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The only people with reason to oppose the rule are polluters who threaten our clean water.
—Brian Deese, a senior White House advisor, on the pushback from Congress about the Clean Water Rule, which the Obama administration finalized today. The rule, officially known as Waters of the United States, clarifies protections for drinking-water sources that one in three Americans depend on.
As glaciers melt, long-lost artifacts (and bodies) are emerging from the ice. -
From a World War I battleground in Italy to the site of Incan sacrifices in the Andes, global warming is revealing well-preserved specimens that give researchers insight into the past—as they hint to our climate future. Smithsonian
Beach house owners are hampering New Jersey's beach protections. -
After Hurricane Sandy, the state decided to engineer a dune system to protect the Jersey Shore. Most private landowners are cooperating, but about 400 holdouts oppose the plan out of distrust for the government—leaving some serious coverage gaps. NPR
Fewer than 50 Maui's dolphins remain. -
The petite subspecies—the smallest and rarest dolphin of all—is found only in the shallow coastal waters off New Zealand's North Island (nope, not Maui). Conservationists say the cetacean could go extinct within 15 years if more isn't done to protect it from the fishing industry's nets. BBC News
Artificial insemination could save a critically endangered turtle. -
Two giant Yangtze softshell turtles at Suzhou Zoo failed to produce hatchlings the old fashioned way, so they're heading to the fertility clinic. By June, conservationists will know if Mrs. Turtle is expecting a brood to boost the species' numbers (to more than four). New York Times
Glaciers in the southern Antarctic Peninsula are retreating. -
Scientists blame warming waters and say the melting accounts for a significant portion of the continent's contribution to sea-level rise. Last week researchers said two Antarctic ice shelves are at risk of collapse. Washington Post