"Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt must soon decide whether to maintain eight temporary agency directors, as the Trump administration presses into its third year without appointees for a slew of top posts at the department.

According to Secretarial Order 3345, eight temporary appointments — including the heads of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service — will expire on Jan. 31.

"Senate Democrats are sounding the alarm that acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler may be tapping furloughed workers to help prepare for his confirmation hearing."

"With trees razed and drivers making new roads on normally protected desert land, the damage at Joshua Tree National Park in California may be far worse than imagined, but Park Superintendent David Smith says he can't talk about it."

A decades-long multi-million dollar covert PR campaign by fossil fuel industries has manipulated many media outlets to give equal time to figures who deny established climate science.

"Joshua Tree National Park will remain open during the government shutdown after officials moved to use park fees to avert the planned closure."

"The government shutdown has suspended federal cleanups at Superfund sites around the nation and forced the cancellation of public hearings, deepening the mistrust and resentment of surrounding residents who feel people in power long ago abandoned them to live among the toxic residue of the country’s factories and mines."

"Fiat Chrysler Automobiles agreed Thursday to a settlement with U.S. regulators and other plaintiffs that could cost the automaker roughly $800 million to resolve allegations that it cheated on emissions tests."

"Progressive organizers today [Thursday] presented lawmakers with a formal wish list for 'Green New Deal' legislation, asking for a sweeping plan to address climate change and move to 100 percent renewable energy."

"Weather models are not being updated and training sessions might be canceled during the budget standoff".