The National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC, is playing a growing role in understanding weather and climate change.

"A plan to restore salmon runs on California's Sacramento River could help revive killer whale populations 700 miles to the north in Puget Sound."

"San Joaquin Valley farms are laying off workers and letting fields lie fallow as their water ration falls."

"TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Long dependent on wellwater and supplies sent hundreds of miles by canal from the Colorado River, this desert city will soon harvest some of its 12 inches of annual rainfall to help bolster its water resources."

Voting with the GOP might seem like an easy political choice for Idaho Democrat Walt Minick. But could it be a problem when he needs clout to help the state?

"Studies Are Homing in on Which Particles Polluting the Air Are Most Sickening -- and Why"

The EPA says North Carolina Has More 'High-Hazard' Sites Than Any Other; the Industry Calls Them Safe.

California this week put in place the toughest restrictions in the world on smog from ships, requiring reductions of more than 80 percent of soot from foreign and US ships out to 24 miles from shore. Tankers, cargo vessels and cruise ships burn bunker fuel, which has sulfur content as much as 1,000 times higher than on-road diesel. The US is moving forward to copy California's rules by 2015. Paul Rogers reports in the San Jose Mercury News.

"The U.S., European Union and 12 of the world's largest nations plan to embrace 'an aspirational goal' of reducing emissions of global-warming gases by 50% by 2050, according to a draft declaration by world leaders set for release next week in Italy."

"Proposals to impose 'carbon tariffs' on imported products will violate the rules of the World Trade Organization as well as the spirit of the Kyoto Protocol, China's Ministry of Commerce said."