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Tuesday, July 8, 2025

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More than 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods, governor says; Ohio small businesses seek clarity as Congress weighs federal ownership reporting rule; Hoosiers' medical bills under state review; Survey: Gen Z teens don't know their options after high school; Rural Iowa farmers diversify crops for future success.

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USDA, DHS Secretaries collaborate on a National Farm Security Action Plan. Health advocates worry about the budget megabill's impacts, and Prime Minister Netanyahu nominates President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.

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Farmers may abandon successful conservation programs if federal financial chaos continues, a rural electric cooperative in Southwest Colorado is going independent to shrink customer costs, and LGBTQ+ teens say an online shoulder helps more than community support.

During World Oceans Month, California leads the way in clean shipping

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Wednesday, June 11, 2025   

June is World Oceans Month and California environmental groups are highlighting advances in zero-emission shipping.

International shipping emits more than 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year, and 40% of U.S. container shipping passes through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Grace Healy, deputy director of the climate program at the nonprofit Pacific Environment, said it contributes to climate change and the resulting air pollution can shorten life spans by up to eight years in neighborhoods near the ports.

"Children in communities near these ports like Wilmington, San Pedro, West Long Beach, they face dramatically higher rates of asthma, bronchitis and cancer risk that's linked to diesel emissions," Healy explained.

California is a leader in clean shipping and passed a rule in recent years to require ships to plug in while onshore and shut off idling engines. Another mandate led to the first electric tugboat in San Francisco and a zero-emission ferry in San Diego. Shipping giant Maersk now runs a container ship on methanol.

Healy added in the next few years, the Golden State plans to tackle regulations on pollution from container ships.

"The California Air Resources Board has also stated they are going to work on an in-transit rule for oceangoing vessels," Healy noted. "That's really exciting, because those container ships are really, really dirty."

The future is uncertain for the federal Clean Ports Program, which supports the transition to zero-emission shipping. Money awarded last fall before President Donald Trump took office should be safe but the U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to gut the program as part of the Republican funding package known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." The Senate version, which has yet to get a vote, appears to leave the language out.

Disclosure: Pacific Environment contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, and Oceans. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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