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MN: In new role, Minnesota to aid other states

By Devin Henry

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes the New Madrid seismic zone on the Kentucky-Missouri border. Communications go offline, highways are severely damaged, and there is not enough shelter space to house those displaced by the quake.

US: Senate panel debates offshore drilling

By Siobhan Hughes

WASHINGTON -- A Senate panel on Thursday battled over whether the country could expand oil and gas drilling in coastal waters without damaging the environment, spotlighting one of the big fights over climate legislation.

AK: Alaska gets money for green jobs

By The Associated Press

Pacific Northwest states are getting more than $1.1 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to encourage green jobs.

AK: Alaska's high court hears predator control case

By Mary Pemberton, The Associated Press

Opponents of Alaska's predator control program were in the Alaska Supreme Court on Thursday arguing that the program violates the state constitution.

AL: Alabama rolls out new U.S. 280 toll road plan

By Ginny MacDonald and Michael Tomberlin

State transportation officials are ready to move forward with a $710 million makeover of U.S. 280 -- a new plan that doesn't rely entirely on elevated toll lanes that doomed a previous proposal to unsnarl the congested highway.

AL: White Rock: EBSCO dumped hazardous waste

By Malcomb Daniels

At a press conference today, representatives of White Rock Quarries, a company that wants to put a limestone quarry in Vincent, said EBSCO Industries is trying to block the project to hide 15 years of illegally dumping hazardous waste from its nearby plant.

CO: Xcel Energy lops nearly $44 million off rate-increase request

By David O. Williams

Xcel Energy Thursday filed for state approval of a settlement with consumer groups in its ongoing rate case before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), knocking nearly $44 million from its rate-increase request.

HI: State gets $1.24M in federal funding to promote 'green' jobs

By Staff Reports

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said it has been awarded $1.24 million in federal funds to be used in developing an information bank to facilitate job training, job search and placement in "green jobs."

KY: Kentucky PSC recommends ways to prevent power outages

By Patrick Howington

The Kentucky Public Service Commission offered a broad — and expensive — set of recommendations Thursday to limit power outages and ease recovery when the lights go out.

LA: Strain -- State still waiting for funds

By Sarah Chacko

The state agriculture department should have nearly all of $44.5 million in disaster recovery grants and loans in farmers' hands by Christmas, the head of the agency told legislators Thursday.

MA: Shrewsbury opposes medical waste facility

By The Associated Press

SSHREWSBURY, Mass. — Shrewsbury residents are mobilizing against a proposal to build a 21,000-square-foot medical waste disposal facility near a residential neighborhood in town.

MS: Miss. levee board sues EPA over flood project

By The Associated Press

GREENVILLE, Miss. -- Environmental groups have intervened in a lawsuit filed by a Mississippi levee board over the Environmental Protection Agency's veto of a $220 million flood control project that dates back decades.

MT: Montana, federal officials more tolerant of bison leaving Yellowstone, report says

By The Associated Press

BILLINGS -- Federal and state officials are drafting new strategies to deal with bison coming out of Yellowstone National Park, but still don't have an alternative to periodic slaughters of the iconic Western animal.

NC: Stam sees a chance for eminent domain bill

By Benjamin Niolet and Rob Christensen

The departure of state Sen. Tony Rand has a lot of people wondering how the Senate will operate without the powerful master of rules, legislative maneuvers and hardball politics. It even has state Rep. Paul Stam wondering whether he'll finally get a favorite bill passed in the Senate.

NH: Proposals sought for northern NH heating project

By The Associated Press

PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- A new project is under way to help northern New Hampshire communities save money and the environment.

OK: Horse Sensitivity

By Amanda O'Toole

STILLWATER, Okla. — The wild mustangs Freedom, El Compadre and Felio were featured during the halftime show at Oklahoma State University's football game Thursday in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of wild horses.

OK: Oklahoma chided for litter-trial additions

By Robert J. Smith

U.S. District Judge Greg Frizzell on Thursday chastised an attorney working for the state of Oklahoma for overloading its poultry-litter lawsuit with paperwork.

OR: House passes bill to protect Molalla River

By Charles Pope

WASHINGTON -- The House Thursday approved legislation that would extend the highest level of federal protection to 21.3 miles of Oregon's Molalla River.

RI: In Providence, a crescent of green business sprouts

By Alex Kuffner

When Alteris Renewables decided to add another office in either Rhode Island or Southeastern Massachusetts, it considered Fall River, New Bedford and Bristol.

TN: TVA price increases fuel higher tax payments

By Dave Flessner

Higher electricity prices may have squeezed recession-weary consumers in the past two years, but the higher TVA rates are helping to funnel more money into state and local government coffers.

TN: TVA cuts bonuses; no pay raise for top brass

By Dave Flessner

For the first time since the Tennessee Valley Authority revamped its top management about three years ago, the federal utility didn't give pay raises or performance bonuses to its top managers this year.

TN: Water quality penalty expected next year

By Cliff Hightower

Chattanooga could be fined as early as next spring for not living up to the standards of its water quality permit, a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation official said Thursday.

UT: Utah oil and gas leases should be reinstated, report says

By Amy Joi O'Donoghue

A new analysis by an association representing oil and gas producers asserts the Department of the Interior thwarted the public process and "second-guessed" its own land managers when it yanked bids on oil and gas parcels sold at a controversial auction in Salt Lake City last December.

WA: BPA proposal for new high-voltage line draws heat

By The Associated Press

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A Bonneville Power Administration proposal to build a new high-voltage power line across one of several possible corridors between new substations in Castle Rock, Wash., and Troutdale, Ore., is drawing heated comment.

WA: Biologists save fish after landslide

By Shannon Dininny

NILE, Wash. -- Fisheries biologists from 10 government agencies and private groups are working shifts to try to save the fish.

WI: Wis. Great Lakes ballast regs set for Feb.

By Staff Reports

State environmental officials say they'll begin enforcing new ballast water regulations on Great Lakes vessels in February.

WI: Asian carp may have breached barrier

By Dan Egan

New research shows the fish likely have made it past the $9 million electric fish barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a source familiar with the situation told the Journal Sentinel late Thursday.

WY: Revenue committee finally passes some tax bills

By Phil Noble

The legislature's Joint Interim Revenue Committee spent the day Nov. 18 killing bills, including measures calling for taxes on electric generation, wind energy, property and fuel.

WY: Don't blame wind, officials say

By Dustin Bleizeffer

Power producers have installed more than 500 megawatts of wind energy generation in Wyoming in the past year.

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