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Reports that the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general charged that the agency's senior management instructed staff members to arrive at a predetermined conclusion favoring industry when they prepared a proposed rule to reduce the amount of mercury emitted from coal-fired power plants. Evidence of high concentrations of mercury in fish in rivers and streams in the United States; Controversy regarding Bush administration's "Clear Skies" legislation.

Focuses on United States Fish and Wildlife Service's announcement that the sage grouse, a ground-dwelling bird, will not be placed on the lists of species requiring special protection. Potential impact of enlistment on ranchers and oil and gas industries; Claim of conservation groups that voluntary private-public conservation efforts could not be depended on to protect the bird.

Reports that the U.S. Department of Defense is bypassing several environmental laws for its combat exercises and arms testing. Exemptions from parts of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act; Efforts of Pentagon to exempt military activities from compliance with parts of the Clear Air Act; Two lawsuits related to military exercises at Vieques Island in Puerto Rico and Fort Richardson in Alaska.

Reports on opposition of the Earth Liberation Front, a group of eco-terrorists, to suburban sprawl. Fight of local citizens in Charles County, Maryland to preserve the Araby Bog, one of the few remaining magnolia magnolia bogs in the mid-Atlantic region; Relocation to rural areas of sophisticated transplants who know their way around a county government; Desire for isolation.

Reports on another attempt by arsonists to burn down several houses in semirural southern Maryland. Inability of deputy fire marshal W. Faron Taylor to discuss the arson methods to open all possible motives to the crime; Consideration of the possibility of ecoterrorism and racial animosity based on the dominant ownership of the houses by African Americans; Concern of environmentalists of the impact of increased dwellings around the Araby Bog on its ecological balance; Confirmation of the participation of more than one criminal in the incident.

Reports on the progress of investigations of a fire caused by a suspected group of arsonists which damaged houses at the Hunters Brooke subdivision in Maryland. Evidence pointing to more than one suspect in the fire; Range of suspected groups that includes a radical environmental organization; Number of houses affected by the fire.

Reports on the fires which damaged houses in a development near wetlands in southern Maryland. Investigation of the incident by federal agencies; Reasons why the fires were linked to acts of ecoterrorism.

Reports that the initiative of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to conserve the habitat of the northern sage grouse is complicating efforts to earn the bird designation as an endangered species. Decline in the bird's population over the past thirty years; Possible restriction on energy exploration and land grazing on the bird's multistate habitat.

Focuses on the environmental agenda of U.S. President George W. Bush's Administration and the Republican Party after Bush's re-election. Proposals to revamp laws on air pollution and endangered species; Energy bill to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration; Emphasis of the administration's environmental conservation efforts.

Reports on capture of snakehead fish in a stretch of the Potomac River in Virginia. Reproduction of the fish in local waters; Outlaw of the importation of the snakehead; Techniques to purge the snakehead from ponds.

Reports on persistence of pesticide beyond elimination date in Watsonville, California. Fumigation of Will Garroutte's strawberry fields.

Comments on the hurricanes that struck Florida. Changes in currents and water temperatures in the western Atlantic; Federal flood insurance underwriting; Disappearance of marshes.

Reports on preparations in Florida and Louisiana in anticipation of the coming of Hurricane Ivan. Storm path that spared Cuba and crawled toward the United States Gulf Coast; Precautions called for by New Orleans mayor C. Ray Nagin and Florida governor Jeb Bush; Hurricane warning over part of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Reports on preparations by residents of Florida for the coming of Hurricane Ivan. Traditional daily activities in Tampa and Clearwater; Increase in demand for five-gallon gas cans; Governor Jeb Bush's declaration of a state of emergency.

Focuses on the difficulties facing water system management officials as a result of hurricanes bearing down on Florida. Efforts to reduce flooding in residential areas; Objectives that officials find difficult to accomplish; Positive and negative effects of storms on ecosystem in the Everglades.

Reports on the damage caused by Hurricane Frances in an affluent community in Jupiter Island, Florida. Gasoline shortage and blackouts; Destruction of trees and houses; Signing of a bill giving Florida an emergency relief aid.

Reports on the outcomes of a survey by the Democratic staff of the House Energy and Commerce Committee showing that Superfund sites that are eligible for cleanup money are likely to be granted nothing or a fraction of the fund because of a budget shortfall. List of sites; Status of the cleanup fund; Recommendation by a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee to reject the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (E.P.A.) request for an additional fund for the next fiscal year; Recommendations of a priority-setting panel within the E.P.A.

Describes the proposal of the Bush administration to give governors the lead in seeking roadless protections in place of a ban on building roads in roadless areas. Battle between those who want to make a profit from federal timberlands and those who want to lock out business.

