"House Republicans overcame bipartisan opposition Tuesday to pass a bill that would reauthorize and overhaul the National Flood Insurance Program, which has strained to pay out billions of dollars to policyholders after this year's run of devastating hurricanes."

"Few people in potential inundation zones are aware of the hazard, a Statesman investigation found. Texas applies its strictest safety standards only if a dam’s failure would probably cost seven or more lives."

"East Coast fishery managers Monday rejected a proposal backed by conservation groups to start setting harvest limits for Atlantic menhaden based on their role as food for other fish and wildlife, not merely their commercial value."

"Juan Flores and his family live in Galena Park, Texas, which is bordered on three sides by pipeline terminals, oil refineries, fertilizer plants and rail yards."

"After the Flint crisis, GOP Gov. Snyder wants to adopt stricter rules regarding lead in water. He's pushing state regulators to change the federal rule because Republican state lawmakers won't do it."

"North Carolina regulators will sanction The Chemours Co. for the release of an unregulated chemical into the Cape Fear River –  the latest in a barrage of legal assaults facing the Delaware company in the Tar Heel State."

"Legislation designed to streamline hydroelectric power licensing and relicensing was approved by a majority vote in the House."

"La Niña, the cooler sibling of El Niño, is here. The La Niña climate pattern — a natural cycle marked by cooler-than-average ocean water in the central Pacific Ocean — is one of the main drivers of weather in the U.S. and around the world, especially during the late fall, winter and early spring."

"Antarctica is getting a little hot under the collar. Just under the frozen wasteland of the world's coldest continent are some seriously hot rocks, which are helping to melt its ice sheet and create lakes and rivers, a study found."

"Gulf of Alaska cod populations appear to have nose-dived, a collapse fishery scientists believe is linked to warm water temperatures known as 'the blob' that peaked in 2015."