Environmental Politics

"The 'C-word,' climate, appears to have become to the Beltway what  the 'P-word,' population, has been in climate treaty negotiations for a long time — unmentionable."

"President Obama visits green-energy companies in Wisconsin as battles brew over spending cuts back in Washington. The day takes on a football theme as Obama, a Chicago Bears fan, receives a Packers jersey and, in a factory visit, quotes Vince Lombardi."

"Texas officials granted an air permit for a proposed Corpus Christi power plant Wednesday despite calls from federal regulators to delay approval of the controversial request."

"President Obama’s call for Congress to pass a mandate that includes both traditional renewable energy sources like wind and solar as well as GOP favorites nuclear and 'clean coal' may be the driver needed to bang through the most aggressive and politically feasible means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions on Capitol Hill this Congress."

After illegally high levels of antibiotics were routinely found in dairy cows headed for the slaughterhouse, the Food and Drug Administration decided to test milk from the farms those cows came from. Dairy farmers, worried more about profits than antibiotic resistance that could sicken their customers, have objected. Now the two sides may be looking for win-win solutions. Meanwhile, testing is on hold.

"'Gasland,' a film that turns a harshly critical eye on the perils of natural gas drilling, has earned an Academy Award nomination for best documentary."

Newt Gingrich kicked off his putative presidential campaign in Iowa Tuesday by calling for the abolition of EPA, which enforces numerous environmental laws enacted by Congress.

"Carol M. Browner, President Barack Obama’s energy adviser, plans to leave the White House in coming weeks, White House officials said Monday night."

"Following the administration's announcement last week that it wants to make the regulatory system more friendly to businesses, there's some increasing anxiety about whether Obama will aggressively defend the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. A number of environmental and public health groups are lobbying the president to explicitly defend the agency's climate regulations in his State of the Union address on Tuesday."