Cost of a fill-up: President Obama scoffed at claims that he actually wants to see gas prices rise and assured the country that his administration is reviewing options to keep prices at the pump from spiraling out of control. That includes a continued focus on the long-term need to reduce dependence on oil. The Hill
Disaster-proof: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is worried that current building standards aren't up to the scale of natural disasters we'll face in the future due to climate change and wants them to get tougher. Grist
Angry sun: The big guy unleashed two massive solar flares yesterday, including the largest yet of 2012. A direct hit could damage satellites and produce impressive auroras on Earth, but fortunately, the current batch isn't aimed straight at us. After a long lull, the sun is now going through a cycle of higher activity that will peak in 2013. Space.com
All wet: Rising seas and accompanying erosion mean that 12 out of 19 nuclear plants in the United Kingdom are at risk of flooding now or in the coming decades, according to an unpublished government report. Guardian
Never again: The city council of the town of Niagara Falls -- which endured the Love Canal crisis in the 1970s -- approved a ban on natural gas fracking. You can imagine why they'd be extra cautious... CBS News
One man's trash...: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called for proposals for a new plant that can convert trash into heat and electricity. The city generates more than 10,000 tons of waste every day, and Bloomberg wants less of it to end up in landfills. New York Times
Chemical flame war: Potentially toxic flame-retardant chemicals still abound in children's products such as strollers and car seats. In Washington State, an effort is underway to ban them, but the chemical industry isn't making it easy. Huffington Post
Green VW: In the face of severe pressure from Greenpeace, Volkswagen has set ambitious new targets for building more efficient cars and decreasing production-related emissions. HybridCars
Rapid transit: Test runs at 110 miles per hour -- up from a max of 80 mph -- will begin soon on a section of rail line connecting Chicago and St. Louis, and Amtrak hopes to complete the full high-speed line within five years. That's still slow compared to Europe and Japan, though, where the slowest high-speed rail lines run at 124 mph and approach 250. Springfield State Journal-Register
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Image: NASA