Reports that federal district judge Emmet G. Sullivan rejected environmental group Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance's contention that federal approval of Bill Barrett Corp.'s exploration for natural gas around Nine Mile Canyon, a canyon with pre-Columbian rock art, violated laws.

Reports that a West Virginia federal district judge has struck down an Army Corps of Engineers procedure that gives a blanket pre-clearance to Appalachian mining operations that dynamite away mountaintops and dump some of the refuse into streams. Nationwide permit improperly bypasses the requirement to determine the impact of mining on streams before the permit is granted.

Reports on the rule proposed by the U.S. Forest Service that would limit the use of off-road vehicles in national forests. Restriction of off-road vehicles to off-road trails; Threat posed to forests by unmanaged recreation; Criticism of proposal by National Trails and Water Coalition director Scott Kovarovics.

Reports on the research being conducted by C.M. Williams of North Carolina State University concerning swine waste management. Environmental and economic conundrum posed by the state's 10 million pigs; Impact of the results of Williams' research on the swine industry.

The article reports on efforts of the Imperial Irrigation District in California to preserve the Salton Sea, a shallow salt lake that attracts migrants birds. Topics discussed include a background on the lake, factors that affect the lake's wetlands and fish, nonprofit Pacific Institute's prediction that the volume of water in the lake will decrease by 60 percent in 15 years and the plan of the district to cover the exposed lake bed by attracting construction of geothermal power plants.

The article focuses on the study released by the National Audubon Society on September 8, 2014 with information on the results of the research. Among the findings include the impact of climate change in the bird population of North America, the transfer of bird species in smaller areas, and the possible extinction of bird species such as three-toed woodpecker, northern hawk owl, and Baird's sparrow.

The article focuses on a debate on how to reduce the number of birds that causes the reduction of salmon population in the Columbia River. Fisherman Butch Smith states that the fastest way to recover salmon is to kill thousands of birds that eats them. However, Stan Senner of the National Audubon Society argued that driving birds away to go back to somewhere else is more appropriate than eliminating some of the cormorant colony in the area.

The article reports on the fines imposed by water utilities in Santa Cruz, California on those who exceed their allocations starting May 2014. It notes the water rate increase imposed by the state's utilities including the East Bay Municipal Utility District and the Eastern Municipal Water District as an effort of water conservation. It also discusses the process of water budgeting also known as allocation pricing which has been in place in several water districts across the state.

The article reports on 2014 efforts to move salmon to San Francisco Bay in the Pacific Ocean via a boat named the Merva W in an effort to keep the fish alive. Topics discussed include the 2014 drought in California that makes it difficult for the salmon to travel on their own, the role of Mike McHenry, captain of the Merva W, and the pumping of water from the Sacramento River to farmers and cities that otherwise do not have enough water.

The article discusses efforts by U.S. Forest Service scientists to develop maple baseball bats that are less likely to shatter upon contact with a ball. Topics addressed include Major League Baseball's (M.L.B.) changes to its requirements for the specifications of maple bats, and declines in the number of shattered bats as of July 25, 2013.

The article discusses the environmental effects of expanding marijuana growing in forests in California in 2013, such as the effects of rat poisons such as d-Con on endangered species. The Pacific fisher weasel and the spotted owl in redwood forests are mentioned, as well as erosion, water pollution from dam construction, and the environmental effects of logging are discussed, as well as the financial and cultural aspects of marijuana growing.

The article discusses a trend of increasing amounts of graffiti and vandalism at national parks in the United States as of June 4, 2013. Topics addressed include possible connections between the trend and increasing usage of social media in the U.S. and specific cases of vandalism at the Saguaro National park in Tucson, Arizona and other parks in the Western U.S.

The article reports that California requires billions of dollars in capital improvements for water systems to provide safe drinking water to its residents.

The article discusses research into lighting technology and the psychological and physiological aspects of light as of 2013, and mentions developments such as healing blankets for infants with jaundice, energy efficient light bulbs, and light emitting diodes (LEDs). The Lighting Science Group Corporation, Philips Lighting Americas, and government policies regarding energy saving light bulbs in the U.S. are discussed.

The article reports on the construction of solar panels in Lancaster, California. It mentions the aim of Mayor R. Rex Parris to produce more electricity from solar power in the city. It also notes that the Republican-dominated public utilities board of Ohio has blocked the construction of a 50-megawatt solar facility.

The article reports on the priority call on the Pecos River sought by the New Mexico farmers and ranchers including Ronnie Walterscheid in the persistence of drought.

The article discusses a seawater desalination plant under constructed in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, California, highlighting the cost of the plant's construction and its potential uses. Topics addressed include San Diego County's agreement to purchase water from the plant and the environmental aspects of the plant.

The article reports on the challenges face by federal government's flood insurance program, which is at risk of running out of money as the reconstruction from Hurricane Sandy gets under way. The submitted 115,000 claims and thousands of being filed each day could reach $7 billion if the law allowed the program to add $3 billion to its debt. New York Representative Timothy H. Bishop says that the program requires people to participate to ensure it us adequately funded to handle claims.

The article reports that off road vehicle riders are questioning the use of land owned by the U.S. federal government in the west. Environmentalists point out that motorized vehicles can accelerate erosion and upset wildlife. Riders claim that no one uses the federal lands. Problems faced by abutters to federal lands are also discussed.

The article reports that U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Stephen P. Johnson, ruled that California and 16 other states cannot set their own limits for carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. The state's proposed standard was much stricter than that of current U.S. law. The states plan a legal challenge to Johnson's decision.

The article reports that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, struck down the 2006 rules governing the fuel economy standards for light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) issued by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. The court ruled the regulators from the Department of Transportation had failed to account for the economic impact of emissions which contribute to climate change. The case is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

The article reports that U.S. District Court judge William K. Sessions III ruled that the state of Vermont has the right to set its own regulations governing automobile emissions that are stricter than those issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Automobile manufacturers had challenged the laws as a violation of federal authority. Thirteen states, including California, have set similar rules intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The article reports that outdoor toilets are being removed from high altitude trails in national and state parks in the western U.S. The privy on Mt. Whitney in California, the highest such facility, was removed in early 2007. The 19,000 hikers who climb the peak each year are given double-sealed sanitation kits and instructions on their use. The kits have become standard camping gear for serious hikers.

The article discusses a split over regulating heat-trapping gases between U.S. President George W. Bush and federal and state legislators. A day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had the right and the obligation to regulate such emissions, Bush stated that he believed his fuel efficiency proposal for automobiles was sufficient. According to Adela Flores-Brennan, a policy analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures, over 300 bills have been filed dealing with climate change and greenhouse gases.

The article reports on the hiring of a Wall Street investment bank as advisors by Environmental Defense, an environmental group, in its dealings with Texas Pacific Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company in their buyout of TXU, a Texas energy company. Perella Weinberg Partners will help Environmental Defense to negotiate environmental terms of the buyout deal. This situation may be a foreshadowing of an increased role for environmental activists in such mergers and acquisitions.

This article discusses plans by the TXU Corporation to build coal plants across the United States. TXU abandoned plans to build eight of their originally intended 11 coal plants after coming under pressure from environmental groups. TXU also agreed to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions in their coal plants by 2020.

The article reports that a diverse coalition of American and multinational companies have united with environmental groups in an effort to lobby U.S. Congress for stricter emission laws. The companies include General Electric, British Petroleum, Du Pont, Lehman Brothers, and Caterpillar. The coalition hopes to streamline environmental efforts and avoid having to face separate state-by-state emissions laws.

The article discusses bills before the U.S. Congress to address global warming. The legislative initiatives purportedly were spurred by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth," polar bears' losing habitat, and premature plant flowerings. One measure is sponsored by U.S. Senators John McCain, Joseph I. Lieberman, and Barack Obama. Senators Diane Feinstein and Thomas R. Carper offered bills capping carbon dioxide emissions.

This article focuses on efforts by California to curb greenhouse gas emissions and control its use of energy. A legislative bill awaiting Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature would impose stringent standards on energy suppliers even outside state borders. California's energy policy and the efforts of other U.S. states to control emissions are discussed.

The article describes the criticism about ethical failures within the U.S. Interior Department made by the inspector general of the U.S. Interior Department, Earl E. Devaney. His remarks were part of a report on the cover up of mistakes in oil and gas leases made in the late 1990's which are expected to cost the government billions of dollars. Devaney was particularly upset about the dismissal of 23 of 25 potential ethical breaches made by J. Steven Griles, a former industry lobbyist.

The article discusses carbon dioxide emissions control standards in California, which are the most strict in the U.S. A legislative agreement announced August 30, 2006 states an intention to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020. Opponents express concern over the effect of the regulations on business and industry.

The article looks at the environmental effects of lawn care. Details related to a study of the air pollution caused by lawn mowers, conducted by the California Air Resources Board, are reviewed. Also discussed is the political conflict generated by pending California legislation which would limit lawn mower emissions. According to the author, lawn mower engines now feature many of features of late-model automobiles.