Energy Policy / Public News Service

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, New York has one of the most energy-efficient economies in the nation, falling only behind Rhode Island and California. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 27, 2022

Clean Energy Advocate: NY Bills Grant Utilities too Much Authority

New York state lawmakers are weighing two bills which would grant utilities more vertical market power, a move proponents argued will help the state …

Old-growth forests hold far more carbon than younger forests, helping to protect people from fossil-fuel emissions, according to research published in National Geographic. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

NC Groups Hope White House Works to Protect Old-Growth Forests

By Bryce Oates for The Daily Yonder. Broadcast version by Chance Dorland for North Carolina News Service, reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News …

In New Mexico, a new map indicates 144,377 residents - including 38,749 children - face potential health threats by pollution from the oil and gas industry. (Jimmy Cloutier/Howard Center for Investigative Journalism)

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

New Map Shows More People Live within Oil & Gas "Threat Radius"

A newly created map reveals more Americans are being exposed to health threats from proximity to oil-and-gas production facilities. The map's release …

The Biden administration approved more drilling permits in 2021 than President Donald Trump did in the first year of his presidency, <a href=

Groups File Protests to Stop Oil and Gas Leases on Public Lands

Fifteen conservation groups from Wyoming and across the nation have filed administrative protests challenging the Biden administration's plans to resu…

An Ohio River Valley Institute brief found retrofitting the nation's coal- and gas-fired power plants for carbon capture and sequestration would add approximately $100 billion per year to Americans' electric bills, an increase of 25%. (Adobe Stock)

PA Moving Ahead to Secure Regional Hydrogen Hub

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Pennsylvania is moving forward with plans for industrial-sector decarbonization, with a proposal to the federal government …

Advocates say carbon-capture technology, currently being developed in the United States and other countries, eventually could remove a significant amount of the world's greenhouse gases. Lexiconmedia/Adobe Stock)

Flagstaff Seeks Carbon Capture Technology to Meet 2030 Climate Goals

A technology that once existed only in science fiction soon could emerge as a viable solution to climate change. The city of Flagstaff has added …

Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget includes funds for the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes as part of the state's plan to electrify 1 million homes and make another 1 million electrification-ready by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Elected Officials Call on NY to Pass All-Electric Building Act

New York elected officials are calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation to transition new buildings off fossil fuels, saying it would make …

In New Mexico, where major wildfires continue to burn, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has warned residents to be ready for evacuations all summer because of strong winds, higher temperatures fueled by climate change, and no significant precipitation on the horizon. (Wikipedia)

As New Mexico Wildfires Rage, Neighboring States Warned of High Fire Danger

New Mexico continues to battle the largest wildfires in its history, and other states including Nevada, along with parts of Arizona and Colorado…

More than 200 organizations submitted a letter last month urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to halt new construction on Line 5, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac. (Wikimedia Commons)

MI Water Advocate: Pipeline Reroute Puts Tribal Fishing Rights at Risk

CORRECTION: Enbridge is proposing a rerouting of its existing Line 5. An earlier version incorrectly stated the project involved an expansion…

The planned reroute of Line 5 around the Bad River reservation will cost Enbridge, Inc. about $450 million, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (Adobe Stock)

WI Tribal Advocates: Pipeline Threatens Agricultural Traditions

Enbridge is seeking to reroute a portion of its Line 5 around the Bad River Band's territory in northern Wisconsin. The rerouting falls within the …

The utility company Consumers Energy has a program to reward consumers who charge electric vehicles during off-peak hours. (TheSupporter/Adobe Stock)

EV Business Leaders Highlight MI Infrastructure, Innovation Progress

Electric vehicle (EV) industry leaders in Michigan are touting the state's progress toward electrifying the transportation sector and improving infras…

In the last five years, more than 36,000 households have benefited from New York's low-income cooling program. (Viacheslav Lakobchuk/Adobe Stock)

NY Advocates: Bill Would Level Playing Field for Utility Customers

Groups advocating for older New Yorkers say a bill passed by the New York State Senate would help level the playing field for utility customers…

Consumers Energy plans to have 8,000 megawatts of utility-scale solar power by 2040. (ALEXSTUDIO/Adobe Stock)

MI Utility Seeks Landowners, Communities to Site Solar Arrays

As Michigan aims to reach economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050, with interim 2030 goals, the state's largest utility is working to transition its …

If Gov. Mike Parson signs Senate Bill 745, all residents will be able to put solar panels on their homes. (mmphoto/Adobe Stock)

MO Renewable-Energy Experts: Reducing Barriers to Solar Is Key

Groups that advocate for renewables in Missouri are urging Gov. Mike Parson to sign a utility-focused bill that would reduce barriers for businesses …

Dominion Energy has cited the Russian invasion of Ukraine and global inflation as factors contributing to the rising cost of energy. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Customers Could See Dominion Energy Rate Hikes

Dominion Energy is proposing a rate hike, which would push up utility costs for Virginia's homes and businesses. The company has submitted several …

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program has a recurring annual budget of $1 billion through 2026, <a href= — The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program has a recurring annual budget of $1 billion through 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. (Adobe Stock)

IN Officials Ask Public to Weigh in on Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure

Indiana is in line to receive about $100 million from the federal government to support new electric-vehicle infrastructure. State transportation …

Despite some customer interest through utility providers, supporters of air pump heating and cooling systems say they need to overcome awareness barriers and getting more customers to adopt this technology. (Adobe Stock)

Can Air-Source Pumps Help MN Homes Run Cooler?

