National (U.S.)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said he expected the eight committees with partial jurisdiction over the new House climate bill to act swiftly.

Some people are starting to weigh the environmental costs of caskets and other trappings of traditional funerals. And they have found alternatives.

"Nearly 200 million acres of public lands, mostly in the West, could become prime generators of emissions-free electricity by extracting steam heat from the earth's core to drive electric turbines."

"For some of its beverages, The Coca-Cola Company is introducing a new type of plastic bottle made partially from plants."

"The U.S. government will reverse a Bush administration policy and increase the role of scientists in setting air standards for criteria pollutants harmful to human health, Lisa Jackson, the administrator of the EPA, said."

"Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say they are expecting an average Atlantic hurricane season this year, with four to seven hurricanes."

"A measure requiring utilities to generate a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, overcame a legislative hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday."

"The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill by a vote of 33-25 on Thursday evening. It’s a landmark occasion, the first time a serious climate bill has made it this far in the House."

The Environment Report's Lester Graham interviews Interior Secretary Ken Salazar about problems and challenges he faces.

U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide related to energy use fell 2.8 percent last year, driven down by high oil prices and the sagging economy -- the steepest drop since 1982.