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Thursday, October 10, 2024

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Florida picks up the pieces after Hurricane Milton; Georgia elected officials say Hurricane Helene was a climate change wake-up call; Hosiers are getting better civic education; the Senate could flip to the GOP in November; New Mexico postal vans go electric; and Nebraska voters debate school vouchers.

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Civil rights groups push for a voter registration deadline extension in Georgia, federal workers helping in hurricane recovery face misinformation and threats of violence, and Brown University rejects student divestment demands.

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Hurricane Helene has some rural North Carolina towns worried larger communities might get more attention, mixed feelings about ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month, and New York farmers earn money feeding school kids.

Solar power drives change in Ohio’s disadvantaged areas

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Friday, September 20, 2024   

Ohio's most vulnerable communities are set to benefit from more than $312 million in federal funding aimed at reducing energy costs and promoting environmental justice.

The money is part of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Two Ohio organizations, the Ohio Office of Budget and Management State Accounting and Growth Opportunity Partners, were each awarded $156 million to develop solar energy programs for low-income households.

Shalanda H. Baker, vice provost for sustainability and climate action at the University of Michigan, said the funding will be used to address access disparities in marginalized communities.

"Over half of Black households in America experience energy insecurity, and around 47% of Latinx households experiences energy insecurity," Baker pointed out. "We also know that there are many Native American households that simply lack access to electricity altogether."

The Ohio Office of Budget and Management plans to use its portion of the funding to help low-and moderate-income households access solar energy, improving air quality and saving money. Renters and homeowners are eligible to participate.

Growth Opportunity Partners will work with the Industrial Heartland Solar Coalition to facilitate job training and installing residential rooftop solar panels. Baker added the program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address public health issues related to fossil fuel pollution.

"This program is really designed to bring more access to clean energy to those communities," Baker noted. "And just bring more clean energy on the grid, to overall clean up."

The Solar for All program is expected to help Ohio households save up to 20% on their energy bills.


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In Florida, the deadline to register to vote was Monday, and a Florida driver's license or Department of Motor Vehicles ID card was necessary to complete the registration. (Vilkasss/Pixabay)

Social Issues

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As Hurricane Milton makes landfall and Florida recovers from Hurricane Helene's devastation, voting rights groups have filed a legal challenge to …


Social Issues

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A Detroit educator recently told a congressional committee he is "terrified" at what a second Trump term as president could bring for America's public…

Social Issues

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Ho-Chunk Farms' annual Indian Corn Harvest is reviving and preserving this tradition for the northeast Nebraska tribe. Corn from a Winnebago family's …


There is no safe level of lead in a person's blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Scientists note even low lead levels have been shown to affect IQ, the ability to pay attention and academic achievement. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

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Clean water advocates in Maine are applauding the Environmental Protection Agency's new rule on lead pipe removals but warned drinking water in school…

Health and Wellness

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When it comes to stroke care, experts say, "time is brain." Now, a program launching in South Dakota will coordinate and strengthen stroke care …

Buildings are 32% of New York's annual greenhouse gas emissions, making them the state's largest emitter. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

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New York State authorized utilities to develop thermal energy network pilot programs to further its decarbonization goals. Thermal energy networks …

Environment

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From power outages to burnt farmland, North Dakota is coming to grips with the impact of several large wildfires that are linked to at least two …

Environment

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By Bennet Goldstein for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public News Service…

 

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