Environment 2006 Archive | PBS NewsHour

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ENVIRONMENT


	2006 DECEMBER Dec. 27, 2006 United States Weighs Declaring Polar Bears 'Threatened' Species With polar bear numbers declining and their habitats melting, the Bush Administration has proposed labeling them a "threatened" species under the Endangered Species Act. The secretary of the Interior and an environmental lawyer discuss the proposal.

	Dec. 26, 2006 Nigerian Pipeline Explosion Kills Hundreds More than 260 people were killed Tuesday when a punctured gasoline pipeline exploded in Lagos, Nigeria.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 30, 2006 Presidio National Park Must Become Self-sufficient The Presidio of San Francisco, a former military base, is the only national park mandated by Congress to become financially self-sufficient.

	Nov. 29, 2006 Supreme Court Takes Up Global Warming Case The U.S. Supreme Court heard its first case on global warming Wednesday, with 12 states asking the court to mandate limits on greenhouse emissions from new cars and trucks. Experts discuss the case and analyze its significance.

	Nov. 3, 2006 Global Warming, Decline in Fish Stock Could Damage World Economy Two recent reports say the world's fish stock could be depleted in 50 years and global warming could take a severe economic toll on nations if dramatic measures are not undertaken. A science reporter explains.

	Nov. 1, 2006 Cost-cutting led to BP Refinery Fire, Report Concludes The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board said British Petroleum's cost-cutting at its Texas refinery led to a fatal explosion in March 2005. The head of the board discusses the findings.



	OCTOBER Oct. 30, 2006 Global Warming Could Significantly Impact World Economy, Study Says Unchecked global warming could impact the world economy on a scale comparable to world wars and the Great Depression, a report issued Monday by the British government says.

	Oct. 27, 2006 Firefighters Work to Contain Fire That Has Already Killed Four and Injured One Southern California firefighters are still struggling to contain a fire that authorities say was set ablaze by an arsonist. NewsHour Correspondent Jeffrey Kaye of KCET, Los Angeles, reports on the California fire that has already claimed the lives of four firefighters.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 14, 2006 Arctic Ice Melting at Growing Rate, NASA Finds NASA-funded studies conducted last year found that sea ice present year-round in the Arctic is melting at a rate of 9 percent per decade, and in two recent summers, the ice was at record lows.

	Sept. 7, 2006 BP Officials Testify on Pipeline Leakage British Petroleum in Alaska officials fielded questions at a House hearing on the factors that forced them to shut down pipelines at Prudhoe Bay and what caused a large-scale spill.



	AUGUST Aug. 31, 2006 California Moves to Be First State to Limit Greenhouse Gases California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers reached a landmark agreement on a bill requiring companies to cut output of greenhouse gases by 25 percent by 2020. Experts discuss the national implications of California's move to curb emissions.

	Aug. 22, 2006 Natural Gas Boom Impacts Rural Wyoming Town A natural gas boom in Wyoming has had both positive and negative impacts on a once small town.

	Aug. 8, 2006 Oil, Gas Prices Rise After Alaskan Oil Pipeline Shutdown The shutdown of pipelines in the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska is expected to heavily impact oil and gasoline prices. An oil markets analyst discusses the economic consequences.

	Aug. 8, 2006 Alaskan Oil Pipeline Leak Raises Environmental Concerns The oil giant British Petroleum will shut down most of its production at the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska because of corroded pipelines. An industry specialist outlines the environmental problems with the BP site and the president of BP Exploration Alaska explains the company's response.

	Aug. 7, 2006 How Does Your Vehicle Measure Up? Input the price of gas in your area, and see how your vehicle compares to other gas-electric hybrids, diesel-powered cars and trucks, and "flex-fuel" vehicles in cost and carbon dioxide emissions.

	Aug. 7, 2006 Focus on Fuel Standards Increases Along with Price of Gas As the price of oil balloons and trips to the gas pump cost more, U.S. fuel economy standards are coming under renewed scrutiny for their impact on global warming.

