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The former air force base in Homestead, Florida, heavily damaged during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, is being decommissioned and converted to civilian use. Local business want Homestead to become a commercial airport, but NPR's Cheryle Devall reports that environmentalists are concerned about the location of such a facvility between two national parks.

Noah talks to Dorothy Garren of Gaylordsville, Connecticut about the Washington Oak, a 400 year old tree across the road from her house. The tree is an historic site because George Washington once ate lunch with his men in its shade. Garren's grandmother donated the tree and the land around it to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Recently, the tree was severely damaged by a storm. Noah also talks to Howard Stevens, the arborist who was called to inspect the tree after the damage. He says that the damage is so extensive that the tree might not be saved. This story brought to mind W. S. Merwin's story "Unchopping a Tree" from his collection "The Miner's Pale Children." Noah also talks to Jackie Prince Roberts, an environmental scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund, about the EDF's suggestions for making holiday celebrations more environmentally sound. John Waters of Arlington, Virginia, opposes one of those tips strongly: the one that recommends getting an artificial tree rather than a real one.

Lake Tahoe is known as one of the country's most beautiful lakes. But decades of overdevelopment and heavy tourist traffic have polluted the lake and turned the region into a tacky sprawl of t-shirt shops, motels and fast food joints. NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that after years of antagonism, environmentalists and business people have concluded that saving the lake is in both of their interests and are working together to balance environmental protection and economic growth.

NPR's John Nielsen reports that Congress held its first hearings today on the Clinton adminsitration's proposal to sharply curtail emissions of ozones and particulates. Industry officials complained that there's little science to back up the proposal. But Environmental Protection Agency officials say the science is strong enough to support the restrictions.

NPR's John Nielsen reports that the problem of endangered species is limited to several "hot spots" around the country, according to a new study in this week's issue of the journal Science. Federal officials and environmentalists say programs to save rare species should focus on these areas -- and not be spread over the whole country.

The House of Representatives approved amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act which means some good changes for consumers, large cities, and rural communities. The law seems to have something for everyone. But the biggest beneficiaries might be Congressional Republicans looking to shed their anti-environmental image. NPR's David Baron reports.

NPR's David Baron has a report looking at what progress has been made in the five years since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Back then, heads of state from around the world assembled to discuss the earth's environmental problems and they agreed to several treaties designed to reverse global warming, reduce acid rain, and improve water quality -- among other goals. Some progress has been made, but environmentalists say much more needs to be done.

Environmentalists contend that acts of violence and harassment against activists are increasing in number. NPR's John Nielsen reports that the US Forest Service and Justice Department say they don't know about the existence of a trend, but they're taking steps to head off such incidents.

Korva speaks with environmental writer Bill McKibben, who has written an introduction to a new edition (Beacon Press/Boston) of Henry David Thoreau's classic work, WALDEN (1854). McKibben says that Thoreau's thoughts on living life simply are relevant to us today. McKibben's introduction also appears in the spring issue of DOUBLETAKE magazine.

The Federal Aviation Administration is considering the adoption of regulations that would require airlines to install fire extinguishers in cargo holds. The most practical chemical available for those systems has been banned by the Environmental Protection Agency because it damages the ozone layer. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports the agencies appear to be headed for an agreement to use the banned chemical, while a safe, effective and affordable alternative is developed.