Nearly all industry sectors gained jobs, led by specialty trade contractors, which added 15,300 positions.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurred on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Sept. 6, leaving at least seven dead and damaging buildings and structures in the region, including a 1,650MW coal-fired thermal power plant that was taken offline. 

Reductions, which start Oct. 1, bring fees back to their 2006 levels.

The roof of the sludge concentration building at Chicago's Calumet Water Reclamation Plant collapsed at around 11 a.m. August 30. Ten people were hurt and successfully evacuated to area hospitals for treatment by the Chicago Fire Dept.

Twenty-eight projects totaling $38 million to support early stage R&D of innovative hydrogen and fuel cell technologies got boosts from the U.S. Dept. of Energy.

Wind technology costs and power prices are falling for land-based and offshore wind projects, according to three Energy Dept. reports released Aug. 23.