You may have thought that the billboard wars were largely over, after the efforts of Lady Bird Johnson, the passage of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, and the subsequent adoption of regulations by states and local communities.

Three reports being released by the National Academies' National Research Council have strong environmental links. Reports concern water, biofuels and ongoing conflicts between national security and the open flow of scientific information.

The US Army's plans to expand operations at 17 facilities in 12 states over the next six years to accommodate up to about 75,000 troops and support personnel will have major environmental impacts.

When considering the impact of transportation on the environment, most people think of cars. However, air travel is gaining increasing scrutiny as a climate change culprit.

Big banks take greenhouse gas emissions into account when assessing risks of financing power plants

In 2005, at least 3,600 facilities violated their water discharge permits more than 24,000 times, according to a US Public Interest Research Group report released Oct. 11, 2007.

"Citizen scientist" program to document when local plants flower, bud, leaf.

The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration is expected to release its annual report on greenhouse gas emissions in the last week or two of November 2007.

"Net metering" for selling excess wind or solar energy to utilities shows great variability among states.

Drought is a major local story for many news media. Weather extremes, including drought, are an integral part of the climate change dilemma.