Climate Change/Air Quality / Public News Service

Ohio ranks 46th in the nation for renewable energy generation, with solar and wind accounting for less than 4% of the state's electricity production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Ohio Supreme Court case could set precedent for solar energy projects

By Kathiann M. Kowalski for Canary Media.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

Red flag warnings and fire weather watches are the two main types of fire alerts the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association issues. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Experts say cuts to NOAA could affect Montana fire, weather warnings

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Filmmaker Michael Nash aims to feature his acclaimed film

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

From the moon to mailboxes: Filmmaker puts climate refugees in spotlight

Last year, filmmaker Michael Nash achieved the extraordinary when his documentary "Climate Refugees" was sent to the moon as part of a Lunar Museum …

Support for neutrality agreements comes as more public employees in the Commonwealth unionize following a 2021 bill giving them the right to form a union. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Poll: Voters support company neutrality when workers unionize

A recent poll finds that voters in Virginia and around the country view unionization efforts as widely beneficial to workers - and are more supportive…

In PacifiCorp's 2023 Integrated Resource Plan, the company's nine majority-owned coal plants all had retirement or assumed end-of-life dates by 2042. In its 2025 plan, only one plant has a retirement date. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Fossil fuel company plans for fewer renewables, gets boost from WY Legislature

In Wyoming, electric utility PacifiCorp's draft 2025 plans show a shift away from renewable energy additions compared with last year, according to a …

Clean=energy advocates say wind and solar projects in Texas are reducing air pollution, saving water, supporting the grid and combating the global warming that threatens native ecosystems. (Peter Adams/Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Legislation could hinder TX wind, solar projects

Clean-energy advocates in Texas are closely monitoring a bill before the Legislature that, if passed, could stop the development and operation of …

Trash 2 Trends designers create runway looks from items headed to the landfill. Proceeds from the event fund recycling initiatives, litter prevention and community beautification in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Trash 2 Trends: Turning garbage into glamour to fight climate change

What if your trash could be the key to a more sustainable wardrobe? The group Keep Orlando Beautiful is proving it is possible with its annual "Trash…

The Trump administration is working to lower air-quality standards, which could allow easier permitting for the oil and gas industry. (Travelview/Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

CA local leaders protest massive rollback of federal environmental protections

Local leaders in California are slamming the Trump administration's moves to gut dozens of environmental policies on climate change and pollution in l…

Aquaculture, particularly aquaponics, can improve food security by providing locally grown, fresh and nutritious food in food deserts. (Adobe Stock/B.Rath Photography)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Expanding NM's aquaculture-based fish farming could improve food security

New Mexico may never be a leader in aquaculture but some fish farmers are finding success in the arid state. Rossana Sallenave, professor and …

Climate experts say drought can reduce both the availability and quality of water necessary for productive farms, and can also lead to insect outbreaks. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

SD farmer flexes drought-fighting muscle in face of dry conditions

The South Dakota region has seen some wet weather in recent days, but the entire state is still in varying levels of drought status. That has …

Expanded oil and gas subsidies, included in current versions of upcoming federal tax legislation, would support a massive expansion of LNG projects to more than double national export capacity by 2030. (Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies

Forty religious leaders from different denominations gathered in Texas this week to call for an end to fossil-fuel subsidies and expansion of related …

According to the World Health Organization, climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health. (Adobe Stock)

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

As the warming climate continues to reshape the environment, its impact on people's health is becoming increasingly evident in Florida. Doctors and …

The U.S. solar industry employs more than 263,000 workers, with jobs in installation, manufacturing, and research continuing to grow. (rh2010/Adobe Stock)

MI expert predicts future of solar energy amid evolving federal policies

Michigan ranks 26th in the U.S. for total installed solar capacity, while global capacity rose 21% from 2023. However, there are industry concerns …

UT clean-energy advocates call out PacifiCorp for backpedaling

The Sierra Club's Utah chapter said electric utility PacifiCorp's long-term plan to embrace renewable energy has changed and is now placing more relia…

Nonprofits face a funding cliff as recent executive orders and federal cuts create uncertainty nationwide. Experts in philanthropy addressed the issue at the Climate Corrections Conference in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

