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The Senate panel that was supposed to discuss the confirmation of Lisa Jackson and Nancy Sutley instead focused on the appointment of Carol Browner as White House Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change. Browner served as administrator of Environmental Protection Agency during former President Bill Clinton's administration. Views and information on Browner are presented.

A study revealed that U.S. geothermal can produce as much power as nine large nuclear reactors, but the development of technologies that has lower temperature requirements could increase the potential of geothermal as a power source in the U.S. Other views and information on geothermal power and recent technology developments are presented.

The Democratic Congress is likely to push for legislation on the global warming issue sooner than later, and hence, business lobbyists are making efforts to place their clients in an advantageous position in relation to the bill. Firms in the utility, automobile, oil and mining industries are trying to influence the form and terms of the legislation, hoping Congress would pass the least intrusive global-warming bill.

Proponents of liquid coal and other synthetic fuels believe that these fuels can reduce the dependence of the United States on imported foreign oil supplies. Although they are in favor of using the abundant coal wealth to produce liquid coal and build domestic industry and jobs, it is to be seen if coal-to-liquid plants are commercially viable and whether liquid coal would worsen the problem of global warming.

Two dozen states are protesting against the Bush administration's go-slow approach to restricting poisonous mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, including Illinois and Pennsylvania, major coal-producing and coal-using states that are opting for tougher standards on mercury. States are cracking down on their power plants' poisonous emissions and opting out of a federal mercury program they see as too weak, submitting their own reduction proposal for Environmental Protection Agency's approval.

Carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere have soared as more fossil fuels are burned and scientists worried about global warming are calling for improving existing technologies and developing new ones that will halt climate change. A discussion is presented on several of the most promising technologies under development, with or without government help, to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants that cause global warming.

A proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to postpone the cutback of poisonous mercury emission from coal-fired power factories until 2018, to avoid adverse economic impact, incurs the wrath of environmentalists. However, failure to prevent such contamination of waterways and fish food, which endangers the life of pregnant women and children, is bound to produce an adverse political impact in the forthcoming November elections.

Support staff for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are described. Positions included are majority posts for staff director and his deputy, various counsels, communications director, and similar personnel for minority members.

This article examines how the George W. Bush administration is working to undermine the power of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), which requires developers to prepare environmental impact statements. Topics include public accountability for development and environmentalist concerns that speeding up environmental analysis will harm resources.

Many issues could be significantly affected by which political party gets control of Congress after the 2002 elections. These include management of Amtrak, abortion, medical care, immigration, judicial appointments, labor relations, land use, patients' rights, pollution control, availability of prescription drugs, social security, taxation, and international trade.

An overview is presented on cutbacks of Superfund hazardous waste cleanup projects under the administration of George W. Bush. Debate centers on whether the federal government or state governments should be responsible for funding and managing the projects.

George W. Bush has proposed exempting electric power-plants from air-pollution laws. Such plants usually burn coal, producing sulfur dioxide, a major factor in acid rain, and which may contribute to lung and heart diseases.

Under George W. Bush's pro-industry government, more public land is being leased for commercial development. Gas and oil drilling, mining, and logging are being allowed even in places deemed ecologically sensitive. The amount of development going on has environmentalists overwhelmed.

America has a short memory when it comes to oil and the dangers of its addiction to oil's most alluring product, gasoline. Only three decades ago, an Arab oil embargo [...]

The nuclear power industry seemed poised to enter a new day. After years of being looked upon with suspicion, the industry appeared to be on the brink of a surprising [...]

The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act have led to several laws that have ensured a better environment and cleaner air and water in America since the 1960s. In spite of the tremendous success of such initiatives, bigger environmental issues like global warming and degradation of the oceans are to be tackled.

Government officials planning the Office of Home Land Security should look at past efforts by the United States to reorganize its administrative agencies. The beginnings of the Departments of Defense, Energy and Transportation are examined.