National (U.S.)

"Lawmakers in at least five U.S. states have proposed bills since mid-February to prevent cities from banning natural gas as an energy source in new buildings, marking an escalation in the national battle over the fuel’s role in fighting climate change."

"A Texas grand jury on Wednesday declined to issue felony indictments against a group of Greenpeace USA activists who closed a key oil export waterway for 18 hours last year by tying themselves to a Houston bridge and dangling over the water."

"Attorneys for 21 youth climate activists are filing an appeal after a judge ruled they cannot sue the federal government for failure to act on climate change."

"Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, visibly shaking and combative during a Senate hearing Wednesday, defended the Interior Department’s plan to re-interpret the Migratory Bird Treaty Act so that oil companies would not be fined for killing birds due to oil spills."

"One day after President Trump tweeted his support, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to take steps today to bring to the floor legislation that would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and address the national parks maintenance backlog, senators said."

"EPA is scrambling to finalize as many rules as possible by the middle of May to prevent Democrats from undoing them if they take control of the Senate and White House next year, according to experts who follow the agency's rulemakings."

"An EPA advisory panel has finalized a striking rebuke of the Trump administration's revamped Clean Water Act rule, saying critical elements are not adequately based on science."