Public

"President Barack Obama proposed a dramatic increase in clean-energy spending on Wednesday as he sought to expand U.S. government support for electric cars, wind power and other "green" technology despite persistent Republican criticism.

The president would pay for the expansion in part by eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for oil, gas and coal industries. Previous efforts by Obama's fellow Democrats to repeal the $4 billion worth of fossil-fuel subsidies have fallen short."

"COMING THURSDAY: Probably the most rough-and-tumble of the nomination hearings for members of President Obama’s second-term green team.

Gina McCarthy, Obama’s choice to run the Environmental Protection Agency, will appear before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The Senate committee includes three of Capitol Hill’s most outspoken critics of the EPA: the panel’s ranking Republican, Sen. David Vitter (La.), and Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)."

"They’re back. Seventeen years after a major swarm of bug-eyed cicadas staged one of nature’s weirdest — and loudest — mating rituals, their offspring are preparing to rise in Washington’s suburbs and the Mid-Atlantic."

"Health and environmental groups will launch a national campaign Thursday to prod 10 major retailers -- including Walmart, Target and Costco -- to clear store shelves of products containing hazardous chemicals."

"Under proposed new national science standards, students would learn concepts more thoroughly, including how human activity is driving global warming."