Trump's EPA budget proposal targets climate, lead cleanup programs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is proposing to slash a quarter of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's budget, targeting climate-change programs and those designed to prevent air and water pollution like lead contamination, a source with direct knowledge of the proposal said on Thursday.

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Early surge in coal usage in 2017 may not last

(Reuters) - There are signs utilities are buying more coal this year than last thanks to a late-year surge in natural gas prices, but the black rock still isn't expected to regain its crown from gas as the leading fuel source for power generation.

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U.S. EPA withdraws request for methane information from oil, gas companies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday withdrew a requirement for the oil and gas industry to provide information on methane emitted from its operations, one of what will be several moves to undo the Obama administration's climate change regulations.

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Oil, biofuels groups urge U.S. EPA deny refiner requests to tweak RFS program

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A coalition of trade groups representing oil, biofuels and other interests pressed the U.S. government on Thursday to deny requests to tweak the country's biofuels program, the latest in a series of political maneuvers that have roiled markets.

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Blizzard dumps snow on Hawaii, California set for record winter rain

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As California edged toward historic rainfall totals in one of the wettest winters in memory, its neighbor state across the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, has been hit with sustained blizzard conditions that have dumped 8 inches of snow onto mountain peaks.

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Stop-start cars push battery metal lead into investors' focus

LONDON (Reuters) - Investors are starting to focus on lead due to the large amounts of the metal in batteries used in increasingly popular stop-start cars produced by automakers aiming to comply with stringent new emissions legislation.

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Egyptian researchers turn shrimp shells into biodegradable plastic

CAIRO (Reuters) - Researchers at Egypt's Nile University are developing a way to turn dried shrimp shells that would otherwise be thrown away into thin films of biodegradable plastic they hope will be used to make eco-friendly grocery bags and packaging.

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