California oil spill: officials hopes to get first look at ruptured pipeline
Workers on Tuesday began digging up the soil around a pipe that ruptured and spilled up to 101,000 gallons of crude oil along the Santa Barbara County coast.
Plains All American Pipeline hopes to dig down to the pipe and take a look at the ruptured area by the end of Tuesday, company spokeswoman Meredith Matthews said. The step is crucial toward determining the cause of the break.
Hidden costs from our dependence on fossil fuels
It is estimated that 80 to 85 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. is from fossil fuels. One of the main reasons given for continuing to use this energy source is that it is much less expensive than alternatives. The true cost, however, depends on what you include in the calculation.
Obama administration pumps $32 million into solar industry
The Department of Energy announced a $32 million funding program to support jobs and research in the solar energy sector on Tuesday.
The funding comes from an Energy Department program called the SunShot Initiative, which is designed to boost solar power in the United States. The program has funded more than 350 projects in the last four years.
Shareholders press for board voice on climate at Exxon, Chevron
Progressive shareholders are pushing to add directors with climate change expertise to the boards of Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp, arguing the largest U.S. oil companies need more depth of knowledge to navigate environmental issues.
Climate and greenhouse gas proposals regularly surface at oil company annual meetings, but Wednesday will be the first time shareholders at Exxon will vote on putting an independent climate expert on the board.
