"In the reality TV series 'Prospectors,' gem hunters on a peak in central Colorado face the dangers of high-altitude lightning, rock falls, cave-ins and whiteouts while digging for valuable rocks 'just like their predecessors 150 years ago.'"

"DES MOINES, Iowa -- Environmental and animal welfare groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, alleging the federal agency unlawfully scrapped a rule that would have authorized it to collect information from large-scale livestock confinement farms."

"Koch Industries, which drew protests earlier this year over speculation that it might buy the Chicago Tribune or other Tribune Co. publications, said it's no longer interested in bidding for the newspapers."

"OTTAWA -- Ever since President Obama said in June that a litmus test for the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada was whether it would 'significantly' worsen global warming, Canadian government officials have insisted it would not."

"Even the best national data on chemical accidents is wrong nine times out of 10."

"A Dallas Morning News analysis of more than 750,000 federal records found pervasive inaccuracies and holes in data on chemical accidents, such as the one in West that killed 15 people and injured more than 300."

"In fact, no one at any level of government knows how often serious chemical accidents occur each year in the United States. And there is no plan in place for federal agencies to gather more accurate information.

"Despite the fact that more people now acknowledge that climate change represents a significant threat to human well-being, this has yet to translate into any meaningful action. Psychologists may have an answer as to why this is."