Obama officials urge Senate to follow House and pass bill limiting greenhouse gases

WASHINGTON — Saying global warming poses unprecedented threats to Americans’ way of life, four of President Barack Obama’s top environmental and energy officials urged the Senate on Tuesday to pass legislation to reduce the pollution linked to the planet’s rising temperature.

With Franken, Senate Democrats get 60 votes _ on paper _ and a lot more pressure

WASHINGTON — Congress returns for its midsummer session Monday with a Senate supermajority not super enough for President Barack Obama’s top priorities to pass without Republican support.

China opposes US climate proposal to put tariffs on countries that do not cut emissions

BEIJING — China said Thursday it opposed part of a landmark U.S. bill to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying tariffs should not be imposed on countries that do not cut emissions.

EPA is proposing regulations to cut air pollution from oceangoing tankers and cargo ships

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing tougher rules to reduce air pollution from large oceangoing ships, including oil tankers and cargo vessels.

Washington state farmers sue to stop proposed feedlot’s plan to access well water

YAKIMA, Wash. — A group of Washington state farmers have joined two environmental groups in filing a lawsuit to block a proposed feedlot from using a well that is exempt from requiring state permits to water up to 30,000 cattle.

Federal court upholds California regulations requiring ships to reduce harmful emissions

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal court judge in Sacramento has upheld California regulations that require oceangoing ships using the state’s ports to use cleaner fuel in order to reduce harmful emissions.

Judge overturns Bush administration change to rule protecting spotted owl habitat

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A federal judge has struck down the Bush administration’s change to a rule designed to protect the northern spotted owl from logging in national forests.

EPA approves California fuel efficiency rule to cut greenhouse gases from vehicles.

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency took a major step toward tougher reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks Tuesday by giving California the green light to impose new requirements that could become the national model for combatting tailpipe pollution linked to global warming.

EPA proposes tougher clean air rule for nitrogen dioxide to help stem respiratory ailments

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Monday proposed to strengthen a key air pollution health standard to better protect children and people with respiratory illnesses.

Obama aide expects Senate to deal with health care overhaul before acting on climate change

WASHINGTON — A top presidential adviser says it probably will be the fall before the Senate deals with a major climate change bill that just passed the House.

Top Obama adviser: Republicans using inaction on climate change as a political strategy

WASHINGTON — One of President Barack Obama’s top advisers says Republicans are using inaction as a political strategy.

Senate comes under pressure from Obama to follow House’s lead and pass climate change bill

WASHINGTON — Hailing the House, President Barack Obama put pressure on senators Saturday to follow its lead and pass legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions, helping usher the U.S. into a new age of energy efficiency.

Climate bill would create new financial system; winners and losers emerge in carbon economy

NEW YORK — In addition to raising energy prices, the climate legislation that’s winding through Congress would create a parallel financial system with a carbon-based currency.

Hailing House vote, Obama calls on Senate to pass climate, energy bill

WASHINGTON — Hours after the House passed landmark legislation meant to curb greenhouse gas emissions and create an energy-efficient economy, President Barack Obama on Saturday urged senators to show courage and follow suit.

Despite historic vote, climate bill faces tough road to becoming law

WASHINGTON — Sweeping legislation to curb the pollution linked to global warming and create a new energy-efficient economy is headed to an uncertain future in the Senate after squeaking through the House.

House, in close vote, approves measure to limit pollution, move US toward cleaner power

WASHINGTON — In a triumph for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed sweeping legislation Friday that calls for the nation’s first limits on pollution linked to global warming and aims to usher in a new era of cleaner, yet more costly energy.

Historic measure to limit pollution, move US toward cleaner power nears House showdown vote

WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama lobbying by phone, the Democratic-controlled House churned toward a showdown vote Friday night on historic legislation to reduce pollution linked to global warming and power the nation with cleaner but more expensive energy.

Getting to Copenhagen: Climate deal stakes high for UN and its leader

UNITED NATIONS — For Ban Ki-moon, bringing about a new U.N. climate treaty by the end of this year is a must.

Navy says sonar impact on endangered whales negligible at planned training site off Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Navy believes sonar in a planned training range for submarine warfare off the coast of north Florida will not disturb calving by endangered North Atlantic right whales, it said in an environmental impact statement Friday.

Calif. senator sides with oyster farmer over Park Service, environmental activists

WASHINGTON — A powerful Senate Democrat is backing an oyster farmer over the National Park Service in a northern California controversy that has environmentalists seething.

House Democrats narrowly prevail in key test vote on climate bill, sending it to full House

WASHINGTON — House Democrats narrowly won a key test vote Friday and pushed for passage of sweeping legislation designed to combat global warming and usher in a new era of cleaner energy. Republicans said the bill included the largest tax increase in American history.

Democrats scrambling to find enough vote to pass historic climate change legislation

WASHINGTON — Democrats scrambled for votes Friday to push through a historic and hotly contested bill to combat global warming and usher in an era of cleaner but more expensive energy. To Republican opponents, it’s the largest tax increase ever.

House begins debate over climate change bill; votes expected to be close

WASHINGTON — The House has begun debating a historic and hotly contested global warming bill.

House Democrats clear the way for floor vote on climate change bill, vote expected to be close

WASHINGTON — The House has set the stage for a historic vote on hotly contested legislation to combat global warming and overhaul U.S. energy policy.

WTO admits some trade limits may be necessary to stop climate change

GENEVA — The World Trade Organization acknowledged Friday that some limits on free trade may be necessary to stop runaway climate change — provided the restrictions aren’t a cover for protectionism.

EU closely watching US climate bill, calls for US, Japan to make climate change breakthrough

BRUSSELS — The Europe Union wants a U.S. climate change bill to succeed so the United States can move swiftly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Friday.

Handful of undecided Democrats hold key to whether House passes historic global warming bill

WASHINGTON — A handful of undecided Democrats hold the key to whether the House will confront global warming and begin a shift away from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy.

Questions and answers about the US climate bill that Obama hopes will ease global warming

Cap-and-trade? Offsets? Pollution credits? The climate bill passed Friday by the House tackles global warming with new limits on pollution and a market-based approach to encourage more environmentally friendly business practices. But what exactly do the proposed rules mean, and how would they work?

Calif. board delays decision on whether to impose carbon fee on industry, pledges July action

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California regulators on Thursday delayed a decision on whether to implement the nation’s first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other polluting industries.

EPA says Monsanto mine discharges violate law even as co. wants new mine for Roundup supply

BOISE, Idaho — Federal regulators said Thursday an Idaho mine that Monsanto Co. depends on to make its Roundup weed killer has violated federal and state water quality laws almost since it opened, sending selenium and other heavy metals into the region’s waterways.