FIGHT OVER CHILDREN'S CLIMATE SUIT: A federal court panel appeared skeptical of a Trump administration push to drop a climate change lawsuit from a group of children on Monday.

Federal lawyers called the claims "unprecedented" and said the case, if it is allowed to go forward, could lead to "litigation that is distracting the executive branch from the discharge of its duties."

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"It is really extraordinary," Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Grant told a panel of judges on the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

"Plaintiffs seek unprecedented standing to pursue unprecedented claims in pursuit of an unprecedented remedy."

The lawsuit, from a group of 21 young plaintiffs ranging in age from 10 to 21, claims federal government energy policies have helped create climate change that will hurt the children as they grow up. It aims to force the government to address the issue going forward.

But despite the Trump administration's complaints, two Clinton-appointed members of the three-judge panel questioned the dire outcomes the government was predicting.

"I would hope if this case did go forward that it would be pared down, and focused on particular orders and agencies, but to stop it now when there are all kinds of ways for things to develop -- it's not unusual for a case to be filed very broadly and decided very narrowly," Judge Marsha Berzon said.

If the court were to halt the case before it goes to trial, Chief Judge Sidney Thomas worried, "we would be absolutely flooded with appeals from people who think their case should be dismissed by the district court."

He said, "if we set the precedent on this kind of case, there's no logical boundary to it."

Read more here.

ENERGY COMMISH STILL PUSHING INTERIM COAL RULE: Neil Chatterjee, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) member and former chairman, said he isn't discouraged by a 30-day delay in the agency's consideration of a proposal to boost coal and nuclear power plants.

Chatterjee is said still pushing for the commission to take action on Energy Secretary Rick Perry Rick PerryEnergy secretary questions consensus that humans cause climate change OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump signs major conservation bill into law | Senate votes to confirm Energy's No. 2 official | Trump Jr. expresses opposition to Pebble Mine project MORE's proposal to require that grid operators pay more to coal and nuclear plants.

Hours after he was sworn in, new Chairman Kevin McIntyre asked Perry for a 30-day extension of the deadline, originally Monday, to take action on the proposal. Perry granted the request, though he warned that more delays could be harmful to the electric grid.

"I think it's prudent that my colleagues want a little bit more time to carefully evaluate the docket," Chatterjee said Monday at an event hosted by Axios, noting that McIntyre and Commissioner Richard Glick were both sworn in in recent weeks.

"And they intend to do that, and I presume that they will thoughtfully and carefully evaluate the fact-based, data-driven process that we have ... at the commission, and we'll look to see what potential actions can taken," he said.

Read more here.

FRANCE'S MACRON ROLLS OUT 'MAKE OUR PLANET GREAT AGAIN' GRANTS: French President Emmanuel Macron will award U.S. climate scientists with grants to conduct research in France for the remainder of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE's current presidential term.

The "Make Our Planet Great Again" grants, totaling about $70 million, will be given to about 50 climate research projects.

The Monday awards ceremony comes the day before the United Nations and World Bank's "One Planet Summit," a climate event focused on the Paris Accord. Trump was not invited to the summit.

Macron has been especially critical of Trump's decision to pull out of the accord, saying in November that France would cover the U.S. share of funding for a U.N. climate change panel.

The grants will allow researchers to relocate to France and will last through the remainder of Trump's current term.

Read more here.

TRUMP TO NASA: GO BACK TO THE MOON: Trump in a White House ceremony on Monday signed a new directive aimed at sending U.S. astronauts back to the moon -- one that, while short on details, the administration insisted will restore the U.S. to its role as a leader in space exploration and help spur job growth.

The order "will refocus America's space program on human exploration and discovery," and "marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the moon ... for long-term exploration and use," Trump said prior to signing the document.

"This is a giant step toward that inspiring future. We are the leader, and we are going to stay the leader," he said.

Vice President Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Pence adviser knocks ex-staffer who criticized Trump on COVID-19 MORE praised Trump's leadership and said today's action will establish a "renewed American presence on the moon," and "enhance our national security and our capacity to provide for the common defense" of the United States.

"We will also spur innovation as the space program has always done," Pence said, adding that "we'll see jobs created that we couldn't even imagine could be created today."

The Trump administration has often pushed to renew NASA's space focus -- though that has come at the expense of the department's earth science department, which includes climate change.

Trump's first budget proposal would have cut NASA's earth science budget by $100 million dollars, out of a $1.9 billion fund. But it would have nixed three earth science missions along the way.

Read more about the moon order here.

ON TAP TUESDAY I: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will vote on two Trump administration nominees: Linda Capuano to be Administrator of the Energy Information Administration and Timothy R. Petty to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior for water and science.

It will then hold a hearing on the permitting process at Interior and FERC.

ON TAP TUESDAY II: The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on greenhouse emissions and fuel economy standards for cars.

Rest of Tuesday's agenda ...

A House Natural Resources Committee panel will meet to discuss "America's growing dependence on foreign minerals."

AROUND THE WEB:

Zion National Park has recorded 4.4 million visitors this year, already breaking its annual attendance record, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports.

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a new resource review of the Williston Basin in North Dakota, the Bismarck Tribune reports.

The judge overseeing rancher Cliven Bundy's federal trial hinted Monday at potentially declaring a mistrial due to prosecutors not providing certain documents to the defense, Reuters reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out stories from Monday and the weekend...

-Wisconsin governor signs bill opening door to precious metal mining

-Feds push court to dismiss children climate change lawsuit

-Energy commissioner undaunted by delay in Perry coal rule consideration

-Macron to award US climate scientists 'Make Our Planet Great Again' grants

-Week ahead: House jumps into national monuments fight

-California governor calls wildfire damage 'the new normal'

Please send tips and comments to Timothy Cama, tcama@thehill.com and Devin Henry dhenry@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @Timothy_Cama, @dhenry, @thehill