Public News Service

The Bold Alliance is composed of landowners from several Midwestern states who oppose allowing private companies to use eminent domain to build a CO2 pipeline. (Bold Alliance)

Midwestern group opposes plans for carbon-capture pipeline system

Landowners in several Midwestern states, including Nebraska, have organized in opposition to a plan to use eminent domain to construct a carbon-…

A field of sunflowers is shown on fourth-generation Koelling land in Ord, Nebraska. The Koellings grew their sunflower oil business with the help of the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program. (Photo courtesy of Alan Koelling, Simply Sunflowers)

Federal funds back renewable energy, efficiency upgrades for NE ag, small business

Nebraska ag producers and small businesses have until Sept. 30 to apply for the latest funding round of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural …

Roughly 900,000 households are expected to benefit from lower-cost, lower greenhouse-gas emitting solar energy once the EPA's Solar for All program has been fully implemented. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

NE Center for Rural Affairs' $62 million EPA grant will expand solar access

By Claire Carlson for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News …

Jane Kleeb is director and founder of Bold Alliance, an umbrella organization of Bold Nebraska, which was instrumental in stopping the Keystone Pipeline. Kleeb is also one of two 2023 Climate Breakthrough Awardees. (Bold Alliance)

Landmark NE agreement takes proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks

CO2 pipelines are on the increase in the United States, and like all pipelines, they come with risks. Preparing for those risks is a major focus of …

Renewable energy land-lease payments to Nebraska landowners total nearly $38 million annually, and wind and solar projects bring Nebraska more than $17 million annually in state and local taxes. (Bryan Kelly/Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans for clean energy, rural development say bill would harm both

Roughly 35% of Nebraska's electricity is produced from renewable sources and advocates of clean energy development are concerned about the changes a b…

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2022, 49% of Nebraska's total in-state electricity generation was from coal, 31% from wind, 14% from nuclear power, 3% from hydropower and 3% from natural gas. (Lise Bennett/Adobe Stock)

NE Electric Utilities Offer Incentives to Conserve Energy, Lower Bills

Nebraskans may not have needed as much air conditioning this summer as have people in the Southwest, but so far 2023 is tied for the most 100-degree …

According to the Sierra Club of North Carolina, crypto mines generate around 34,000 tons of electronic waste worldwide per year. Much of it, replete with toxic heavy metals, ends up in landfills and is a threat to both water and air. (Adobe Stock)

Small NC Town has Advice for Nebraskans on Crypto Mines

As more Nebraska towns approve permits for "crypto mines," the high-speed computer facilities processing cryptocurrency algorithms, people in the …

Climate scientists say pollution from fossil fuels must peak, and then begin to go down, within three years in order to avert the most catastrophic impacts of a warming planet. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska’s Onramp for Good-Paying EV Tech and Clean-Energy Jobs

Central Community College of Nebraska is putting students of all ages on a path to good-paying jobs in the state's growing clean-energy sector…

Historically rich organic matter in topsoil in America's heartland, called the A horizon, has been completely removed from approximately one third of lands across the Midwest. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring Soil Through Carbon Sequestering Benefits Farmers, Climate

With Nebraska farmers facing runaway costs for herbicides and fertilizers this year, a new Center for Rural Affairs report suggested adopting simple …

Last year, top oil and gas companies announced an eye-popping $237 billion in profits. During the same period, executives from 28 of the top oil and gas companies made a combined $394 million in total compensation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: High Gas Prices Continue to Pad Oil and Gas Profits

As millions of Americans are struggling to fill their gas tanks, a new report shows that rising prices are padding the bottom lines of powerful oil …

President Joe Biden has ordered a Federal Trade Commission probe into rising gasoline prices, and released 50 million barrels of oil from the national strategic reserve to help lower costs. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Higher Gas Prices Linked to Soaring Oil Industry Profits

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As Nebraskans continue to endure high gas prices, 24 of the top oil and gas corporations made nearly $174 billion in profits this …

Fifty-eight news segments mentioned Hurricane Ida's rapid intensification, going from a Category 1 to a Category 4 in less than 24 hours, a clear signal of a warming climate, but news outlets failed to report the connection. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Failure to Connect Extreme Weather to Climate “Media Malpractice”