The calendar indicates it is early May, but many Minnesotans are experiencing summerlike temperatures this week. As residents crank up the air …

The massive Dixie Fire is one of many to ravage the Golden State in recent years. Climate advocates want more funds in the budget for smoke warning systems and community readiness. (Gajendra/Adobestock)

Advocates Press for CA Climate-Change Budget

The May revision of Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget is due at the end of this week, so conservation groups are speaking out, calling for what they call a …

All told, five states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois -- accounted for nearly 70% of the nation's more than 3.6 million shutoffs from 2020 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IN Utilities Cut Power More Than 260,000 Times from 2020-2021

From January 2020 to December 2021, utility companies shut off power to Hoosier homes more than 260,000 times. According to a new report from …

Supporters of storing carbon emissions from ethanol plants underground tout the benefits in the threat of climate change. But opponents say it would likely result in greater reliance on fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

ND Landowners Build Opposition to Land Use for Carbon Pipeline

The list of North Dakota counties voicing concerns about a proposed carbon-emissions pipeline is growing longer. Several are now on record opposing …

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line is a nearly $500 million project, stretching more than 100 miles. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Refuge Concerns at Heart of Power-Line Controversy

Work continues on a proposed power-line system that would cross into Iowa from Wisconsin, even as court battles play out about the project. …

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 …

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has launched the "Honoring Chaco Initiative" to address meaningful cultural landscape management and protection for the ancient New Mexico site. (Monica Sanchez/Natural Resources Democrats/Flickr)

NM's Chaco Supporters Rally for Protections from Drilling

At a rally today in Santa Fe, thousands of comments about a proposed withdrawal of new oil and gas drilling leases near New Mexico's Chaco Culture …

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line is a nearly $500 million project. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental Groups Raise Concerns Over Cardinal-Hickory Creek Line

Earlier this year, a federal court struck down plans to drive the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line through the Upper Mississippi River National …

Almost 5,000 oil and gas wells have been developed under the Polis administration, whose Greenhouse Pollution Reduction Roadmap includes plans to increase oil and gas production while mitigating methane leaks. (Adobe Stock)

Polis Pressed to Act Faster on Climate Change

A coalition of more than 60 environmental and community groups are calling on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other elected officials to act faster to …

White cliffs along the shore of Lake Powell show how much lower levels in the lake have become over the past decade. (Prochasson/Adobe Stock)

Lake Powell Cutbacks Signal Need for Long-Term Water-Supply Solutions

Federal officials ordered limits this week on how much water is released by Glen Canyon Dam, in order to maintain sufficient levels to generate …

Farms still can function with the installation of solar panels on their land. (vermontalm/Adobe Stock)

Clean-Energy Groups: ID Needs Community-Owned Solar Projects

Clean-energy advocates are calling on Idaho Power to go further with its energy plans, pushing for community ownership of renewable energy sources…

If New Mexico adopts clean-car rules, more energy-efficient electric vehicles could be on the roads in 2024 or sooner. (Courtesy newmexico.org)

New Mexico Latest to Consider Adoption of Clean Car Rules

New Mexico may soon join more than a dozen other states in adopting California's clean car standards. The statewide and Albuquerque environmental-…

Six janitors, above, graduated from a 30-hour curriculum on green and sustainable practices. (Molly J. Smith/Adobe Stock)

OR Janitors Go Green with Sustainability Certification

Janitors in downtown Portland have received a unique certification that signals they're going green. Six janitors were certified through the green …

A court has ruled the Mountain Valley Pipeline can change its crossing method for around 180 bodies of water and wetlands, and dig tunnels under, rather than through, them. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A court has ruled the Mountain Valley Pipeline can change its crossing method for around 180 bodies of water and wetlands, and dig tunnels under, rather than through, them. (Adobe Stock)

Routing MV Pipeline Under Streams, Wetlands Called Habitat Risk

Mountain Valley Pipeline developers are now allowed to dig tunnels below streams and wetlands, and environmental groups say they are concerned about …

Low-producing wells waste enough gas each year to meet the energy needs of more than 3.6 million homes in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Reducing Methane Pollution Seen as Potential Revenue Source

Smaller wells account for just 6% of the nation's oil and gas production but are responsible for half of all methane pollution in the U.S., according …

Some oil and gas lobbyists want low-producing wells to be excluded from coming regulation. (Adobe Stock) Some oil and gas lobbyists want low-producing wells to be excluded from coming regulation. (Adobe Stock)