As federal funding for climate initiatives faces steep cuts, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are stepping into the breach, calling out the …

Opened in 2017, Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence is the first new school in Parramore, Fla., in more than 40 years, serving preschool through eighth grade. It features a three-wall, climate-themed mural by artist Allison Dayka. (VoLo Foundation)

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

As Florida grapples with rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and extreme heat, the state's vulnerability to climate change is impossible to ignore…

A solar project in Dayton was made possible through a solar-power purchase agreement with IGS Energy, approved by the Dayton City Commission last Wednesday after a four-year evaluation process, including a feasibility study to ensure sufficient power capacity. (Yeivaz/Adobe Stock)

Ohio cities embrace solar energy with Dayton's first utility-scale array

Ohio is seeing a growing number of solar energy projects, including the first utility-scale installation in Dayton, which will help power a key water …

A new trend, forests releasing more carbon than they capture, is expected to continue with prolonged drought and bigger and more frequent wildfires. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado forests emit more CO2 than they absorb due to insects, wildfire

Researchers at Colorado State University have found the state's nearly 23 million acres of forests are currently releasing more carbon dioxide into th…

Eating food grown, raised or caught within a relatively short distance of where it's consumed supports local farmers and the economy and provides fresher meals. But

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Expert: 'Eating local' may not be best solution for fighting climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

The U.S. Energy Information said Kentucky's largest utility-scale solar photovoltaic generating facility is a 55-megawatt solar farm that came online in mid-2024, about 40 miles east of Bowling Green. (Adobe Stock)

KY animal shelter expects to save money, energy with new solar panels

This article was produced by Resource Rural.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Resource Rural-Public News S…

The Texas House of Representatives has passed a bill to require all Texas prisons to have air conditioning by 2029 but the prison system only has to comply if the state provides the funding. (pict rider/Adobe Stock)

Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in TX prisons

Only 30% of prisons in Texas have central air conditioning and faith leaders and advocates for those incarcerated are raising concerns about inhumane …

Last September, The Pines Inn and Suites in Cottonwood was able to cover 70% of the business' solar-installation cost with a $32,000 reimbursement from REAP and $23,000 from the renewable energy Investment Tax Credit. (Anna May Cory)

Rural AZ hotel's solar installation in limbo after federal funding freeze

Small businesses in Arizona are feeling the impact of the sudden federal pause on clean-energy grants. One of those businesses is the Pines Inn and …

Lake algae blooms can release toxins posing serious risks to humans, pets and wildlife, potentially causing illness or even death. (Pete Niesen Photo/Adobe Stock)

MI scientist: Humans, not climate change, to blame for toxic lakes

Each summer, more lake beaches shut down as toxic algae blooms spread across the water and while climate change is often blamed, new research …

Clean energy projects, including wind farms, continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Policymakers and industry officials are sorting out how to avoid seeing retired parts become piles of waste. (Adobe Stock)

MN debates how to help retired clean energy parts stay 'green'

Minnesota remains focused on making non-carbon sources the bulk of its energy portfolio. But policymakers are trying to figure out the best way to …

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority is partnering with energy company Enbridge and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, or ARCH2, to make fuel at its Ohio site using solar power. (Kathiann M. Kowalski/Canary Media)

Ohio regional transit group plans shift to 'green' hydrogen for bus fleet

By Kathiann M. Kowalski for Canary Media.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

North Carolina's congressional score in the League of Conservation Voters' scorecard went down between 2023 and 2024. (Gerry/Adobe Stock)

Low marks for NC Congress members in 2024 conservation scorecard

North Carolina lawmakers in Congress received mixed marks in the new League of Conservation Voters scorecard. The scorecard ranks members of …

The League of Conservation Voters' National Environmental Scorecard has been released annually since 1970. (Sarah Cheriton-Jones/Adobe Stock)

MI congressional delegation shines on environmental scorecard

Michigan's congressional delegation has "aced" the National Environmental Scorecard, earning a perfect 100% in 2024. The League of Conservation …

Texas is already experiencing the effects of climate change, with rising temperatures creating intensified heat waves across the state. In 2023, Texas recorded its second-hottest summer on record. (Kasper/Adobe Stock AI)

Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change

School districts and county governments across Texas are being encouraged to consider building decarbonization to combat climate change. The process …

Unfrozen abandoned mine land funds will help Pennsylvania reclaim 24,000 acres, maintain 16 water treatment systems for toxic runoff and handle 60 emergencies annually. (Adobe StocK)

Advocates laud Shapiro’s lawsuit to unfreeze federal funding

Environmental projects are restarting as advocates praise Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for suing the Trump administration, leading to the release …

Volunteer lobbyists next Tuesday will encourage legislators to improve the infrastructure needed to address homelessness across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Volunteer lobbyists to press Colorado lawmakers on homelessness

Coloradans who want to help move the needle on homelessness can still sign up for a lobbying day next Tuesday at the State Capitol. Cathy Alderman…

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

After public outcry over the firing of thousands at the National Park Service and the Forest Service, the Trump administration has moved to re-hire some dozens of employees and additional seasonal workers. (BLM)

Poll: MAGA voters oppose cuts to parks, forest, wildlife agencies

People in Colorado and seven other Mountain West states may want to see changes in the federal government writ large but they oppose cuts to agencies …

In January, President Joe Biden permanently protected more than 625 million acres of federal waters, including areas in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Alaska. (JT Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups challenge offshore protection rollbacks in AL, U.S.

Environmental groups are suing to stop plans to expand offshore drilling across 625 million acres of federal waters. Advocates argue President …

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said after nearly two decades of stagnation, electricity demand is starting to grow and is not expected to slow at all in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

As electricity demand soars, U.S. urged to find power grid consensus

South Dakota is cited in a new report which argues to avoid an energy crisis, America needs to have a shared vision of what a strong power grid looks …

There are currently 23 oil and gas facilities in federal waters off the coast of California, including one near Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

A coalition of environmental groups is suing the Trump administration to reinstate protections against new offshore drilling. President Donald Trump …

An attempt to open up the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to drilling was blocked by environmental groups during Donald Trump's first term as president. (paxphongtrinh/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit aims to block Trump's plans for offshore drilling in WA

Environmental groups have sued to block President Donald Trump's offshore drilling plans following his order to open the entire West Coast, including …

According to the 2025 Conservation in the West Poll, 86% of Montanans prefer decisions about public lands, water and wildlife be made by career professionals including rangers, scientists and firefighters, rather than officials appointed from other industries. (U.S. Forest Service)

Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management

In its 15th annual year of polling on Conservation in the West, the State of the Rockies Project this year has found support for conservation by some …

Plaintiffs in a pair of new lawsuits against the Trump administration noted leaders in both political parties, thousands of businesses and millions of Americans support permanently protecting our coasts from offshore drilling. (paxphongtrinh/Adobe Stock)

Trump administration faces lawsuits over oil and gas drilling

Several environmental groups concerned about increased offshore drilling have a filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit …

Energy site NationalGrid.com reported storage sites for CO2 emissions should be 0.62 miles or more underground. (Adobe Stock)

OH residents watching bills proposing carbon-dioxide storage under homes

A bill which could approve the injection of large amounts of carbon emissions or industrial carbon dioxide into underground Ohio wells is raising conc…

Median wages for methane mitigation jobs are $127,000 a year in manufacturing, and as high as $145,000 in service-sector jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

An industry that got its start in Colorado finding and fixing methane leaks at oil and gas sites is on the rise. There are now some 74 sites where …

Indiana is the ninth largest farming state in the country, according to the Indiana Department of Agriculture, with about 53,600 farming operations. (Adobe Stock)

Funds to be released for some IN farmers' conservation projects

It looks like at least some Indiana farmers will be getting the federal dollars they have been counting on for farm conservation and soil health…

Methane mitigation jobs offer median wages as high as $127,000 in the manufacturing sector and $145,000 in the service sector, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming ripe for growth in methane mitigation industry

Drilling and mining activities can lead to leaked methane, a gas responsible for 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions and experts said capturing …

Data centers and the computer servers they hold can take up several hundred thousand square feet of property. (Adobe Stock)

MN could join data center 'gold rush,' but at what cost?

