"President Barack Obama's State of the Union pledge to better manage fossil fuel development will face a test within days, when federal officials rule on whether to open public lands containing more than 600 million tons of coal to more mining."

"Indonesian energy company Lapindo Brantas plans to resume drilling for gas near the site of a mud volcano, its CEO said, referring to a disaster that some scientists say it helped to create around 10 years ago."

"The persistent plunge in oil prices has translated into a new round of industry job cuts. The British oil giant BP said on Tuesday it would eliminate 4,000 of the approximately 24,000 positions in its exploration and production units this year."

"The US solar industry now employs more workers than oil and gas, a new report from the Solar Foundation claims, with most of the jobs in power panel installation."

"The Republican-controlled House approved a bill Tuesday blocking new Obama administration regulations designed to reduce the environmental impact of coal mining on the nation's streams."

"Montana officials are proceeding cautiously with the $86 million Otter Creek Mine project now that developer Arch Coal has filed for bankruptcy."

"President Obama pledged on Tuesday to push for changes in how the federal government manages fossil fuel development on public lands, an emerging battleground in the nation's climate policies."

"Arch Coal, the second-largest U.S. coal miner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday with a plan to cut $4.5 billion in debt from its balance sheet in the midst of a prolonged downturn in the coal industry."

"The continuing collapse in commodity prices pushed oil futures still lower Monday, and analysts predicted that the slide was far from over."

"Kentucky may be the nation’s third-leading coal producer, but over the years it has increasingly turned to other states to supply coal for its power plants."