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Reports that a White House official who once led the oil industry's fight against limits on greenhouse gases has repeatedly edited government climate reports to play down links between such emissions and global warming, according to internal documents. Role of Philip A. Cooney in removing or adjusting descriptions of climate research that government scientists and their supervisors had already approved; Examples of the dozens of revisions, which tend to produce an air of doubt about findings that most climate experts say are robust; Background on Cooney, who is chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Method by which the documents were obtained by "The New York Times"; Response of White House officials to the changes made by Cooney; Views of climate experts and representatives of environmental groups; Influence of Cooney and other White House officials with ties to energy industries. INSET: An Editor in the White House.

Reports on a ruling by a federal appeals court that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney did not have to divulge details about how the White House's energy policies were shaped. Analysis of the decision, which touched on the constitutional separation of powers; Review of the White House's argument that it was not obligated to disclose whom it consulted on energy matters early in President George W. Bush's first term; Influence of the decision on pending energy legislation, which will allegedly combine environmental protection with energy efficiency.

Reports that United States federal regulators have recommended relaxing an air pollution regulation that requires power plants to upgrade pollution control equipment when upgrading operations. Push for the move by energy and industry groups, many of whom have supported President George W. Bush; Protests of environmental groups; Dilemma that Bush is facing; Views of environmentalists and politicians.