Environment

Jerry Eisterhold runs Vox Vineyards in Weston, Mo. He's working to save long-lost American wine grape varietals.

Midwestern Vintner Saves The Forgotten Grapes That Saved Europe's Wines

10:49am May 03, 2018

by Laura Ziegler

Jerry Eisterhold wanted to make unique wines. It all started when he pulled a random, rare book from his shelf — a book written by a 19th-century horticulturist whose work had fallen into obscurity.

Albert Kelly, An Adviser To EPA Chief Scott Pruitt, Resigns Abruptly

8:28am May 03, 2018

Rachel Martin talks to former EPA Superfund manager Albert Kelly, who resigned Tuesday amid the investigations that continue to dog his boss, Scott Pruitt.

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Scott Pruitt speaks on election night 2010, after his successful campaign for Oklahoma attorney general. When Pruitt assumed office, he also took control of the state's case against the poultry industry.

In Oklahoma, Critics Say Pruitt Stalled Pollution Case After Taking Industry Funds

10:06pm May 02, 2018

When Scott Pruitt served as Oklahoma's attorney general, he took over a major pollution lawsuit brought by his predecessor. Critics accuse Pruitt of inaction on the case, which remains unresolved.

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Much of the inner reef at Oahu's Hanauma Bay is dead after decades of tourism. The state may sign a law banning over-the-counter sunscreens believed to harm coral.

Hawaii Approves Bill Banning Sunscreen Believed To Kill Coral Reefs

6:44pm May 02, 2018

by Vanessa Romo

If Gov. David Ige signs the bill, popular sunscreen brands including Coppertone, Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic will be illegal. Lawmakers say they contain chemicals harmful to delicate marine life.

A CT-scan image of the skull of an ancient bird shows how one of the earliest bird beaks worked as a pincer, in the way beaks of modern birds do, but also had teeth left over from dinosaur ancestors. The animal, called Ichthyornis, lived around 100 millio

How Did Birds Lose Their Teeth And Get Their Beaks? Study Offers Clues

5:14pm May 02, 2018

by Rebecca Hersher

Modern birds are dinosaurs without toothy jaws, and with bigger brains. Newly published research fills in some of the missing links in their evolution.

A Temperature Roller Coaster Could Be Coming

4:58pm May 02, 2018

by Christopher Joyce

Global warming has so far seen a gradual rise in average temperatures. But that may change, with extreme variations. And poor countries could bear the brunt of it.

States Sue To Keep Emissions Standards

5:09am May 02, 2018

NPR's Rachel Martin talks with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra about California and other states' lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to rewrite auto emissions rules.

Vehicles pass during the afternoon commute on Highway 101 in Los Angeles on April 2. California is suing the EPA over a plan to revise fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, weakening Obama-era limits on greenhouse gas emissions.

States Sue The EPA To Protect Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards

10:42pm May 01, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

California is leading a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's plan to weaken car emissions standards. EPA chief Scott Pruitt says the rules, designed to fight climate change, are too strict.

The website for Scott Pruitt's unsuccessful 2006 campaign for Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor touted Pruitt's support for "the rights of the unborn," and "traditional family values."

'On Fire For God's Work': How Scott Pruitt's Faith Drives His Politics

6:04pm May 01, 2018

Before Scott Pruitt became the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, his political career was guided in large part by his Southern Baptist faith and a faith-based agenda.

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As Much Of The Western U.S. Experiences Drought, States Are Preparing For Wildfires

4:41pm May 01, 2018

As drought grips the much of the western U.S. there are fears this summer could be a bad one for wildfires. But Colorado is helping homeowners prepare and in some places even paying people to do more.

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