Bark beetles "munching and killing pine trees by the millions from Colorado to Canada" add a dangerous unknown to predictions for the coming wildfire season.

"A new study argues the human costs of coal mining in Appalachia far outweighs its benefits."

"The House narrowly passed an ambitious climate bill [Friday] that would establish national limits on greenhouse gases, create a complex trading system for emission permits and provide incentives to alter how individuals and corporations use energy."

"Federal regulators said Thursday an Idaho mine that Monsanto Co. depends on to make its Roundup weed killer has violated federal and state water quality laws almost since it opened, sending selenium and other heavy metals into the region's waterways."

"Environmental interests were trounced in the 2009 Supreme Court term that ends Monday."

"House Democrats yesterday decided to allow votes on 13 of the 105 amendments submitted for the spending bill that funds environmental agencies, prompting cries of foul play from Republicans."

"Two of the nation’s biggest coal-burning utilities said Thursday that they were withdrawing from a $2.4 billion project to demonstrate carbon capture and storage, and would instead pursue their own work in the field."

"Several U.S. companies hope to race ahead of foreign rivals by using federal loans and grants to commercialize electric cars and lighter, longer-lasting batteries. But a Canadian company might get there first."

"The House could vote today on a measure to cap U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, with Democratic leaders predicting a tight victory for a behemoth bill that has grown more complex with each compromise."