Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The city of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $2 billion to settle a complaint by a local environmental group over thousands of sewage spills in recent years, the U.S. Justice Department (news - web sites) and federal environmental regulators said on Friday. The settlement also requires the city to rebuild and repair thousands of miles of sewer lines, increase the system's capacity and plan for future expansion, according to the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites). The complaint was made by Santa Monica Baykeeper, an environmental group that monitors water quality...

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top environmental aide told state lawmakers Wednesday the new governor's vision of a "hydrogen highway" to spur the ultimate replacement of the internal combustion engine is realistic by 2010, and won't even cost the state much money. Schwarzenegger pledged to build hydrogen fueling stations every 20 miles along major highways, allowing motorists to buy clean-burning hydrogen-fueled vehicles without fear they will run out of gas. He chose 2010 because that's when automakers have said such vehicles will be readily and affordably available, said Environmental Protection Secretary Terry Tamminen, who advised Schwarzenegger before he made his...