Environment
Updated over 1 year ago
NYT > Environment
After Pacific Gas & Electric, the giant California utility, began installing smart meters in the state's Central Valley, the company was swamped with complaints from residents that their utility bills had spiked. But an independent review of the smart meters released Thursday found that the devices were functioning properly and attributed the high charges to a heat wave last year that coincided with their installation as well as poor customer service by P.G.&.E.
Native Canadians living downstream from oil sands mines of Alberta province have long complained that their high cancer rates were related to the expanding excavation of bitumen for the production of synthetic crude. Their claims have been disputed by the reports of a joint oil industry-government research panel that found that natural causes and not mining were responsible for the high levels of various metals in the sub-Arctic Athabasca River. But now a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is backing the position of the Native Canadians. Led by several University of Alberta researchers, the study found that unusual levels of lead, mercury, zinc, cadmium and other toxic pollutants were found near oil sands mining sites or downstream from them. The levels exceeded federal and provincial government guidelines.
