Halting federal climate action isn't so easy
What we're writing
Why Trump rollback of Obama policies isn't easy
President Trump signed an "Energy Independence" executive order, aimed especially at scrapping the Clean Power Plan, which calls on states to reduce electric-utility emissions. But, although Trump and his team can certainly slow US efforts to respond to climate change, it may be much harder for them to lock a different direction into place for the long term. // Mark Trumbull and Henry Gass
On Colorado River, a mind-set of shared sacrifice
A wet winter is easing water strains in the Southwest, but the longer-term outlook is generally hotter and drier. States now have that in mind in water bargaining. Last in our six-part series on emerging water solutions in the American West. // Zack Colman
Is the end in sight for the Flint water crisis?
The Michigan city's water crisis may finally be reaching resolution, with a settlement that would require the city to replace 18,000 underground pipes by 2020. But many of the problems that led to the contamination still have to be addressed in other areas of Michigan and across the United States, some experts warn. // Weston Williams
How climate change may drive extreme weather
Scientists say climate change could be altering the jet stream in a way that causes extreme heat waves, droughts, and flooding. // Eva Botkin-Kowacki
Courts now at front line in climate battles
As governments make commitments on emissions – or fail to do so – questions of follow-through increasingly land in court. Vienna's airport is a case in point. // Tamara Micner
What we're reading
A call for 'red teams' to challenge climate science
Should Congress fund "skeptic" scientists to challenge mainstream climate science? Debate was lively at a congressional hearing. // The Washington Post
Coal-mine waste could yield elements for clean energy
Researchers in Appalachia examine whether one of the region’s biggest liabilities – coal-mine waste – might supply rare earth elements. // Southeast Energy News
Solar energy + salt water = veggies in the desert
A project uses what's abundant to make "what we need more of." // Thomson Reuters Foundation
Should weatherization programs really be axed?
Building owners who make efficiency upgrades are making big cuts in emissions, a study concludes. // The Washington Post
What's trending
'Climate change is real': Companies challenge Trump
“We believe that investing in a low-carbon economy will not only help foster a healthier environment, it is also a key to unlocking new business growth potential for the US and around the world.” // Gap spokeswoman Laura Wilkinson, quoted in The Guardian
On network news, just 50 minutes for climate in 2016
"Combined climate coverage on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News Sunday decreased significantly from 2015 to 2016, despite ample opportunity to cover climate change." // Newly released analysis by Media Matters
California in gear for cleaner cars
"Eight years from now, new cars and trucks sold in the Golden State will be required to have an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon.... The sheer size of California’s market, and a unique waiver from the Clean Air Act, give it an outsize role in determining what comes out of your car's tailpipe. With this vote, it’s trying to raise those standards at the same moment when the feds and automakers want them eased." // Patrick Reilly, writing in The Christian Science Monitor
