The censorship of science undermines democracy. Growing evidence shows that over the past several years, political interference in federal government science has become both widespread and pervasive. [News Source]

Cutting emissions: the new power ploy. If there is to be an effective response to the dangerous change in the global climate (and the odds do not look good at present) very large changes are required in the global economy, and especially the global energy system. [News Source]

EPA’s reversal on LNG wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency's inadequate response to a congressman's request for the "factual and legal basis" behind its reversal of a key air-quality requirement for a liquefied natural gas terminal off the Ventura County Coast is unacceptable. [News Source]

Toxic sanctuaries. The major industrial sources of cancer-causing benzene in our air lurk mostly beyond Houston's borders, but not beyond its legal reach if a regional air pollution reduction plan is adopted. [News Source]

Va. officials advance proposal for recycled water program. A water recycling program that would allow treated wastewater to be used for irrigating parks, lawns and crops, cooling industrial equipment, washing cars and flushing office toilets has moved one step closer to reality. [News Source]

Bill could prevent hauling of sludge out of the county. Kern County voters banned the use of sludge in unincorporated areas, worried about potential groundwater contamination. But Oxnard has worked its way around the ban by sending its sludge to a composting facility in Kern County. [News Source]

Air quality worsening around Helotes due to debris fire.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said Friday that residents living within a two-mile radius of the burning debris pile in Helotes should avoid prolonged exposure to the outdoor air.

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State will review Montco cancer analysis. State health officials will look over the analysis of cancer statistics released last week that found lower-than-expected cancer rates in the Collegeville area where high levels of two different potential carcinogens have been found in the air and the water. [News Source]

Southbury: Public water only option for bad wells. Claudia Tata of Tuttle Road in Southbury, CT wants things back the way they were before a spreading plume of carcinogenic chemicals seeped into her well water. [News Source]

EPA official answers ethanol questions.

The amount of toxic chemicals expected to be emitted by a proposed ethanol plant in Newark most likely will not have an effect on nearby Ohio residents.

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Refining opportunities. With President Bush calling for significantly slowing the growth in gasoline consumption in the next decade, some investors are reassessing growth prospects for the refiners. [News Source]