Environment / Public News Service

Family farm advocates say not only are they worried about so-called factory farms getting federal conservation funds, they also contend there's little oversight of the money that is awarded to them. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, December 8, 2023

Some SD farmers unhappy with industrial ag getting conservation funds

Agriculture accounts for more than 10% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States. Advocates for small farms in South Dakota hope the next Farm …

A study on earth.org reveals a 6 1/2-foot artificial Christmas tree would have to be used for at least 12 years for it to be more ecofriendly than a real Christmas tree. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, December 8, 2023

Real vs. artificial tree: Which is better for the environment?

Hoosiers could get their holiday trees from any of about 200 tree farms in the state, according to the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association…

In 2008, Connecticut passed the Global Warming Solutions Act, which established its climate goals. This means getting greenhouse-gas emissions 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80% below 2001 levels by 2050. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, December 8, 2023

Misinformation slows CT’s new emission standards

Connecticut lawmakers are reluctant to approve new emission standards that would require 90% cleaner emissions from internal-combustion engines and re…

Rural advocates are pushing for more protection for independent producers in the next Farm Bill. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Rural groups push for environmental protections in next Farm Bill

Even though the current Farm Bill has been extended for a year, rural advocates are speaking up about protecting independent and family farms when …

Officials with the Aging and Climate Change Clearinghouse contended the baby boomer generation has developed consumption patterns exacerbating climate change. Officials said changing patterns, such as making their homes energy-efficient, can help reduce the climate threats they face. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Research project aims to make climate adaptation age-inclusive

From prolonged droughts to intense rain and snowstorms, the Midwest is not immune to climate change threats. An emerging resource aims to place more …

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the Y12 complex has about 4,500 employees and another 2,000 contractors. (Enzo/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Alliance sounds alarm on contamination in Oak Ridge

A Knoxville-based environmental group is voicing health and safety concerns about the development of a landfill for radioactive waste from the Y12 Ura…

Along with flooding, Virginia is experiencing sea level rise. Between 1950 and 2023, the state has seen a 14-inch rise in sea level rise, putting 45,000 homes at risk of tidal flooding. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Wetlands forming on VA surface mines, impacts uncertain

A recent report found wetlands forming on surface mines in Virginia can benefit the state. The wetlands form because surface mining flattens land…

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Backers of offshore wind tout good jobs, fossil fuel independence

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wants the state's Board of Public Utilities to initiate more bids for offshore wind projects in the New Year. The move …

the National Young Farmers Coalition delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership signed by 175 national, regional and local organizations in support of the Increasing Land Access, Security and Opportunities Act. (Johnstocker/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Young farmers advocate for climate changes, face land-access issues

Young Farmers in Michigan hope the new Farm Bill will include key benefits regarding land access so they can continue to pursue farming passionately…

In addition to accelerating global warming, methane emissions can cause or exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions. (Hihitetlin/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

New EPA rule expected to affect Texas oil industry emissions

A new rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency could reduce the amount of methane escaping from equipment in Texas oil fields. Last …

The Mecca Hills, southeast of the Coachella Valley, are part of the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument. (Bureau of Land Management)

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

CA Tribes press to protect more land at White House Tribal Nations Summit

California tribes are headed to the White House Tribal Nations Summit tomorrow, where they will ask Congress and the Biden administration to create …

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Land-access keeping young farmers from leading climate action

Young farmers in Missouri hope the new farm bill will include key benefits regarding land access so they can continue to pursue farming passionately…

The Environmental Protection Agency is working on rules that will incentivize the transition to heavy-duty electric vehicles. (VanderWolf Images/Adobestock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Lawmakers, advocates press EPA for strict emissions rule for heavy-duty trucks

As the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai wraps up, Democratic lawmakers and clean-air advocates are calling on the Environmental …

Nearly half of people living in Alamosa, where Xcel Energy plans to build one of three new natural gas power plants, identify as Hispanic or Latino according to U.S. Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental justice and Xcel plans for new fossil fuel power plants

Xcel Energy says its latest proposal before the Public Utilities Commission will help Colorado reach it's clean energy goals - by adding more wind and…

Iowa has warmed 0.5 to 1 degree in the last century, and floods are becoming more frequent. In the coming decades, the state will have more extremely hot days, which may harm public health in urban areas and corn harvests in rural areas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