	Aug. 7, 2006 Fuel Economy Chart View fuel economy standards and actual road results for cars and light trucks since 1978.

	Aug. 7, 2006 Alaska Oil Pipeline Shutdown May Force Government to Open Emergency Stockpile Britain's BP PLC, a major international oil company, was forced to begin shutting down production at the largest oil field in the United States on Sunday.



	JUNE June 19, 2006 High Court Returns Wetlands Cases to Lower Court, Agrees to Hear Abortion Appeal The Supreme Court on Monday narrowly voided a lower court's decision blocking two developments on wetlands in Michigan, and agreed to consider a second appeal to reinstate a federal ban on so-called partial-birth abortions.

	June 15, 2006 President Bush Declares National Monument in Hawaii President Bush on Thursday announced the designation of a vast chain of Northwestern Hawaiian islands as a national monument, now the largest marine sancutary in the world. Ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and Joshua Reichert of the Pew Charitable Trusts discuss what the new designation will mean.

	June 8, 2006 Researchers Scramble to Create CO2-Busting Technologies With carbon dioxide comprising 80 percent of greenhouse gases, researchers are creating technologies to neutralize emissions and reverse their effects on global warming.

	June 7, 2006 Emissions Exchange Program Aims to Reduce Greenhouse Gases Among businesses addressing the global warming issue, the Chicago Climate Exchange is creating a trading market with financial incentives to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases.

	June 5, 2006 Global Warming Presents New Business Opportunities As various groups push to raise awareness of the adverse effects of global warming and energy prices continue to rise, companies are advertising greener, cleaner products that may cost a little more.

	June 5, 2006 Consensus Elusive on U.S. Global Warming Policy For decades lawmakers and others have debated the complex and politicized issue of changes to the Earth's climate, largely failing to find the consensus needed to implement and consistent national policy.

	June 5, 2006 International Snapshot: Countries Target Carbon Emissions As concern over global warming has grown, many governments worldwide have looked for ways to curb the amount of greenhouse gases their countries emit.

	June 5, 2006 Scientists Hope Venus Sheds Light on Earth's Warming In May 2006, the Venus Express settled into orbit around the second planet from the sun. Its mission: to provide scientists with data about Venus' runaway greenhouse effect.

	June 5, 2006 What Is Global Warming? The Earth maintains a temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 16 degrees Celsius, temperatures that enable people, plants and animals to live safely within its atmosphere.

	June 5, 2006 Emissions Trading Ins and Outs Greenhouse gases can contribute to global warming regardless of their country of origin. To reduce the impacts, it doesn't matter which region of the world cuts back on emissions, as long as the overall amount across the globe falls.



	MAY May 24, 2006 Former Vice President Al Gore Releases Documentary on Global Warming Former Vice President and presidential contender Al Gore is back in the limelight with a newly released documentary on global warming. Following a background report on his re-emeregence on the public stage, a reporter and his former chief of staff reflect on the new Al Gore.

	May 10, 2006 List Highlights America's Most Endangered Places The National Historic Trust for Historic Preservation released Wednesday its annual list of endangered sites, including buildings and neighborhoods. Jeffrey Brown speaks with Trust President Richard Moe.



	APRIL April 28, 2006 Republicans Struggle Ahead of Fall Election NewsHour analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss challenges facing the Republican Party ahead of November's midterm election, high gasoline prices and President Bush's appointment of new White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.

	April 27, 2006 Lawmakers Struggle to Respond to Rising Gas Prices As oil companies report huge profits for the first quarter of 2006, lawmakers have responded to rising gas prices with varying proposals including rebates and increased fuel efficiency standards. Two experts discuss the connection between oil, gas prices and profits.

	April 27, 2006 Reefs Near the Maldives Continue Decline Coral reefs provide both the foundations and the protection for the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean. Yet due to global warming, they could all be gone within 50 years. Lawrence McGinty of Independent Television News provides a report.

