"America’s first experiment with high-speed rail has become a multi-billion-dollar nightmare. Political compromises created a project so expensive that almost no one knows how it can be built as originally envisioned."

"The Environmental Protection Agency is “falling behind” on finalizing eight key rules to slash air pollution, water pollution and planet-warming emissions from the nation's power plants, according to a report shared first with The Climate 202 before its broader release Wednesday."

"Oral arguments begin next week in a case targeting California’s Proposition 12, a law that bans the sale of pork from farm systems that cage pigs. The ruling has implications for a wide range of other environmental and public health laws."

"The number of gray whales migrating along the Pacific Coast of North America has steadily declined by nearly 40% from a 2016 peak, and the population produced its fewest calves on record this year, according to U.S. research released on Friday."

"After almost a decade of talks, the nations of the world committed Friday to drastically lower emissions of planet-warming gases from the world’s airplanes by 2050, a milestone in efforts to ease the climate effects of a fast-growing sector."

"An apex predator has been quietly hunting interlopers in Death Valley, and for the first time, the deadly encounter has been captured on camera."

"Australia’s largest city, Sydney, has been soaked by its wettest year on record with almost three months of expected above-average rain to spare."

"Mold in homes is a costly crisis that often accompanies hurricanes and flooding, and climate change is amplifying the rain that feeds outbreaks."

"Pemex did not inform Mexico's environmental regulator of a methane leak from at a key offshore oilfield in December, according to the state oil company's response to a freedom of information request, which confirmed an earlier Reuters report that the regulator had no record of the incident."

"The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says it has spent $290 million on a drug to treat radiation sickness in the event of a nuclear emergency."