State skips climate-change grants, Iowa cities reap $3 million instead

A handful of Iowa's biggest cities has been awarded $3 million to work on solutions to climate change at the local level. The climate pollution …

Global warming is impacted by atmospheric ammonia and nitrogen oxides, both from animal waste and fertilizers. (Adobe Stock)

NASA grant funds study on impact of farming techniques on greenhouse gases

NASA-funded research using satellites to study atmospheric nitrogen will examine how different farming approaches affect greenhouse gas emissions…

New York State's climate goals would have the state using 70% renewable energy by 2030, and use zero-emission electricity by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 4, 2023

Report: New York won’t meet its 2030 climate goals

Just as New York State prepares for its first offshore wind farm to come online, a new report predicted the state will not meet its climate goals…

According to the National Family Farm Coalition, the average U.S. farmland value is now $3,800 per <br />acre, the highest since the 1970s. (Adobe Stock)

ND farmers still navigate corporate land-ownership policy maze

North Dakota's farming landscape is seeing policy shifts dealing with corporate ownership of agricultural interests. Now, there's fresh debate at the …

The Thrive Indianapolis Annual Report 2022 says Indianapolis has been recognized as a Tree City USA for 35 consecutive years. (Adobe Stock)

Indy, Bloomington recognized for environmental action plans

Bloomington and Indianapolis are getting some international recognition for the work they're doing to help the environment. The two have been named …

The Farm Credit System is cumulatively the largest lender to the agricultural sector, making about 45% of all agricultural loans, with $350 billion in assets. (DiedovStock/Adobe Stock)

Report: Farm Credit System needs an update

A new report calls for greater accountability in the system that provides funding to farmers in underserved communities. The research takes a dive …

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers rural electric cooperatives nearly $10 billion in grants and loans to help cover costs as they pursue cleaner forms of electricity. (Adobe Stock)

Using federal incentives, rural electric co-ops make clean 'power grab'

Utilities and government agencies in the U.S. are carrying out plans to transition to cleaner electricity sources. To avoid being left behind…

The Port of Long Beach is one of the busiest in the country and is serviced by thousands of trucks per day. (City of Long Beach)

As climate change conference opens, one CA city takes action

As world leaders gather in Dubai for the international conference on climate change, the City of Long Beach is acting on multiple fronts to help the …

Extremes of hot and cold weather have taken their toll on a concrete barrier along Binghamton's Riverwalk. Concrete crumbles between the stones of the wall in upstate New York. (Chet Wiker/Adobe Stock)

Will big oil companies cover climate change costs in NY?

Some state and local lawmakers are on a long list calling on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to require big oil companies to help offset the costs of …

Since the summer of 2022, the State of Arizona has already secured more than $10 billion in new clean energy investments, which are projected to create more than 13,500 new jobs, according to Climate Power. (Adobe Stock)

Public and private sectors discuss AZ's clean energy economy

The Arizona Governor's Office of Resilience and industry leaders discussed clean energy investments in the state at Honeywell's facility in Phoenix Mo…

Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public state and federal lands, nearly one-third of the state. (Adobe Stock)

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

Wildlife advocates are pushing back on a bill in Congress which would remove federal wilderness protections from some Montana land. There are …

Virginia's Department of Energy is one of nine state and tribal programs to receive funds from Congress for repurposing abandoned mine lands. It was first authorized in 2016, and the state received $10 million in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

VA group looks at carbon-offset market to help reforest former mines

A Virginia group is working out ways to reforest former mines across Appalachia. The state has several hundred thousand acres of mine land, which …

Pittston is one of 56 projects in 37 counties which were selected to expand access to reliability of EV charging in Pennsylvania. (Kevin McGovern/Adobe Stock)<br />

EV companies call for expanded heavy-duty truck charging infrastructure

Clean-energy companies and supporters are calling on federal officials to prioritize the development of charging infrastructure for EV powered medium …

A group of U.S. researchers says particulate matter from coal plants was often put on the same par with other sources of air pollution. However, their review of premature deaths shows coal emissions pose a deadlier health risk. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Air pollution linked to coal plants more deadly than previously thought

Researchers are out with new findings they say show that death rates linked to air pollution from coal plants are underestimated. A Wisconsin …

Based on current environmental impacts, residents of Petersburg have a life expectancy 10 years lower than the national average, according to U.S. News & World Report. (Adobe Stock)

