1. OIL:
Salazar plans 50% hike in onshore royalty rates
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he plans to raise royalty rates for oil drillers on public lands by roughly 50 percent, an amount he said is necessary to generate a fair return for American taxpayers. The move is likely to spark new brawls with Republican lawmakers and the oil industry during an election year in which energy development has become a signature topic.