Blue Shield of California to give $167 million back to some customers

Blue Shield of California is planning to give back $167 million to some policyholders this year and to return more money in future years.

Bruce Bodaken, chief executive of California’s largest nonprofit health insurer, says that individual policyholders –- but not people with employer plans -- will get a 30% credit on one monthly bill this year. That will average $80 for an individual policyholder and $250 for a family of four.

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EPA awards $3.4M to help clean up toxic sites in 6 N.J. towns

NEWARK — State leaders lauded a $3.4 million grant announced today by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to clean up toxic industrial sites as an important environmental step and a way to create jobs.

The EPA awarded funds to clean up and redevelop "brownfields" in six New Jersey municipalities. The grant comes less than a week after the state Department of Environmental Protection announced its own brownfield fund had run out of money.

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U.S. Companies Race to Catch Up in Africa

Cummins Inc. joins a growing number of U.S. companies vying for a stronger foothold in Africa. Caterpillar Inc., the giant maker of construction equipment, is selling more trucks to Mozambique and Zambia. Harley-Davidson Inc. is opening dealerships in Botswana and Mauritius. General Electric Co. has its first aircraft-leasing office in Ghana for Central and West African airlines. Google Inc., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are among the dozens of other U.S. companies moving in or expanding.

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Jobs & Construction Begin at Argonne Energy Research Facility

Secretary Chu joined the lab, located in Argonne, Ill., for a groundbreaking ceremony on June 3rd,  to celebrate the new Energy Sciences Building. This new facility signals the next chapter for Argonne and a continuation of the progress already made there.

“Argonne has not only led in innovation, but in moving pioneering discoveries from the lab to the marketplace -- helping U.S. companies compete in the global marketplace,” said Secretary Chu.

The new building will also create nearly 2,000 new construction and service jobs, and house about 200 researchers. The first of 17 national labs, Argonne’s research cuts across many disciplines ranging from solar energy and alternative fuels to advanced batteries and energy storage.

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