Selenium contamination from a phosphate mine in southeastern Idaho is linked to fish deformities such as two-headed trout, and the problem would worsen if discharge limits were eased, a new government report found.

The findings come as Smoky Canyon Mine, run by the J.R. Simplot Company near the Wyoming border, is asking the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to relax restrictions on the amount of selenium that the mine may drain into tributaries of the Snake River, a world-class trout stream.

Chevron said Friday that it had no intention of apologizing for the environmental damage to the Amazon rain forest for which an Ecuadorean court ruled it responsible. Attorneys for both sides have said that if Chevron apologized, its legal liability of $18 billion would have been cut to $9.5 billion. Ecuador’s judiciary had set Friday as the deadline for an apology. James Craig, a Chevron spokesman, said an apology would be “a false admission of responsibility.” Chevron has no assets in Ecuador, so the plaintiffs must to try to collect the award abroad.

Across the country, activists with ties to the Tea Party are railing against all sorts of local and state efforts to control sprawl and conserve energy. They brand government action for things like expanding public transportation routes and preserving open space as part of a United Nations-led conspiracy to deny property rights and herd citizens toward cities.

Many are suspicious of environmental initiatives. Ed Elswick, a county supervisor, voiced criticism at last month's meeting.

CHENNAI: Manithaneya Makkal Katchi on Friday said the argument that the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant would augment the power availability in Tamil Nadu was based on “wrong information”.

Participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, MMK leader MH Jawahirullah said the Unit I of the KKNPP was estimated to generate 1000 MW. However, actual power generation would be only around 700 MW, he claimed. Of this, 35 MW would go to the power requirements of the plant, residences of those working there and the neighbouring areas, he said.

‘Concerted efforts necessary to prevent human-elephant conflict'

A day-long sensitisation programme under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity and Greening Project for members of Village Forest Councils and anti-poaching watchers was organised by the Nilgiris North division of the Forest Department here on Friday.Listing the objectives and use of such programmes, District Forest Officer, the Nilgiris North, S. Ramasubramaniam said that without the support of people particularly those residing in villages located in and around the forests, conservation would become an uphill task.

An annual GDP growth rate of 9-10 per cent is unlikely in the current policy environment in India, says Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator of the Financial Times, and one of the world’s most influential journalists and public policy intellectuals. To enter the league of the world’s developed nations, India needs to develop basic infrastructure and a create a world class manufacturing sector, Wolf told a distinguished audience at Express Adda in Mumbai on Thursday.

JAMMU: Highlighting the State's rich bio-diversity and uniqueness of being land of rich fauna and flora, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Friday emphasized the need for protection and preservation of this individuality of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chairing the 2nd meeting of State Board for Wildlife (SBW), the Chief Minister, who is also its Chairman, said that measures should be in place to minimize wild animal-human conflict.

At the tip of the 30-mile-long peninsula that hosts one of the busiest ports in the world, Finland's Neste Oil has just finished converting a plot of land reclaimed from the sea into the biggest biodiesel refinery in Europe.

The €670 million ($850 million) investment by the state-controlled company in the plant, which is already transforming vegetable oil and waste animal fat into diesel, aims at benefiting from European Union policies that seek to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from cars and trucks.