National (U.S.)

"Coal is looking at a starring role during the Republican national convention, as support for clean coal takes a step toward greater bipartisan support.

The fossil fuel was included in the draft political platform ahead of this week's convention in Cleveland.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who serves as the Republican National Committee's platform chairman, said the final platform would seek to lay out an agenda that reverses the "failed" policies of the Obama administration. Barrasso's state is home to one of the nation's largest coal regions."

"Making high-quality bio-diesel is hard. Getting paid $100 million to not make it was kind of a snap."

"The House passed a $32.1 billion bill funding the Interior Department and environmental programs next year, the first time the legislation has cleared the House since 2009."

"The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to require the labeling of foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients, clearing the bill’s final obstacle before it heads to the White House, where President Obama is expected to sign it into law."

"The Department of Energy’s nuclear program seldom holds its civilian contractors accountable for unlawful retaliation against whistleblowers, according to a draft Government Accountability Office report obtained by McClatchy."

"Products made possible through gene-editing have landed on grocery shelves. Whether they’ll stay there is up to shoppers wary of technological tinkering."

"New York's attorney general is rejecting a congressional committee chairman's demand for records about his investigation into whether Exxon Mobil misled investors about global warming."

"The Department of Transportation on Wednesday released proposed new spill-response rules for rail carriers carrying crude oil."

"In the energy business, natural gas is supposed to be one of the good guys — the cleaner-burning fossil fuel that can help wean the world from dirty coal during the transition to a low-carbon future. But when natural gas escapes unburned, as it often does during production and distribution, it is a big troublemaker."

"The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday voted down a Democratic push to allow federal spending on an international climate change program."