The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release a new rule this week to protect a significantly larger percentage of streams and wetlands that provide habitat for wildlife and sources of drinking water. The move is another example of President Obama taking executive action on environmental and climate issues regardless of whether he has the support of Congress. The administration has already protected millions of acres from oil and gas development and is expected to set aside more, even as it has allowed the expansion of oil and gas drilling elsewhere. It plans to issue new rules this summer to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. Read more at the LA Times.