Climate Change/Air Quality / Public News Service

The Land of Enchantment has plenty of sunshine and some of the best solar incentives in the U.S. (Kristina Blokhin/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Personal energy electrification plans offered at NM Earth Day event

Saving New Mexico residents money as they adapt to climate change is the goal behind an Earth Day event in Albuquerque Sunday. The Rio Grande …

State meteorologists in Minnesota say several climate change effects have greatly increased the amount of fuel available for wildfires, which can grow rapidly and be difficult to extinguish. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

More summer smoke? Experts monitor climate-fueled events and health effects

Wet weather this spring has improved drought conditions in Minnesota and southern Canada. However, experts remain on alert for increased wildfire …

The New York HEAT Act could cut utility bills nearly in half for 1 in 4 energy-burdened New Yorkers. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Advocates want NY HEAT Act in the final budget

The New York HEAT Act might not make the final budget. The bill reduces the state's reliance on natural gas and cuts ratepayer costs by eliminating …

Tax credits for home solar projects have been around for a while and local leaders in Wisconsin noted new federal policies have been more aggressive in helping governments, businesses and homeowners offset costs of installing panels. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

A snapshot of federal investments being put to use in WI

City and county governments are feeling the pinch of rising operating costs but in Wisconsin, federal incentives are driving a range of local …

Environmental advocates are asking California's next state budget to prioritize climate mitigation and cut tax breaks for fossil fuel companies. (The Climate Center)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Climate groups seek to remove tax breaks for oil and gas companies

As state budget negotiations continue, groups fighting climate change are asking California lawmakers to cut subsidies for oil and gas companies …

According to research from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative created 2,115 local jobs in Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

VA General Assembly considers RGGI budget amendments

Virginia's General Assembly will consider budget amendments to reenter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, known as RGGI. Gov. Glenn Youngkin …

The 1922 Colorado River Compact gives priority to Lower Basin states: Arizona, California and Nevada, for rights to Colorado River Water. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Study: 90% of CO River irrigation water goes to cattle

As Colorado and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels, new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted for cattle …

From 2017 to 2019, Ohio ranked 46th among 50 states for pollution exposure, including exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Researchers link air pollution with dementia risk

Recent data ranks Columbus as the most polluted major city in the U.S., highlighting concerns about common pollutants, like smog and vehicle …

From Alabama to the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is a superhighway of interconnected acres of wildlands, working lands and waters. (FAU/FWC aerial view)

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

FL Wildlife Corridor study reveals role in climate resilience, population growth

As the Sunshine State grapples with rising temperatures and escalating weather events such as hurricanes, a new study sheds light on the pivotal role …

Despite a looming 2030 deadline to dramatically reduce fossil fuel emissions in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, PacifiCorp has ditched plans to invest big in wind and solar. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Pacificorp throws a lifeline to Wyoming coal and natural gas industry

PacifiCorp's updated energy roadmap throws a lifeline to Wyoming's coal industry but critics said the new Integrated Resource Plan is a major setback …

Gas flaring has persisted from the beginning of oil production more than 160 years ago. (supakitmod/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

TX faith, environmental groups hopeful about new EPA methane rule

Oil and gas companies have until 2025 to reduce the emissions they release into the air through the practices known as venting and flaring. You may …

There are more than 1,300 species listed as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, including the piping plover, a shorebird found on sandy beaches in southern Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

New Endangered Species Act rules consider climate impact on ME wildlife

Conservationists in Maine said reinstated protections of the Endangered Species Act could help wildlife already struggling to adapt to climate change…

Protesters rallied in San Diego in 2012 against trade agreements that allow corporations to sue for future profits when governments deny permits. (Arthur Stamoulis/Trade Justice Education Fund)<br />

Climate activists call on U.S. company to halt trade lawsuit over LNG

Environmental activists are rallying today in Sunnyvale, asking the American company Ruby River Capital to drop a lawsuit the protesters called "a …

The Thriving Neighbors Series is free but registration is required. (Adobe stock)

IN ‘feeling the impacts of climate change’

By Enrique Saenz for Mirror Indy.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Mirror Indy-Free Press Indiana-Public News …

Governor Ned Lamont's budget proposal advocates using $5.75 million in ARPA funds to support statewide resiliency and climate preparedness. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: CT General Assembly must act on climate bills

Connecticut's General Assembly is weighing several climate change bills. It comes after what advocates describe as detrimental inaction on the …

New research at the University of Montana recommends letting smaller wildfires burn where possible, heading off potentially more dangerous blazes later. (Adobe Stock)

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A new study in the journal Nature Communications by Montana researchers said suppressing small wildfires is leading to larger, more intense and …

A Charlotte Earth Day event will provide children with an Earth Passport, which will help guide them through four

A focus on environmental protection, advocacy for NC Earth Day

April is Earth Month, and North Carolina's climate justice groups are addressing the crucial roles of air, land, water and health in protecting the …

For renewable energy, Wisconsin has traditionally lagged behind other Midwestern states in such areas as solar development but federal policies are now giving the Badger State a boost to carry out more projects. (Adobe Stock)

