Portside

For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may require oil refineries to regularly measure the air quality at their perimeters. These fence line measurements will give surrounding communities, largely low-income communities of color, data on the level of pollution they are exposed to each day. The new EPA rulemaking is in response to a lawsuit filed against the EPA for failing to adequately protect residents living near oil and chemical plants.

Portside Labor Readers Comments on, Without Tenure; International Support Enables Victory of Egyptian Union; Ruling Says McDonald's Is Liable for Workers; Article Interview With Cleo Silvers (When the Union's the Enemy: An Interview with Cleo Silvers)

In its public appeal to the American Jewish community, Israelis For a Sustainable Future (IFSF), a new organization of Israelis living in the U.S., says "maintaining the occupation is what this war is all about." The IFSF appeals to American Jews to oppose the current policies of the Israeli government, and support Israeli voices for peace. "Israel needs your support to break out of the cycle of violence," the IFSF Open Letter says.

Animals spared from Marburg virus -- a close relative of Ebola -- even when not treated until three days after infection.

The central bankers and the Ferguson residents would do well to switch places. Ferguson is actually a much better place from which to understand the consequences of the past six years of economic policies.

The Obama Administration’s new rules will likely put an end to the Supreme Court’s ability to move the goalposts every time someone raises a new objection to the administration’s policy. Now, the country will have to wait to find out whether Hobby Lobby actually permits this latest set of rules — or whether the language in the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision was simply Lucy pulling away the football one more time

Kareem Abdul Jabar says that Ferguson is not just about systemic racism — it's about class warfare and how America's poor are held back

How Economic Inequality Harms Societies. Peter Case -- House Rent Party. The Racial Wealth Gap in America. Guantanamera Around the World. The Racism of the US Criminal Justice System in 10 Charts.

American labor is not dividing our membership by strongly addressing issues of racism. On the contrary, division already exists. Unity of the white working class with the majority of women and people of color in this country can only be achieved on the basis of supporting and defending common social and economic rights. Continuing to ignore harsh realities of racist discrimination will only continue our separation.

Reader Comments - We need a special prosecutor ((Cornell William Brooks, NAACP); Ferguson, Racism, Economic Inequality, Michael Brown, Police Militarization; Racism and Misuse of Genetics; Rosetta Comet; Jewish Resources for Resisting Nationalism; Robin Williams; Israel, Gaza and Hamas; NFL's New Low - Asks Performers to Pay to Play at Super Bowl; Today in History - Nat Turner's Rebellion; Tomorrow - Fannie Lou Hamer & the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party