"House and Senate leaders on Thursday reached agreement on tougher safety rules for the nation’s vast network of pipelines in the wake of a spate of incidents including a deadly pipeline explosion in San Bruno, Calif., last year that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes."

"Scientists eagerly await data that may prove the existence of the Higgs boson, which is key to understanding mass in the universe. Or the hints may be a false alarm."

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Labor Department officials blocked an independent state team investigating the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster from digging into questions about the federal government's response to earlier incidents where methane leaked from the Raleigh County operation's mine floor, newly disclosed records show."

"A federal agency announced Thursday that it had found no evidence that decades of live fire and bombing exercises by the Navy on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques had caused health problems documented among its residents."

In many places across the country today, manmade pollution and natural contamination of drinking water poser serious threats to people's health. Polls show Americans want such problems solved, and for four decades, the two political parties worked together to protect public health. But now Republicans (and some Democrats) in both House and Senate are trying to pass bills that would end safe drinking water and most other environmental protections.

"House of Representatives will include approval of a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline in a payroll tax cut bill, House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday, raising the political stakes on the issue.

The move by House Republicans marked a challenge to President Barack Obama, who has warned he would veto any bill that linked quick approval of TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL pipeline to extending a tax cut for American workers that is due to expire on December 31.

"NAUCALPAN DE JUÁREZ, Mexico — The spent batteries Americans turn in for recycling are increasingly being sent to Mexico, where their lead is often extracted by crude methods that are illegal in the United States, exposing plant workers and local residents to dangerous levels of a toxic metal.

"DURBAN, South Africa, December 8, 2011 (ENS) - With less than 24 hours left before the end of another climate change conference, negotiators in Durban are working around the clock to salvage the talks, with the African Group vowing on Thursday to ensure some kind of deal is achieved.

Progress has been made on several issues, including the structure of the Green Climate Fund, with an agreement imminent on the multi-billion dollar long-term financing instrument.

"CHEYENNE - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday for the first time that fracking - a controversial method of improving the productivity of oil and gas wells - may be to blame for causing groundwater pollution."