Researchers Question Cost-benefit of Methane Emissions from Low-Producing Oil and Gas Wells

The country's 565,000 low-producing oil and gas wells - thousands of them in Texas - are responsible for approximately half of the methane discharged …

The California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) is responsible for plugging aging, abandoned oil wells. (California Department of Conservation)

Feds, State to Spend Hundreds of Millions to Plug 'Orphan' Oil Wells

Big money is on the way to supercharge California's efforts to plug so-called orphan oil wells, which pollute the environment but have no legal owner…

Well sites that produce less than 15 barrels of oil equivalent a day account for 80% of the nation's oil and gas wells. (Adobe Stock)

Plugging Methane Leaks Key to Improving CO Air Quality

Smaller or marginal wells account for just 6% of the nation's oil and gas production, but are responsible for half of all methane pollution in the U.…

University of Minnesota researchers say Minnesota is behind many other states in maximizing available resources to weatherize homes and reduce an occupant's energy burden. (Adobe Stock)

Energy-Efficient Updates Needed for MN's Aging Homes

A significant portion of Minnesota housing was built before 1980, and these homes just endured a long and cold winter. That's renewed calls for the …

Studies show oil and gas wells, like this one in Duchesne County, are a major source of methane pollution in Utah's Uinta and Wasatch regions. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Utah's Low-Producing Wells Emit Half of Methane Emissions

A new study found low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half the methane emitted from all well sites in the U.S., while accounting for just 6%…

North Carolina will fall short of its 2025 and 2030 climate targets without additional policies put in place to curb emissions, says a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Without Action, NC Will Fall Short on 2025 Climate Goals

Executive orders aimed at driving down greenhouse-gas emissions are still not enough to reach North Carolina's 50% reduction goal by 2030, a report …

The Spire STL pipeline connects into the larger Rockies Express Pipeline, which stretches 1,700 miles across eight states. (Adobe Stock)

Pipeline Through MO in Limbo After SCOTUS Declines to Hear Appeal

A 65-mile gas pipeline through eastern Missouri is in limbo after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider reinstating federal authorization for …

Pennsylvania is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse-gas pollution in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Low-Producing Oil, Gas Wells Make Up 50% of Methane Emissions

A new study found low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half of potent methane emissions emitted from all well sites in the U.S. while …

With wind and solar projects popping up, an annual report says power-sector emissions in Minnesota have fallen 40% in the last decade. (Adobe Stock)

For 2nd Straight Year, Renewables Are MN's Lead Power Source

Until this Friday, Minnesota is accepting public comment on broader plans to address climate change. While that takes shape, clean-energy leaders say …

The Office of Environmental Justice was one of dozens of recommendations made by the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, a group Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers established in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Evers Touts New WI Office of Environmental Justice

Wisconsin has a new Office of Environmental Justice, which is tasked with centering equity and fairness as the state proceeds with a new clean-energy …

Natural gas pipelines can often release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, due to leaks or during maintenance repairs. (Adobe Stock)

Monday Deadline for Comments on PA Gas Pipeline Expansion

Pennsylvanians have until Monday to submit public comments on a draft Environmental Impact Statement for a gas pipeline expansion in Northeastern Penn…

The Biden administration has set a goal of achieving a fifty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Elected Officials to Feds: Accelerate Clean Energy Transition

As folks across America celebrate Earth Day, nearly 500 lawmakers have signed a petition calling on the President and Congress to develop a Climate …

People of color are 61% more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant that contributes to poor air quality, according to the American Lung Association. (DavidMark/Pixabay)

Report: NM's ABQ, Eddy County Rank High for Poor Air Quality

A new study found high ozone levels have made the air quality in Albuquerque worse than ever reported. For the past 23 years, the American Lung …

SCOTUS Declines to Hear Appeal on IL Gas Pipeline

A 65-mile gas pipeline in western Illinois is in limbo after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider reinstating federal authorization for the …

The Governor and climate advocates will speak at a press conference today in Las Vegas, with a climate-themed mural by artist Gui Lemes as a backdrop. (Ivan Serge/@apvevents)

This Earth Day, Advocates Call for Climate Action

To honor Earth Day tomorrow, Gov. Steve Sisolak will join environmental advocates in a call to invest in our planet. The most recent report from …

Venting, flaring and leaks waste $275 million worth of natural gas per year in New Mexico, depriving the state of more than $40 million in royalties and tax revenue, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (nasa.gov)

NM's Methane Rules Designed to Reduce Air Pollution, Improve Health

New Mexico is home to some of the worst methane pollution in the country, but new rules aimed at oil and gas operators could be a turning point for …

Companies like Vestas have established a goal of zero-waste wind turbines by the year 2040. (Adobe Stock)

You Can Recycle a Plastic Bottle. What About Wind-Turbine Blades?

This Earth Day, Americans will be reminded of the need to take steps to protect the environment. Wind turbines are a leading clean-energy source…

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