"President Trump has nominated a former astronaut to head a science agency after more than a year in office — even as his administration has touted the agency as key to helping make the United States a dominant force in exporting fuel and minerals globally."

"The start of the new year has been rocky for Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke. He’s on the hot seat for exempting Florida from the Trump administration’s expanded oil and gas offshore drilling proposal without bothering to notify his boss, and for what appears to be a failure to disclose an investment in a Montana gun company, a possible conflict of interest."

"U.S. EPA's internal watchdog has put the White House on notice that its lean budgets could hinder its efforts to root out waste and fraud."

"The Republican congressman picked by President Trump to lead NASA is facing headwinds over his past comments on science, including a skeptical view on climate change."

"The U.S. region most vulnerable to tsunamis - the massive waves of water unleashed by undersea earthquakes - is dangerously under-prepared, experts and officials in Oregon and Washington state said after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake this week."

"Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke today [Wednesday] appointed P. Daniel Smith as the new acting director of the National Park Service, replacing Mike Reynolds, who's taking over as superintendent of Yosemite National Park."

"Council on Environmental Quality nominee Kathleen Hartnett White, one of the White House's most controversial staffing choices, may be stuck in the Senate."

"The Environmental Protection Agency’s operations will continue through next week even if government funding expires at midnight, Administrator Scott Pruitt informed agency employees in a message Friday."