VA environmentalists frustrated by FERC-approved pipeline extension

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan extending a natural-gas pipeline in Virginia. The Virginia Reliability Plan and Transcot's …

In the three decades between 1980 and 2010, Virginia's York River lost more than 20% of marsh area. By 2050, the region is projected to lose 40,000 acres to sea-level rise. (Adobe Stock)

New plan outlines ways to conserve VA’s coastal wetlands

A new plan takes an interconnected approach to saving Virginia's coastal wetlands. The aim of Virginia's York River and Small Coastal Basin …

Missouri wetlands have been reduced to 643,000 acres, a loss of 87% from their original footprint. (rodimovpavel/Adobe Stock)

MO duck-hunting season portends a grim future

Missouri's duck-hunting season runs through January, and many enthusiasts are concerned about how plentiful their future quarry will be because of a …

At least 33 different types of wetlands occur in Michigan. Twenty-six are considered rare because fewer than 100 are intact, Eight of the 26 rare wetland types are considered imperiled and at high risk of extinction. An additional three wetland types are considered critically imperiled and at very high risk of extinction. (rodimovpavel/Adobe Stock)

Wetlands ruling worries MI duck hunters

Michigan's duck-hunting season runs through January, and many enthusiasts are concerned about how plentiful their future quarry will be because of a …

Clean-air advocacy groups and the electric truck sector are calling on state governments to consider tax credits that would make EV trucks more affordable. (Adobe Stock)

EV companies call for building heavy-duty vehicle infrastructure

Clean-energy advocates in Ohio and around the country say now is the time for the government to ensure the nation has the medium- and heavy-duty truck…

Duck hunting season is already underway in Arkansas and the Natural State is home to five major classes of wetlands based on water source, geology and landscape position. (Ajamils/AdobeStock)

Duck hunting faces environmental crossroads after spring SCOTUS ruling

Arkansas and other states are dealing with the fallout from a Supreme Court decision in May, which effectively removed federal protections for more …

Mapping is important part of conserving wildlife corridors. (iploydoy/Adobe Stock)

More support from Congress urged to protect wildlife corridors

Wildlife corridor conservation is in the spotlight in Congress. Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries…

Even with a no burn order in place since November 9, 86 wildfires have burned approximately 278 acres of land in Alabama, according to the Alabama Forestry Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Rain eases fire restrictions in Alabama

Some Alabama residents can breathe a sigh of relief as rain showers have finally brought an end to a statewide fire ban. The Alabama Forestry …

In 2022, about 29% of the people in Florida's prison system were age 50 or older, which is one reason their advocates are urging state lawmakers to ensure prison housing units are climate-controlled. (geralt/Pixabay)

Heat crisis in FL prisons: Lawmakers urged to add air conditioning

Florida lawmakers are being asked to use the winter months to swiftly install air conditioning in prison housing units before the return of scorching …

According to Clean Jobs Midwest, 1.7 million homes are powered by the clean energy generated in Michigan, and the industry employs 123,983 people in the state. (pinkrabbit/Adobe Stock)

Sweeping clean energy bills passed in Michigan

New clean energy legislation in Michigan has passed and is heading to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Backers of the bills said they will …

A new report found PCB concentrations from 2016, the last year the Hudson River was dredged, have changed little since the dredging began. (Adobe Stock)

Report: EPA’s Hudson River dredging failed

In a new report, a coalition of New York environmental groups said dredging the Hudson River of toxic chemicals has failed. The report by Friends of …

In the second quarter of 2022, nationwide residential solar set its fifth consecutive quarterly growth record, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV utilities propose slashing energy credit in half for customers with solar panels

Major utilities in West Virginia, Mon Power and Potomac Edison, want to reduce the credit their solar customers get for producing power the utilities …

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environment, joining RGGI will lower Pennsylvania's CO2 emissions by between 97 million and 225 million tons by 2030. (Lee/AdobeStock)

Commonwealth Court denies PA attempts to join RGGI

In a significant setback for environmental efforts in Pennsylvania, a state court recently ruled that a program designed to reduce air pollution from …

Over about 90 minutes, researchers collected almost 10,000 Asian longhorned ticks on a Monroe County farm in southeast Ohio. (The Ohio State University)

