The Stream, April 1: Hydrocarbons

After recent reports on NPR and The New York Times, this week Time magazine covers the hydrocarbon boom in the United States. Is the country facing a gas dilemma? Meanwhile, a Norwegian energy company is eyeing Kazakhstan’s energy reserves in the Caspian Sea, UPI reports.

Coal
Down Under, the devastating summer floods in Queensland have cut the state’s coal production by at least 30 million tons, or 15 percent of its annual output, according to the Queensland Resources Council. The floods have also pushed both thermal and metallurgical coal prices up.

Groundwater contamination
Japan has detected groundwater contamination near the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. According to Kyodo News, the groundwater in the area contains radioactive iodine that’s 10,000 times the legal limit.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has increased the level of monitoring of milk, precipitation, drinking water and other sources for radiation from Japan, though it says that there isn’t cause for concern.

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.