An EPA study of possible gas drilling pollution in Wyoming has become a case in point in a national legislative battle.

"In the last five years alone, chemical factories, manufacturing plants and other workplaces have violated water pollution laws more than half a million times. The violations range from failing to report emissions to dumping toxins at concentrations regulators say might contribute to cancer, birth defects and other illnesses. However, the vast majority of those polluters have escaped punishment."

As governments tighten their belts, it's getting harder for them to pay scientists to monitor the health of the nation's ecosystems. So increasingly, they're turning to citizens who do that kind of work for free. The Environment Report's Ann Dornfeld reports on the growing influence of these "citizen scientists".

After he finishes health legislation, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus will stake a claim of jurisdiction on the climate bill.

This week, California state parks officials are expected to release a list of up to 100 California parks that will be closed to save money, and the impacts will be felt far and wide.

"India's environment minister said the country will not agree to binding emission targets and that it would not be a disaster if global climate change talks in December fail."

Lawyers for a long-established sustainable forest products label are challenging the legitimacy of another label backed by the paper and timber industry.

"Some dairy farmers are investing in machines that turn gases from cow poop into usable energy. The technology keeps potent climate change gases out of the atmosphere. But ... some California farmers are getting into trouble with air pollution officials."

Intensified monitoring for toxics in the air around certain schools has only raised more questions about health effects -- and some lawsuits.

"Dozens of coal-mining permits proposed across Appalachia need much more scrutiny because of concerns they will illegally damage water quality, the Obama administration said Friday."

NY state Senator Thomas Moran (R) played a critical role in passage of a $5-billion green jobs and energy bill for the state.

"The federal government, acting to protect endangered fish, is setting up new rules to limit where and when orchardists, farmers and others can use some common pesticides. ... The rules, coming from the Environmental Protection Agency, follow from a decision last year by the National Marine Fisheries Service to require limits on three common pesticides -- chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion -- in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California."

"For hundreds of years, mariners have dreamed of an Arctic shortcut that would allow them to speed trade between Asia and the West. Two German ships are poised to complete that transit for the first time, aided by the retreat of Arctic ice that scientists have linked to global warming."

"A federal lawsuit by two industry groups aims to halt the U.S. government and the state of California from moving ahead with new greenhouse gas emissions rules for cars and trucks."

Ironworker Joe Picurro volunteered to help work on "the pile" at Ground Zero that resulted from the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Now he is nearing death from the air he breathed there. He is one of thousands suffering similar diseases.