Exotic tick that can kill cattle spreading across Ohio

A species of exotic tick arrived in Ohio in 2021 in such huge numbers that their feeding frenzy on a southeastern farm left three cattle dead of what …

Wildfires are a growing risk for homeowners in Washington state. (klim7/Adobe Stock)

Trend of home insurers leaving states could impact WA

Homeowner insurance companies leaving states like California and Florida represent a troubling trend that could impact Washington. David Fadduol…

Global natural gas markets remain tight as uncertainty persists around demand and further supply cuts by Russia, according to the International Energy Agency. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY utility regulators' 'mixed' decision on LG&E proposal

Critics say the latest decision from state regulators on Louisville Gas and Electric's proposal to build two new gas plants and cycle out two aging co…

Maine's four-year climate plan aims to decrease the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. (Adobe Stock)

ME towns share plans, resources to build climate resilience

Community groups across Maine are helping small towns with fewer resources better prepare for the growing threat of climate change. They are …

An increase in wildfires has brought devastation to Oregon in recent years. (Victoria Schaal/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Reduction Act will improve national security, vet group says

A group of veterans is touting the national security benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. The organization Elected Officials to Protect America …

The National Young Farmers Survey found 62% of Northeastern farmers attribute changes in weather events they are experiencing on their farms to climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Young NY farmers want Congress to help them withstand climate change

Young farmers in New York and across the country want Congress to help them deal with the effects of climate change. Bayer's Farmer Voice Survey …

A detail from an illustration created by Hopelab depicts climate anxiety among youth. (Julie Tinker/Hopelab)

Research links climate-change impacts to depression in high schoolers

New research found natural disasters and pollution linked to climate change are contributing factors to high rates of anxiety and depression among you…

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Environment

Some SD farmers unhappy with industrial ag getting conservation funds

Real vs. artificial tree: Which is better for the environment?

Misinformation slows CT’s new emission standards

Rural groups push for environmental protections in next Farm Bill

Research project aims to make climate adaptation age-inclusive

Alliance sounds alarm on contamination in Oak Ridge

Wetlands forming on VA surface mines, impacts uncertain

Backers of offshore wind tout good jobs, fossil fuel independence

Young farmers advocate for climate changes, face land-access issues

New EPA rule expected to affect Texas oil industry emissions

CA Tribes press to protect more land at White House Tribal Nations Summit

Land-access keeping young farmers from leading climate action

Lawmakers, advocates press EPA for strict emissions rule for heavy-duty trucks

Environmental justice and Xcel plans for new fossil fuel power plants

State skips climate-change grants, Iowa cities reap $3 million instead

NASA grant funds study on impact of farming techniques on greenhouse gases

Report: New York won’t meet its 2030 climate goals

ND farmers still navigate corporate land-ownership policy maze

Indy, Bloomington recognized for environmental action plans

Report: Farm Credit System needs an update

Using federal incentives, rural electric co-ops make clean 'power grab'

As climate change conference opens, one CA city takes action

Will big oil companies cover climate change costs in NY?

Public and private sectors discuss AZ's clean energy economy

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

VA group looks at carbon-offset market to help reforest former mines

EV companies call for expanded heavy-duty truck charging infrastructure

Study: Air pollution linked to coal plants more deadly than previously thought

VA environmentalists frustrated by FERC-approved pipeline extension

New plan outlines ways to conserve VA’s coastal wetlands

MO duck-hunting season portends a grim future

Wetlands ruling worries MI duck hunters

EV companies call for building heavy-duty vehicle infrastructure

Duck hunting faces environmental crossroads after spring SCOTUS ruling

More support from Congress urged to protect wildlife corridors

Rain eases fire restrictions in Alabama

Heat crisis in FL prisons: Lawmakers urged to add air conditioning

Sweeping clean energy bills passed in Michigan

Report: EPA’s Hudson River dredging failed

WV utilities propose slashing energy credit in half for customers with solar panels

Commonwealth Court denies PA attempts to join RGGI

Exotic tick that can kill cattle spreading across Ohio

Trend of home insurers leaving states could impact WA

KY utility regulators' 'mixed' decision on LG&E proposal

ME towns share plans, resources to build climate resilience

Inflation Reduction Act will improve national security, vet group says

Young NY farmers want Congress to help them withstand climate change

Research links climate-change impacts to depression in high schoolers