Associated Press: An environmental group has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce soot, saying it accelerates the melting of glaciers and sea ice. The Center for Biological Diversity called Monday for the regulation of black carbon pollution under provisions of the Clean Water Act. Center attorney Matt Vespa says soot darkens the atmosphere, snow and ice, absorbing heat. Vespa says the petition is the first to explicitly seek protection of ice — water in its solid …