"Dozens of District [of Columbia] residents who installed solar panels on their homes under a government grant program promoting renewable energy have been told they will not be reimbursed thousands of dollars as promised because the funds were diverted to help close a city budget gap."

While economists acknowledge doubts and uncertainties about the models that seem to predict job-losses from air pollution controls, members of Congress cite them without any caveats.

"With no say in their chamber's agenda but an ambitious goal of reclaiming the majority, House Democrats are turning to energy and environmental issues in their latest bid to promote an alternative to the GOP economic agenda ahead of the 2012 election."

As gas companies race to drill more wells that produce gas with a technique known as hydrofracking, the dangers of the toxic wastewater they discharge turn out to be greater than previously understood.