Here are some of the stories we’ve been following this week.

  • Officials in Brookhaven, Georgia, plan to use eminent domain to acquire land for a new greenway. The current property owners believe the land is worth nearly $2 million more than its appraised value.
  • Fracking sand, used in the hydraulic fracturing process, most often comes from Wisconsin. However, sand from Texas is making the market more competitive.
  • Construction of the Keystone XL pipeline could begin in 2019, now that an alternative route has been approved.
  • A vacant lot that is targeted to be the home of more student housing for San Jose University is contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals, according to a lawsuit. The plaintiffs want the site cleaned up before construction gets underway.
  • Homeowners near a former zinc factory are concerned contamination in the area will affect their property values.
  • The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program was included in the Continuing Resolution passed by the House that would keep the federal government funded for another month. The resolution now moves to the Senate for approval.
  • A rails-to-trails project in Maryland is set to break ground, thanks to almost $5 million in grants from the state.
  • California’s growing energy needs mean the state will have to continue to rely on natural gas stored underground.
  • Demand for crude oil in Europe and Asia means U.S. oil exports will increase this year.