soil by making it saline. Fishermen say it is killing fish, and wells in riverside villages are drying up. In addition, excavation has eroded the stability of roads and railway bridges. The Washington Post

Worker deaths often lead to only minor penalties. In 2009, 4,551 people were killed on the job in the U.S., a toll that eclipsed the nation’s deaths from the nine-year Iraq war. Yet the typical fine for a worker death is about $7,900. “These deaths take place behind closed doors,” said Michael Silverstein, recently retired head of Washington State’s workplace safety agency. “They occur one or two at a time, on private property. There’s an invisibility element.” The Center for Public Integrity

Diabetes soars among adolescents. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers found that 23 percent of youths ages 12 to 19 had diabetes or pre-diabetes in 2008. That was up from 9 percent in 2000, although experts cautioned that measurement techniques may have exaggerated the increase. The study also found that 50 percent of overweight teens, and 60 percent of obese teens, had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including diabetes, borderline-high or high cholesterol levels or high blood pressure. In people with diabetes, the body does not make enough of the hormone insulin or doesn’t use it properly. Long-term complications can include heart attacks, blindness and kidney failure. USA Today, MyHealthNewsDaily

Texas power plant developer challenging new environmental rules. When the Environmental Protection Agency issued new limits on emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants last December, it was expected to lead to the closing of some coal-fired power plants. But the developers of a proposed Texas power plant — in Matagorda County, about 90 miles southwest of Houston — have gone to court to challenge the regulations. Developers of the White Stallion Energy Center say the federal rules, formally known as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, cannot be achieved with existing pollution controls. The $2.5 billion plant would be fueled by coal and petroleum coke. Houston Chronicle

Recalls: Jeep Wranglers, J&B Group steakhouse burgers, Caribeña papayas, River Ranch Fresh Foods bagged salads, Foster Farms turkey burgers, Lancaster Frozen Foods and G&W ground beef, Gills diced red onions, West Coast Nutritionals Firminite and Libidron capsules, Santos flours, legumes and spices

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein