The Stream, January 23: Chevron Appeals $18 Billion Amazon Pollution Fine

Chevron has filed an appeal with Ecuador’s Supreme Court to review a judgment that ordered the U.S. oil company to pay $18 billion in damages for polluting the Amazon, Reuters reported.

Water Pollution
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will test the water at about 60 homes in a small town in northern Pennsylvania where residents say natural gas drilling has polluted wells, Reuters reported.

Reuse of municipal waste water has increased substantially over the past 30 years, according to a recent report by the National Research Council in Washington, D.C. The Economist summarizes some little known facts about water recycling.

Is the illegal dumping of toxic waste to blame for the surge in cancer cases in Italy’s Campania region? The Independent investigates.

Climate
A huge pool of fresh water in the Arctic Ocean could lower the temperature of Europe, according to British scientists.

Thailand
Thailand’s rice production may climb to an all-time high as Thai farmers expand plantings to offset losses from last October’s heavy floods, according to Bloomberg.

The water in many dams in northern Thailand is at dangerously high levels, Bangkok Post reported.

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.