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"The Obama administration finished crafting tough new rules Friday curbing mercury and other poisons emitted by coal-fired utilities, according to several people briefed on the decision, culminating more than two decades of work to clean up the nation's dirtiest power plants.

A rider attached to the payroll tax bill would set a 60-day deadline for the Obama administration to make a postponed decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. A deal on the bill had seemed done as the weekend began, but comments by House Speaker John Boehner on a Sunday talk show seemed to signal that GOPers were going back on the deal.

"BOSTON -- A group of animal rights activists sued the U.S. government Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of a rarely used law they say treats them like terrorists if they cause a loss in profits for businesses that use or sell animal products."

"China has further revised up its solar power development target for 2015 by 50 percent from its previous plan, state media reported on Thursday."

"Three advocacy groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency last week over concerns that regulations for paper mills emissions are 25 years out of date."

"Greenpeace, the Center for Biological Diversity and Port Townsend AirWatchers filed suit on Dec. 6 under a clause of the Clean Air Act that allows citizens to hold the EPA accountable for carrying out the provisions of the act.

"Owners of thousands of U.S. homes tainted with foul-smelling Chinese drywall agreed to a legal settlement on Thursday with a German manufacturer."