LINCOLN, Neb. - New research suggests the nation's most trusted news sources are dropping the ball when it comes to helping voters in Nebraska and …

This summer's unprecedented heat waves, droughts, fires and severe storms are occurring now, where global temperatures have only risen 1.2 degrees Celsius. Scientists project that average temperatures will rise by 2 degrees Celsius in the next two decades. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Less Than a Decade Remains for Action on Climate Change

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Less than a decade remains to avoid potentially catastrophic impacts of a warming planet, according to the latest report from top …

Nebraska's redlined neighborhoods were the only places families of color could live, and were located near environmental hazards. (Dnavarrojr/Pixabay)

Advocates: Biden Climate Plan Could Help NE's Redlined Neighborhoods

LINCOLN, Neb. - President Joe Biden has charged top White House officials with ensuring that communities living in the shadows of the nation's power …

Nebraska ranks third nationally in industrial customers relying on electricity, largely generated by coal-fired power plants, mostly to power irrigation systems. (Jplenio/Pixabay)

Moms Breathe Easier with Morgan Stanley Coal Projections

LINCOLN, Neb. -- New analysis from the financial giant Morgan Stanley projects coal will be all but eliminated from electricity generation in the U.S…

TransCanada, now called TC Energy, announced COVID safety measures were being taken at construction-site worker camps, including masks and social distancing. (PXHere)

Keystone XL Worker Camps Threaten Indian Country During COVID

LINCOLN, Neb. -- President-elect Joe Biden is considering canceling the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project as early as day one of his term…

January to May 2019 was the wettest on record for the United States, with multiple severe-weather outbreaks in Nebraska and throughout the Midwest. (Nebraska National Guard)

Study: Climate Scientists Resist 'Crying Wolf' on Extreme Weather Events

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new study suggests Nebraska farmers, and the general population, would be better served if climate scientists acted more like …

Nebraska currently produces more than 2,132 megawatts of wind power, and an additional 1,000 megawatts from wind is under construction. (Chris Lim/Wikimedia Commons)

Report Shows Bipartisan Support for Boosting Clean Energy

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Support for renewable energy in the U.S. cuts across party lines, according to a new Yale University report. Three in four …

Approximately 57,000 orphan wells are documented on federal, state, tribal and private lands, and hundreds of thousands more are undocumented or at risk of being abandoned and not plugged. (Pixabay)

Trump Administration Urged to Put People Back to Work on Orphan Wells

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As the oil and gas industry braces for more pain because of falling demand and a glutted market, 31 oil and gas producing states…

Installed solar capacity in the United States is projected to more than double in the next five years. (Pixabay)

Growth in Solar Capacity Projected to Fuel Rural Economies

LYONS, Neb. -- The growth of the solar industry has brought a wave of new projects to Nebraska, including a community solar farm in Scottsbluff …

Flooding of a section of runway at Offutt Air Force Base caused planes and munitions to be moved to higher ground. (USAF)

Extreme Weather Expected After Historically Wet 2019

LINCOLN, Neb. - Nebraska farmers will not be surprised to hear that 2019 was one of the wettest on record, and Karin Gleason, a climate scientist …

Coal executives wrote in 1966 that C02 emissions could

Documents Show Coal Industry Knew Climate Impacts in 1960s

LINCOLN, Neb. – As court proceedings continue against ExxonMobil on claims the company misled investors about the risks of climate change…

Scientists warn that a warming planet will lead to less productive soil, restricting what can be grown and reducing the soil's ability to absorb carbon. (Nicepik)

Young Nebraskans to Join Global Climate Strike

LINCOLN, Neb. - Inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden and record-breaking spring floods, Nebraska students are joining a …

Critics of TransCanada's Keystone XL Pipeline proposal are concerned about potential threats to the Ogallala aquifer and endangered species. (Pax Ahimsa Gethen/Wikimedia Commons)

Keystone Opponents Dig In After NE Supreme Court Ruling

LINCOLN, Neb. – Some Nebraska landowners and tribal nations are committed to fight TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, after the …

As Nebraska farmers have increased corn and soy production to reach goals set by the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Ogalala aquifer has rapidly decreased due to irrigation needs. (Pixabay)

