Cornell’s Prof. Robert W. Howarth, ecology and evolutionary biology, Prof. Anthony Ingraffea, civil and environmental engineering, and Prof. Steven J. Schwager, biological statistics, made the Environmental Protection Agency’s short list of candidates for its panel on hydraulic fracturing — “hydrofracking” —  released Sept. 10.

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that it aims to protect human health and the environment, Profs. Harry de Gorter and David Just, applied economics and management, say the agency may not be living up to its mission. According to de Gorter and Just, the EPA’s latest announcement about corn-based ethanol includes a “flawed” emission reduction standard that fails to take into account other sources of pollution.

The Cornell 100+ MPG Team is on its way to putting the 2010 Toyota Prius — and its Environmental Protection Agency estimate of 50 miles per gallon — to shame. Up against more than 100 teams from around the world, the Cornell team is now officially competing in a multi-million dollar contest to not only create a car that exceeds 100 mpg or its fuel equivalent, but also present a feasible business plan to sell 10,000 such cars.

On April 7, the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize released the official list of 111 registrants, hailing from 11 countries, in the $10 million X Prize competition. Prize winners will be decided after a series of competitions, scheduled to begin as early as May 2010, that will culminate in road competitions in four U.S. cities.