	April 26, 2006 20 Years Later, Chernobyl Still Weighs on Nuclear Efforts Twenty years after Chernobyl, the world's worst nuclear disaster, debate resumes over the use of nuclear power. Two experts discuss the what happened at Chernobyl and current concerns over nuclear power.

	April 25, 2006 President Bush Outlines Plan to Lower Rising Gas Prices President Bush set forth plans to temporarily halt deposits into the nation's emergency reserve of oil, ease environmental standards and investigate price gouging in an attempt to lower gas prices.

	April 17, 2006 Illinois Community Struggles with Continued Industrial Pollution Exelon Corporation didn't publicly acknowledge at least six spills of water containing radioactive tritium until recently--even though the first one happened in 1996. Residents of Will County, Illinois are now outraged and worried about tritium's effect on their health.

	April 13, 2006 Rising Gas Costs Increase Appeal of Biofuels Rising gas prices have increased the interest in alternative fuel sources such as biodiesel made from old cooking oil and ethanol made from corn. Paul Solman reports.

	April 13, 2006 Government Unveils New Orleans Rebuilding Documents Government officials released an analysis of flood risk in New Orleans and four nearby parishes Thursday -- the first such assessment since the 1980s -- and offered guidelines for rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

	April 4, 2006 Salmon Fisheries in Northwest See Trouble Ahead Salmon fisheries in the Pacific Northwest are worried that conservation efforts and environmental problems could devastate the lucrative spring season.

	April 4, 2006 Louisiana Struggles to Maintain, Improve Wetlands Even before Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana was losing miles of wetlands every year due to its systems of levees and canals. Now, the Army Corps of Engineers has asked the people of New Orleans to comment on a plan that includes restoration of some of the region's wetlands.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 24, 2006 Unrest Raises Concerns over Stability of Oil Supplies Concerns about the stability of global oil production are heightened following a failied attack on a key Saudi oil refinery, and attacks on oil workers and production facilities in Nigeria. Two industry experts consider the stability of the world's oil supply.

	Feb. 21, 2006 High Court Agrees to Hear Late-term Abortion Case The U.S. Supreme Court heard challenges Tuesday to federal environmental laws and scheduled arguments on state abortion restrictions. Ray Suarez discusses the arguments as well as Justice Samuel Alito's first day on the bench with Marcia Coyle.

	Feb. 16, 2006 Army Corps Races to Rebuild New Orleans Levees NewsHour correspondent Betty Ann Bowser provides a Science Unit report from New Orleans on efforts to rebuild the levee system before the next hurricane season.

	Feb. 10, 2006 President Declares America 'Addicted' to Oil In his 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush called for an end to the U.S. 'addiction' to foreign oil. Energy analysts assess his proposals and their chances for success in a highly politicized climate.

	Feb. 1, 2006 Facing America's Dependence on Foreign Energy In his 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush called for an end to the U.S. 'addiction' to foreign oil. Energy analysts assess his proposals and their chances for success in a highly politicized climate.

	Feb. 1, 2006 Coal Towns React to Recent Fatal Accidents Lee Hochberg of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports from West Virginia on the search for answers to last month's mining disasters.



	JANUARY Jan. 31, 2006 President Urges Fight on 'Tyranny', Steps to Keep U.S. Competitive President Bush, in his State of the Union speech Tuesday, said U.S. security depends on ending tyranny in the world, while maintaining U.S. competitiveness requires investments in technology and scientific learning.

	Jan. 31, 2006 President Urges Fight on 'Tyranny', Steps to Keep U.S. Competitive President Bush, in his State of the Union speech Tuesday, said U.S. security depends on ending tyranny in the world, while maintaining U.S. competitiveness requires investments in technology and scientific learning.

	Jan. 2, 2006 2005: The Year in Science In a review of 2005's science stories, two writers consider the stem cell controversy, global climate change and the threat of a bird flu pandemic.