EPA Chief: 'Holding Ourselves To A Higher Standard'
NPR's Scott Simon asks EPA administrator Gina McCarthy about the toxins released into a Colorado river this week by an EPA contractor working on a shuttered gold mine.
Environment
EPA Says It Released 3 Million Gallons Of Contaminated Water Into River
The spill on Wednesday sent heavy metals, arsenic and other contaminants into a waterway that flows into the San Juan National Forest. Estimates of the spill's size have risen sharply since then.
Close Listening: How Sound Reveals The Invisible
The stethoscope seems so simple — a 19th century tool for listening more closely to the human heart or lungs. It also sparked a culture of listening that is transforming the way scientists learn.
EPA Criticized For Slow Response To Wastewater Spill In Colorado
The Environmental Protection Agency and multiple western states are dealing with the spill into Colorado's Animas River. It was triggered by a crew of EPA contractors working at the Gold King Mine.
What Does It Take To Produce Nuclear Fusion — In Your Garage?
Taylor Wilson is a self-taught nuclear physicist who sees every obstacle as a challenge. He describes how — at age 14 — he built a working nuclear fusion reactor in his garage.
Forecasters Predict Powerful El Nino To Bring Rain To The Dry West
Forecasters say it is highly likely an El Nino weather system in the Northern Hemisphere will last until the spring of next year. The El Nino could bring much needed rain to the drought-stricken West.
EPA Administrator Says Water Quality Is Improving In Contaminated Western Rivers
Gina McCarthy says toxic waste from last week's spill at the Gold King Mine is gone from water samples. But experts point to the contaminants that can still be stirred up from the riverbeds.
Coloradans Raise Environmental Concerns Of Proposed Reservoir Projects
Colorado will need more water to supply the state's fast-increasing population. So two large reservoir projects have been proposed, but some Coloradans worry about the dams' possible ecological harm.
Colorado Businesses Struggle As Toxic Waste Flows Through Animas River
NPR's Melissa Block speaks to Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance, on plans to aid small business owners after the toxic waste spill.
Don't Fear The Wild Animals, Researchers Tell Salad-Makers
According to new research, vegetable farmers who clear away trees and wild vegetation from their fields aren't making their produce any safer to eat. But they are destroying animal habitats.