"The Department of Defense says its studies don’t bear out that burn pit smoke causes chronic illnesses. But Congress isn’t so sure, having recently sent President Barack Obama a defense spending bill with provisions that restrict and monitor burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president signed the bill Wednesday."

"A consortium of Chinese and American companies announced a joint venture on Thursday to build a 600-megawatt wind farm in West Texas, using turbines made in China."

"Senate Democrats are still aiming for a committee markup on global warming legislation next week despite Republican calls for a slower pace on the sweeping measure."

"The multiyear ice covering the Arctic Ocean has effectively vanished, a startling development that will make it easier to open up polar shipping routes, an Arctic expert said on Thursday."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is working to defeat the Obama administrtion on key issues, delighting some members and causing others to quit. On climate change, the group says warmer temperatures could help by reducing deaths related to cold weather.

Incoming head of the National Park Service Jonathan Jarvis "knows the park service's problems are epic. Its maintenance backlog is $8 billion, for one, and it is seeking more money from Congress to fill potholes, improve ranger living quarters, and build more visitor centers and campgrounds."

"As scientists race the clock to increase food production worldwide, new trials to plant genetically-modified maize have stoked anger in Mexico, the cradle of corn."

"Congress approved legislation Thursday that includes $475 million to restore the Great Lakes by combating invasive species, cleaning up highly polluted sites and expanding wetlands."

Staff for the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming refused Thursday to rule out possible perjury charges against Steve Miller, the director of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), for sworn testimony he gave Thursday. Miller said the coal lobby group had never opposed House climate legislation, whereas evidence exists that it had.

"Congress authorized buying out the residents of the contaminated community of Treece [Kansas] on Thursday, and the Environmental Protection Agency signaled it's ready to move forward with emptying the town of people."