The Minnesota Legislature and a regulatory agency will be busy this week weighing demands for large data centers. Business leaders say this digital …

More than 60,000 people in Oregon could benefit from expanding food benefits to undocumented residents. (Franco Capotosti/Adobe Stock)

Undocumented OR farmworkers may gain access to food assistance

By Amal Ahmed for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Oregon News Service reporting for the Yes! Media/Sentient/Just and Climate-…

New York City's program is the only one charging drivers to get into the congested area, but New York isn't the only city with congestion pricing. (Adobe Stock)

NYers push back on federal attempts to end 'congestion pricing'

As the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to end New York City's congestion pricing program, the move is getting some pushback from people who …

The advocacy group Power a Clean Future Ohio said it is dedicated to ensuring every community has clean air, clean energy and clean transportation, no matter your ZIP Code or the color of your skin. (Sherman Cahal/Adobe Stock)

Ohio communities at risk amid EPA's program cuts

The Trump administration has begun dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency's office working to reducing environmental harms in minority and lo…

Methane is a major contributor to Utah's status among the top 10 regions in the U.S. for levels of ozone, short-term particle pollution, and annual particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock)

Methane mitigation industry battles climate change, creates UT jobs

New research found solving the $2 billion methane waste problem is creating economic opportunities for workers in Utah and other energy-producing stat…

Researchers are developing inductive charging technology that could allow EVs to charge without plugging in, using embedded road or parking pad systems. (Kalyakan/Adobe Stock)

MI keeps EV charging plans on track despite federal cuts

Earlier this month, the Federal Highway Administration stopped new funding for electric vehicle charging stations under the National Electric Vehicle …

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Climate Change

Ohio Supreme Court case could set precedent for solar energy projects

Experts say cuts to NOAA could affect Montana fire, weather warnings

From the moon to mailboxes: Filmmaker puts climate refugees in spotlight

Poll: Voters support company neutrality when workers unionize

Fossil fuel company plans for fewer renewables, gets boost from WY Legislature

Legislation could hinder TX wind, solar projects

Trash 2 Trends: Turning garbage into glamour to fight climate change

CA local leaders protest massive rollback of federal environmental protections

Expanding NM's aquaculture-based fish farming could improve food security

SD farmer flexes drought-fighting muscle in face of dry conditions

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

MI expert predicts future of solar energy amid evolving federal policies

UT clean-energy advocates call out PacifiCorp for backpedaling

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

Ohio cities embrace solar energy with Dayton's first utility-scale array

Colorado forests emit more CO2 than they absorb due to insects, wildfire

Expert: 'Eating local' may not be best solution for fighting climate change

KY animal shelter expects to save money, energy with new solar panels

Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in TX prisons

Rural AZ hotel's solar installation in limbo after federal funding freeze

MI scientist: Humans, not climate change, to blame for toxic lakes

MN debates how to help retired clean energy parts stay 'green'

Ohio regional transit group plans shift to 'green' hydrogen for bus fleet

Low marks for NC Congress members in 2024 conservation scorecard

MI congressional delegation shines on environmental scorecard

Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change

Advocates laud Shapiro’s lawsuit to unfreeze federal funding

Volunteer lobbyists to press Colorado lawmakers on homelessness

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

Poll: MAGA voters oppose cuts to parks, forest, wildlife agencies

Environmental groups challenge offshore protection rollbacks in AL, U.S.

As electricity demand soars, U.S. urged to find power grid consensus

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

Lawsuit aims to block Trump's plans for offshore drilling in WA

Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management

Trump administration faces lawsuits over oil and gas drilling

OH residents watching bills proposing carbon-dioxide storage under homes

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

Funds to be released for some IN farmers' conservation projects

Wyoming ripe for growth in methane mitigation industry

MN could join data center 'gold rush,' but at what cost?

Undocumented OR farmworkers may gain access to food assistance

NYers push back on federal attempts to end 'congestion pricing'

Ohio communities at risk amid EPA's program cuts

Methane mitigation industry battles climate change, creates UT jobs

MI keeps EV charging plans on track despite federal cuts