Report: Renewable-Fuel Standards Bad for Farmers, Environment

LINCOLN, Neb. – A new report says the Renewable Fuel Standard, designed in part to reduce air pollution through the use of biofuels, has …

Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has tapped revenues from offshore oil and gas development to preserve public lands, including Scotts Bluff National Monument. (Paul Hermans)

Congress Set to Revive Land and Water Conservation Fund

LINCOLN, Neb. – In a rare display of bipartisanship, last week the U.S. Senate passed a public-lands measure by a vote of 92 to 8 that includes …

In 2019, the average American is projected to eat more than 110 pounds of beef. (Pixabay)

Low-Carbon Food Better for Planet and Health, Study Finds

LINCOLN, Neb. – Foods produced with fewer greenhouse gas emissions are healthier than foods that create more climate pollution, according to …

New U.S. Department of Interior rules would prohibit listing species as endangered based on threats posed by climate change. (Pixabay)

Endangered Species Act Set for Changes

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Trump administration is expected to finalize new rules that critics argue would weaken the Endangered Species Act. Hailey …

After a federal court blocked construction, TransCanada says it's still committed to completing the Keystone XL pipeline. (Maureen/Flickr)

Native, Environmental Groups to Step Up Efforts After Keystone XL Ruling

LINCOLN, Neb. – After a federal district court last week blocked construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, tribal leaders say they will step up …

Solar Project Throws Shade on Keystone XL

NAPER, Neb. — Solar panels are being installed on land along the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska and South Dakota to …

More than 70 percent of Americans now believe climate change is real, a new high. (Greg Goebel/Wikimedia Commons)

Study: Bipartisan Support for Climate Action

LINCOLN, Neb. – Democrats and Republicans agree on climate change more than they think, according to a new University of Colorado study…

Many of the EPA regulations that Scott Pruitt scrapped or delayed as EPA administrator had not yet taken effect before his resignation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Government Watchdog Groups: Pruitt's EPA Exit "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON – After allegedly overspending on everything from pens to lavish trips and accepting questionable deals from lobbyists, government …

TransCanada says its Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport Canadian crude oil to a refinery in Texas owned by Saudi Arabia for export to foreign countries, will boost economies in Nebraska communities. (Fibonacci Blue/Flicker)

Pipeline Developer Cash Fuels Nebraska Political Campaigns

LINCOLN, Neb. – New analysis by the Associated Press found a TransCanada political action committee gave more than $65,000 to Nebraska …

In Nebraska, 500 million bushels of grain a year are needed for ethanol production. (United Soybean Board/Flickr)

Concerns Arise in Nebraska Over White House Nominee's Take on Renewables

LINCOLN, Neb. – Some Nebraska farmers are voicing concerns about a White House nominee's position on renewable energy. A vote is expected …

Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline constructed solar panels along the project's route. (Bold Nebraska)

Nebraska Regulators to Rule on Keystone XL

Update: The Nebraska Public Service Commission partially approved the Keystone XL pipeline route, relegating it to the mainline alternative route …

A 60-day comment period began Tuesday on the Environmental Protection Agency's new proposal to rescind the Clean Power Plan. (VJHoneycut/Flickr)

Is Clean Power Plan Repeal Bad for Health, Climate?

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Trump administration on Tuesday took steps to repeal the Clean Power Plan, the nation's first-ever attempt to limit carbon …

Researchers say nearly half of all known U.S. oil reserves are dependent on subsidies. <br />(Natalie Maynor/Flickr)

Report: Subsidies Tilting Scale Toward More Drilling

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As Washington grapples with rebooting the nation's tax code, a new report makes a compelling argument for eliminating tax breaks for …

Nebraska's Public Service Commission has until until Nov. 23 to decide if the Keystone XL pipeline is in the public interest. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Nebraska Regulators Take Formal Testimony on Keystone XL

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Will the Keystone XL pipeline route run through Nebraska? That's the question still up in the air as the Nebraska Public Service …

Opponents contend the Keystone XL Pipeline will never be in the public interest. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Testimony Today on Keystone XL Pipeline Route in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. - The battle over the Keystone XL pipeline is heating up in Nebraska. The Trump administration gave a green light to the pipeline…

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NE: Energy Policy