Federal jury to settle bitter battle between sweeteners
Big Sugar and Big Corn face off in court this week in a bitter, multibillion-dollar battle of sweeteners that boils down to a mix of science, semantics and marketing.
Energy & Environment
Articles
Merger chatter casts cloud over Dow AgroSciences
Talk of synergies and consolidation may warm the hearts of investors, who are eager for Midland, Michigan-based Dow Chemical to boost returns, but they cast uncertainty over some of central Indiana’s best scientific jobs.
Elanco president makes case for juiced-up cows in organic age
Jeff Simmons is on a counteroffensive as, increasingly, the drugs that Elanco makes—including antibiotics and productivity enhancers—have come under attack by food activists.
EPA’s clean-power initiative under renewed attack by states
The regulatory package known as the Clean Power Plan officially became U.S. law Friday. It was immediately challenged by 24 states in a U.S. appeals court filing that included Indiana.
Dow AgroSciences up for sale or spin-off, again
Dow Chemical is exploring all options for its subsidiary, Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences. The company employs 1,500 workers in the Indianapolis area and, as a stand-alone firm, would be the fifth-largest by revenue in Indiana.
Consumer group: Citizens water hike could cause ‘rate shock’
The Indiana Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor is asking state regulators to approve just about half the rate increase Citizens Energy Group wants to charge water customers.
Dry fall weather helps Indiana farmers after summer deluges
Indiana farmers had harvested about two-thirds of the state's soybean crop and about half of its corn crop by last week.
Purdue: Indiana grain yields to be better than expected
A Purdue University expert says flooding losses to Indiana's corn and soybean crops will be much lower than expected and concentrated in certain areas.
Utility counselor recommends against Vectren plan approval
The state office that represents consumer interests in utility matters says Vectren's energy-efficiency proposal seeks to recover more costs than necessary from its customers.
Plant closure spurs call to step back from Indy’s Covanta deal
A recycling plant in Montgomery, Alabama, that Indianapolis officials once touted as a successful model of “one-bin” combined waste and recycling has at least temporarily shut down, citing a drop in the commodities market.
VW might compensate owners of diesel cars for loss of value
Earlier this week, Kelley Blue Book said the value of VWs with 2-liter diesel engines had fallen 13 percent since mid-September, about when the automaker’s emissions cheating scandal came to light.
Researchers, ranchers beefing up steak with algae, flaxseed
Health-conscious consumers might be persuaded to eat more beef if it was fortified with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids naturally found in salmon and walnuts, according to researchers and some ranchers.
Solar farm planned near Anderson airport
The 53-acre project near Anderson Municipal Airport is among several being developed by the Indiana Municipal Power Agency in communities where it provides electricity.
Lawsuit takes on Indiana’s right-to-farm laws
The Hoosier Environmental Council has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a pair of Hendricks County families who say they face “intolerable living conditions” created by odors coming from a nearby 8,000-hog farm that opened two years ago.
U.S., local forecasts call for lower heating bills this winter
Heating bills should drop this winter for most U.S. households thanks to a combination of lower energy prices and warmer weather.
Farm family near Grand Park adapted to encroaching development
Craig Wood has spent most of his 60 years on 191st Street in Westfield, living and working on his family farm. For most of that time, the adjacent land has been other houses and farm fields, but that all changed on Nov. 18, 2011, when construction on Grand Park Sports Campus began.
Neither side happy with EPA’s new ozone standard
The Obama administration set a new national ozone standard Thursday. Business groups said it is unnecessary and could jeopardize jobs. Environmental groups said it didn’t go far enough.
Growth allows Oliver Winery to invest in big equipment
This year’s grape harvest—a process which typically runs from the end of August to the second week of October—promises to be a bit less anxiety-inducing thanks to a decision that has been slowly processing over the past five years.
Environmental groups unhappy with lead smelter settlement
A proposed settlement of alleged Clean Air Act violations involving Exide Technologies’ battery-recycling facility has upset environmental groups because the agreement doesn’t require the firm to retrofit its complex with equipment that could dramatically cut lead emissions.
Covanta moving forward on automated recycling plant
Covanta still faces opposition as it moves closer to starting construction on a $45 million facility in Indianapolis that will use automation to pluck salvageable recyclables from household trash.