The policy wonks in Washington got their fix this week. Obama's announcement of top level posts at Treasury and confirmed rumors about the chiefs of State (Clinton), Justice (Holder), and Defense (incumbent Gates) fill out the top ranks of the new president's cabinet.

But the science and environmental community is awaiting the next round of appointments, rumored to be Obama's policy people on energy and the environment, who will play hefty roles in two areas Obama campaign on heavily. The posts: Energy, Interior, Agriculture and the director of the Environmental Protection Agency, all of which will work together on components of Obama's vision for American food production, the economy and the planet. There are some big-name long shots, like California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger leading Energy and enviro activist Robert Kennedy, Jr. at the head of the EPA. Several congressmen from western states are jockeying for the reins at Interior. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack has been considered the favorite for Agriculture, though this week he deniedhaving any talks with the transition team.

To the energy and environment community, Obama's election is, naturally, a breath of fresh air. (Double pun!). "For the last several years, we've been saying that our number one priority is turning the page on energy and the environment, and for the past several years, our ideas have gotten almost no reception," says Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, the widely respected DC policy group that monitors all government action on the environment and the leaders behind them.

Pleased that Obama hinged much of his campaign on changing course on climate and energy, scientists and environmental activists expect big things from the new administration. A handful of prominent environmental groups have banded together to release a joint statement on how they think Obama should prioritize. First, they say, he'll have to institute pollution regulations to cap carbon emissions and encourage trading of carbon credits. In broad terms, they've asked him to invest in clean water, clean air and conservation -- not only for environmental protection, but to boost the economy. The demands fit nicely with what Obama has proposed, both on the stump and in casual references since his election. He has said repeatedly that polluters should be taxed, not get tax breaks, and that he wants to invest more than $150 billion in clean and renewable energy tech over the next decade, stimulating the economy and decreasing reliance on fossil fuel-based power.

But the thing that has frustrated environmental and energy groups the most during the Bush years is the lack of scientific thinkers in the top levels of the government. Political appointees under Bush have gotten relentless criticism for distorting the work of scientists who make recommendations on the environment and the natural world. Making sure federal decisions are based on science, not politics, is something, they say, Obama must do better.