"Big greenhouse polluting companies around the world, employing thousands of lobbyists, are exerting heavy pressure on governments to weaken climate change laws at home and slow progress on an international climate agreement in Copenhagen, a global investigation reveals."

EPA announced Thursday the Obama administration's appointment of four regional administrators. They are for Region 2 (NY, NJ, PR, VI, Tribal Nations), Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV), Region 6 (TX, LA, AK, NM, OK, Tribal Nations), Region, and Region 9 (CA, HI, AZ, NV, Territories, Tribal Nations).

The Obama White House, faced with serious and mounting problems in the oceans, is creating a National Ocean Council that excludes the key agency responsible for most oceans programs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrtion.

"The Obama administration's pick for chief agricultural trade negotiator defended himself on Wednesday against charges from environmental groups and others who said he would favor big agribusiness over small farms and organic farmers if confirmed."

"A coalition of advocacy groups launched a campaign [Tuesday] opposing President Obama's choice of a pesticide industry official to represent U.S. interests in agricultural trade negotiations."

"Al Gore's views on climate change are advancing as rapidly as the phenomenon itself."

Staff for the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming refused Thursday to rule out possible perjury charges against Steve Miller, the director of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), for sworn testimony he gave Thursday. Miller said the coal lobby group had never opposed House climate legislation, whereas evidence exists that it had.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is working to defeat the Obama administrtion on key issues, delighting some members and causing others to quit. On climate change, the group says warmer temperatures could help by reducing deaths related to cold weather.

Because of exemptions, lobby groups like the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity don't have to disclose how much they spend on fake-grassroots activities and TV ads.

"Last month, President Obama nominated Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui, vice president for governmental affairs at pesticide industry trade group Croplife America, to the post of chief agricultural negotiator at the U.S. Trade Office." Now that nomination may be in trouble.

A group claiming to consist of "people like you" is run by agribusiness and chemical industry trade associations. Despite cuddly graphics, it has no address.

"A House committee is investigating whether the coal industry's largest influence group failed to accurately report its lobbying spending to Congress."

A mandatory disclosure report filed Monday in the Senate showed that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $34.7 million last quarter to influence Congress and the administration. It's a large amount and a dramatic jump.

Some think Rush Limbaugh's call for New York Times reporter Andy Revkin to kill himself may have a detrimental effect on civil discourse in the U.S.

"A prominent coal industry association spent nearly $10 million over the past 18 months on lobbying efforts supervised by a public affairs firm currently under congressional investigation for its involvement in sending forged letters opposing the climate bill."