WI utilities make union jobs a priority for green projects

With the help of federal aid, Wisconsin is catching up to neighboring states in accelerating clean energy construction projects and the Badger State …

New York aims to create 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035. By contrast, New Jersey is looking to create 11,000 megawatts by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Offshore wind does more than aid NY, NJ clean energy futures

Despite different outcomes - New York's first offshore wind farm came online and New Jersey had one canceled - both states are benefiting from offshor…

NEVI covers planning, acquisition, installation and operational costs of the EV unit. (Adobe Stock/serperm73)

IA joins nationwide network of EV charging stations

Iowa is accepting bids from people who want an EV charging station on their land. It's part of a nationwide network of infrastructure designed to …

Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego celebrates a bilingual Mass for Earth Week at St. James Church in Solana Beach, California, April 17, 2021. (CNS/The Southern Cross/John Gastaldo)

San Diego Catholic Diocese divests from fossil fuels

By Brian Roewe for Earthbeat.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service …

Report: 90% of CO River irrigation water used to feed cattle

As Wyoming and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels - new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted to feed cattl…

Colorado is the fourth largest oil producing state in the country and eighth largest gas producing state. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Methane pollution from oil and gas production greatly underestimated

Data from new satellite-based technology show that the amount of methane pollution impacting communities living near oil and gas facilities is far gre…

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is the largest blackwater wetland ecosystem and the least disturbed freshwater ecosystem on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife advocates urge stronger safeguards for Okefenokee

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia faces the prospect of a titanium dioxide mine near its border. Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals …

Environmental justice communities are linked to health issues that include asthma, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The4 effects of climate change often exacerbate these issues. (Adobe Stock)

VA groups angry over Youngkin’s Environmental Justice Council picks

Environmental organizations in Virginia have united in opposition to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's picks for the state Environmental Justice Council…

Expanding solar in VA can provide numerous benefits

Virginia energy experts feel a recent push for solar energy legislation could have benefited the state. Senate Bill 697 would have removed a ban on …

A more diversified economy, including solar energy, is stopping the

putting people in West Virginia to work through paid on-the-job training. (Adobe Stock)">

Reimagining WV coal country by building on state’s legacy as an energy provider

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public New…

In the last 40 years, New York has endured at least 85 'billion-dollar disasters'. The most costly was Superstorm Sandy, with around $43 billion in damage. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY bill can help climate-burdened communities

A new report shows the costs different regions of New York face from climate change. It says taxpayers were on the hook for more than $2 billion - …

The Lolo National Forest's geographic location is seen as critical for connecting wildlife habitats. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

Today is the deadline for public comment on Montana's Lolo National Forest management plan. Advocates say the input will shape how the land is used …

Washington state's program to combat climate change raised $2.2 billion in its first year. (jdoms/Adobe Stock)

WA carbon cap program faces initiative challenge on November ballot

By Kate Yoder for Grist.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration For…

Supporters of Colorado's House Bill 1379 said it will help protect Coloradans from flooding, help ensure safe and sufficient drinking water and help preserve fishing, boating, and other recreational opportunities across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring protections for Colorado endangered waters and wetlands

Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation to restore protections to key waters and wetlands struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year in a …

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says

TX watchdog group targets pipeline leaks, Railroad Commission priorities

A Texas group is on a mission to reform how the state monitors and repairs oil and gas pipeline leaks. More than 480,000 miles of pipeline run …

A 2022 report finds failing to speed up transmission beyond the current pace will increase 2030 U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 800 million tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

NYS bill could speed up electric transmission installation

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

A bill called Save Our Sequoias to fund wildfire resilience is tucked into this year's farm bill, currently being negotiated in Congress. (Save the Redwoods League)

Major progress in effort to protect CA giant sequoias from megafires

Crews have been ramping up wildfire resilience projects to thin out brush and dead wood in California's giant sequoia groves, clearing twice as many …

Montana land proposed for solar power

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed expanding the public land available for solar power production in 11 states, including Montana. The BLM's …

Methane emissions were measured from four dams on the Snake River in southeastern Washington. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

Report: Lower Snake River dams source of methane emissions

A new report found four dams in the Columbia River Basin are big emitters of methane. Research from the organization Tell The Dam Truth showed the …

The Snake River is the largest tributary to the Columbia River. (Sascha Burkard/Adobe Stock)

Carbon emissions found from Columbia River Basin dams

A new report found four dams in the Columbia River Basin are big emitters of methane. Research from the organization Tell The Dam Truth showed the …

Around 85% of textiles thrown away in the United States end up in landfills or are burned, including unsold clothes. (Adobe Stock)

NY bill holds fashion industry accountable for climate change effects

A New York bill aims to regulate the fashion industry's effects on climate change. The Fashion Act would hold clothing and footwear companies …

As part of its Climate and Resilience Action Plan, the city of St. Paul plans to convert the Como Zoo Conservancy building to geothermal heating and cooling. (Flickr)

St. Paul Climate Action Plan aims for net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050

