With only 16 legislating days left in the session, Congressional Democrats are trying to find a way forward on meaningful climate action. But even if they manage to pass any of the number of bills currently sitting in committee, there's no guarantee the governor will sign them into law. Cuomo, one of 24 governors who has committed his state to upholding the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, has also indicated that he's not interested in passing any more environmental legislation in this session. Meanwhile, critical thresholds continue their portentous advance.

California regulators voted Tuesday to strengthen state safeguards for thousands of wetlands and streams that are about to lose federal protections in a Trump administration rollback of the Clean Water Act. Nearly 90 percent of California's historic wetlands have been filled in or plowed under, and the state has said it is vital to preserve what remains.

A new study says a rare fire tornado that raged during the deadly wildfire this summer in Northern California was created by a combination of scorching weather, erratic winds and an ice-topped cloud that towered miles into the atmosphere. The churning funnel of smoke and flame killed a firefighter as it exploded in what already was a vast and devastating wildfire in July.

Scientists warn that if the voracious Asian carp become established in the Great Lakes, they could out-compete native species and harm the region's $7 billion fishing industry. "Given the costs of Asian carp invading our Great Lakes, inaction is not an option," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force.

The conflict between the need for more housing in California and the danger of building in fire-prone mountains was decided in favor of homes Tuesday as Los Angeles County supervisors approved a massive rural housing development. The supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a 19,000-home project amid a statewide housing shortage, high rents and a very visible homelessness crisis even as recent wildfires have drawn attention to the danger of building in rural terrain that rings California's urban areas.

New York State DEC Commissioner has announced changes that are being considered to amend state regulations and designations for protecting endangered and threatened species across the state.

A citizen panel that votes on air pollution permits was set to decide Monday whether Virginia's most powerful corporation can build a natural gas compressor station in a historical African-American community. But the state on Sunday announced the meeting was being pushed back to Dec. 19 because of a winter storm that has made roads dangerous.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation and Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, claiming that it violated federal law when it issued a “Certificate of Completion” to General Electric Company in April for its removal of polychlorinated biphenyls from the Hudson River.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation today to help prevent the emerging contaminant 1,4-dioxane from contaminating New York's water systems.

Searchers are in a race against time with long-awaited rains expected in the Northern California fire zone where dozens bodies have been recovered so far. While the rain is good for tamping down the still-burning Camp fire, it will turn the fire zone into a muddy mess and make it more difficult for crews to search.