"With speculation over the next Supreme Court nominee running rampant, potential nominees' records on environmental issues and other hot-button topics are drawing scrutiny."

"Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh’s office said Monday that it plans to fight a plan by the Dominion Virginia Power company to release about 215 million gallons of treated coal-ash water into a creek that connects to the Potomac River."

"Citing last week's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday ordered state agencies not to do any work to prepare for federal climate change regulations that would require Wisconsin utilities to cut carbon emissions from power plants."

"DOE issued a proposed rule [Friday]afternoon for light bulbs that would likely lead to the phaseout of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), analysts say."

"Residents of Flint, Michigan, began getting gravely ill and in some cases dying in summer 2014 in one of the worst outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in U.S. history, and a county health director says attempts to find the source were hampered when the state wouldn't request federal assistance."

"White House officials began sifting through their pool of potential nominees for the newly vacant seat on the nation’s highest court Sunday, girding for battle with Republicans who are insisting that President Obama leave the choice of a new justice to his successor."

"President Obama designated three new national monuments in the California desert Thursday, expanding federal protection to 1.8 million acres of landscapes that have retained their natural beauty despite decades of heavy mining, cattle ranching and off-roading."

"A former Freedom Industries executive was sentenced Thursday to one month in federal prison for a chemical spill that fouled the drinking water supply of 300,000 West Virginians."