Environment

Commonwealth Fusion Systems has taken another small step toward a big technological breakthrough.

The trip comes as three major health care bills addressing hospital oversight, prescription drug pricing and access, and substance use disorder remain on the rocks with less than two months remaining in the two-year session.

Top Democrats on Tuesday evening filed a compromise economic development bill months after their deadline-day talks collapsed, packing the measure with state support for the life sciences and climate technology industries, ticket sales regulations, a new live theater tax credit, educator diversity reforms and more.

While the prospect of commercial nuclear fusion energy in just 10 years may seem ambitious, one Devens-based company is working to make it a reality.

The House held its session open while the bill was advancing through the Senate and House Democrats hoped to pass the bill Thursday but adjourned until Monday after Republicans doubted the presence of a quorum.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems, the Devens-based company striving to bring online the world’s first commercially-relevant net energy fusion...

Almost all Republicans voted against the original bills in each chamber, complicating -- but not prohibiting -- the route to final passage during this post-July 31 period of informal sessions when any single lawmaker's objection can stall a bill's movement.

As the latest chapter of the ongoing issues surrounding Grafton-based food waste conversion company Feedback Earth, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court, alleging the company has been releasing noxious odors for months and is negatively affecting residents in neighboring communities.  

Westborough-based Ascend Elements has filed a lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages against the owner of a Devens building the company intended to turn into a manufacturing facility.

Aspen Aerogel’s efforts in developing technologies to reduce the risk from electrical vehicle fires will potentially receive a big boost from the federal government.