"The nation’s top pipeline regulator has taken too long to impose congressionally ordered safeguards, including changes that could have blunted the impact of a recent spill in California, lawmakers said Tuesday."

"Hurricane Dolores is rapidly strengthening to a category 4 hurricane off Mexico's Pacific coast, with maximum sustained winds increasing to near 130 mph (209 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday."

"Environmental groups on Tuesday urged the U.S. government not to grant Royal Dutch Shell final permits for Arctic oil exploration after an icebreaker with safety equipment to cap wells was put out of action."

"An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when."

"Lawmakers are set to grill the nation's top pipeline regulator on Tuesday, as a Houston company works to clean up oil spills in California and Illinois that have highlighted safety concerns."

"Forecasters say Tropical Storm Dolores is strengthening out in the Pacific off Mexico's southwest coast and could become a hurricane on Monday."

"'Extreme.' 'Unprecedented.' 'Historic.' Those are just a few of the words being used to describe the start of this year's fire season in North America."

"A new study shows more Americans will suffer the consequences of extreme heat."

"Wildfires are burning in several Spanish provinces, forcing evacuations, and EU authorities say there is an extreme risk of further blazes breaking out in the country as a heatwave shows no signs of abating."

"As she knocked on the federal government's door for aid in the wake of a damaging earthquake in 2011, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) avoided talking about one aspect of the earthquake -- its cause."