By Frank Jossi for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netwo…

NV leaders call for clean energy investments options for all

Nevada state leaders held a workshop on clean energy home upgrades and discussed how people can leverage available tax credits on solar power…

Researchers with North Star Policy Action say Minnesota has more ambitious clean energy goals than neighboring states, but lags behind some of them in output. Permitting issues in Minnesota are cited as a big factor. (Adobe Stock)

MN tinkers with policy to speed up wind and solar projects

Minnesota has about 15 years to achieve its mandate of 100% carbon-free electricity from utilities. To get there, clean energy voices say the …

A wide body of research has linked traffic pollution to premature death, lung cancer, asthma and other negative health impacts. (Adobe Stock)

Nurses, environmental groups welcome Biden's clean car standards

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced new tailpipe pollution standards that will give automakers more time to ramp up production of zero-…

An estimated 3 million Californians live within 3,200 feet of an oil or gas well. (MSPhotographic/Adobestock)

CA referendum would lift ban on new oil wells near homes

A referendum on the ballot this fall gives California voters the chance to either uphold or reject a law which would require oil and gas wells to be s…

New EPA rules on vehicle emissions aim to save drivers money through reduced fuel and maintenance costs of electric and hybrid vehicles. (Tongpatong/Adobestock)

Environmental advocates cheer new EPA clean-car rules

Clean-air groups are calling the Biden administration's new rules on vehicle pollution the single biggest action the Environmental Protection Agency h…

Motor vehicle emissions contribute to ozone, particulate matter and air toxics, which are linked with premature death and other serious health impacts, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems and cancer. (rh2010/Adobe Stock)

EPA offers longer rollout for emissions rules on light-duty vehicles

The Environmental Protection Agency is setting stricter limits on vehicle tailpipe emissions through 2032 and giving automakers an additional three ye…

Cover crops and other regenerative practices prevent erosion, improve soil health and can absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere and

Experienced NE farmer talks cattle, cover crops and regenerative agriculture

One of the goals included in Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy's Priority Climate Action Plan recently submitted to the federal Environm…

Although U.S. government subsidies have helped keep the biomass industry afloat, the programs have a lengthy track record of being unsuccessful. (Adobe Stock)

Biomass company bankruptcy filing shows industry’s instability

Biomass producer Enviva's recent bankruptcy filing is being considered a sign of the industry's volatility. Recent financial challenges have …

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure the funding for the Western Michigan University project. (VectorMine/Adobe Stock)

WMU secures $2.25 million grant for carbon capture research

Western Michigan University has gotten a significant funding boost, with a grant of more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The …

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Climate Change

Personal energy electrification plans offered at NM Earth Day event

More summer smoke? Experts monitor climate-fueled events and health effects

Advocates want NY HEAT Act in the final budget

A snapshot of federal investments being put to use in WI

Climate groups seek to remove tax breaks for oil and gas companies

VA General Assembly considers RGGI budget amendments

Study: 90% of CO River irrigation water goes to cattle

Researchers link air pollution with dementia risk

FL Wildlife Corridor study reveals role in climate resilience, population growth

Pacificorp throws a lifeline to Wyoming coal and natural gas industry

TX faith, environmental groups hopeful about new EPA methane rule

New Endangered Species Act rules consider climate impact on ME wildlife

Climate activists call on U.S. company to halt trade lawsuit over LNG

IN ‘feeling the impacts of climate change’

Advocates: CT General Assembly must act on climate bills

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A focus on environmental protection, advocacy for NC Earth Day

WI utilities make union jobs a priority for green projects

Offshore wind does more than aid NY, NJ clean energy futures

IA joins nationwide network of EV charging stations

San Diego Catholic Diocese divests from fossil fuels

Report: 90% of CO River irrigation water used to feed cattle

Study: Methane pollution from oil and gas production greatly underestimated

Wildlife advocates urge stronger safeguards for Okefenokee

VA groups angry over Youngkin’s Environmental Justice Council picks

Expanding solar in VA can provide numerous benefits

Reimagining WV coal country by building on state’s legacy as an energy provider

Report: NY bill can help climate-burdened communities

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

WA carbon cap program faces initiative challenge on November ballot

Restoring protections for Colorado endangered waters and wetlands

TX watchdog group targets pipeline leaks, Railroad Commission priorities

NYS bill could speed up electric transmission installation

Major progress in effort to protect CA giant sequoias from megafires

Montana land proposed for solar power

Report: Lower Snake River dams source of methane emissions

Carbon emissions found from Columbia River Basin dams

NY bill holds fashion industry accountable for climate change effects

St. Paul Climate Action Plan aims for net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050

NV leaders call for clean energy investments options for all

MN tinkers with policy to speed up wind and solar projects

Nurses, environmental groups welcome Biden's clean car standards

CA referendum would lift ban on new oil wells near homes

Environmental advocates cheer new EPA clean-car rules

EPA offers longer rollout for emissions rules on light-duty vehicles

Experienced NE farmer talks cattle, cover crops and regenerative agriculture

Biomass company bankruptcy filing shows industry’s instability

WMU secures $2.25 million grant for carbon capture research