National (U.S.)

"U.S. EPA's final air quality standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) entails new requirements for measuring peak exposures near roads, but it would monitor fewer roadside locations than the agency's original proposal."

"Jared Blumenfeld, the newly appointed director of the U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest region, Region 9, is pledging to make life difficult for polluters, especially those who despoil the environment in underserved and vulnerable communities."

President Obama announced Thursday that the Transportation Dept. is awarding $8 billion in economic stimulus funds to develop America's first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service.

Jeff Goodell's article "As the World Burns: How Big Oil and Big Coal mounted one of the most aggressive lobbying campaigns in history to block progress on global warming" was published in the January 2010 issue of Rolling Stone.

"A decrease in water vapor concentrations in parts of the middle atmosphere has contributed to a slowing of Earth’s warming, researchers are reporting. The finding, they said, offers part of the explanation for a string of years with relatively stable global surface temperatures."

"President Obama refused to back down from his ambitious energy and climate change agenda during last night's State of the Union address, prodding the Senate to pass a comprehensive bill despite complaints from moderates in both parties that the issue is too big to tackle in an election year."