Story Archives of 'Environmental Protection Agency'

Hugh Kauffman founded the Environmental Protection Agency in 1971 and is currently acting as ombudsman and senior policy analyst for that agency. Kauffman, who specializes in emergency response, says that a government cover-up is taking place to hide information about the dangerous toxins in the flood waters of the Gulf Coast region. Having served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, Kauffman says that the Bush administration is preventing the EPA from releasing information that oil and chemical companies are mandated by law to provide. He says that the Bush Administration’s cover-up is endangering residents and relief workers throughout the Gulf Coast region, who are being exposed to dangerous levels of toxins, some of which have been proven to cause cancer and birth defects. From his vantage point as the chief investigator for the 9/11 cleanup, he can confidently say that the Bush administration engaged in the same practice after 9/11—covering up the truth about the dangers in the air and water and lying to the public in the weeks after the disaster. Kauffman reports that over 75% of the heroes who responded to 9/11 have gotten sick, and in some cases have died, because of exposure to toxins at Ground Zero, and that he fears a similar fate will befall relief workers and residents in the Gulf Coast.

New Hampshire raked in five awards from the Environmental Protection Agency this year for making healthcare less environmentally damaging.

It is the most the state has received since the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment Program began giving out awards in 2003.

The nationwide program rewards hospitals and other groups for reducing waste, conserving energy, and eliminating mercury from their facilities.

New Hampshire Public Radio’s Kerry Grens has more.

New Hampshire is one of nine states involved in a lawsuit over a new EPA plan to regulate mercury pollution. We're looking at the details, what's being done and why this has caused such an uproar. Laura's guests are Stacy VanDeveer, Associate Professor of Political Scinece at the University of New Hampshire who teaches a course on environmental politics. VanDeveer also co-authored a study this year on greenhouse gas emission trading. Mike Rossler, Manager of Environmental Programs for the Edison Electric Institute, a trade association in Washington, D.C., that advocates for equitable legislation and regulation for electric companies in the U.S. We'll also hear from Dan Gorenstein, NHPR Reporter covering the mercury issue here in New Hampshire.

New England has outperformed the rest of the nation.

We're not talking the Patriots, we're talking about toxic chemicals.

A new report by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that New England has cut its releases of toxic chemicals by more than 90% over the last 15 years.

NHPR'S Mark Bevis has more.

If you'd like to see the Toxics Release Inventory for your area click here

Attorney General Peter Heed has announced that New Hampshire is taking the federal EPA to court.

The state is suing the Environmental Protection Agency over a change to federal air pollution regulations.

New Hampshire Public Radio's Mark Bevis has more.