The Stream, February 8: U.S. Encourages Shale Gas in Bulgaria

Bulgaria should pursue shale gas in order to achieve energy independence, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a visit to the country, according to EurActiv. In January, Bulgaria placed a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing, which forces large quantities of chemicals and water into shale gas formations underground to release the gas trapped inside.

United States
Twenty-seven gallons (102 liters) of radioactive water leaked from a nuclear power plant in Minnesota, Bloomberg News reported. The water contained tritium, a low-level radioactive material, but levels remained within the allowed limits for drinking water.

The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bill that, if passed, could speed up approval of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and take the decision out of President Obama’s hands, Business Week reported. The pipeline would carry crude oil from Canada’s tar sands to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.

China
China’s military plans to cut emissions and save energy by building new barracks, conserving fuel and developing ways to reduce consumption, according to China Daily.

Climate Change
Poor governance is one of the biggest challenges facing areas threatened by climate change, according to AlertNet.

The Guardian reports on what plans to stop climate change have come to: simulating a giant volcano.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek