Environment / Public News Service

The transportation sector is the largest domestic source of carbon pollution in the U.S.<br />Pic credit (Nischaporn/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

Michigan leaders celebrate historic clean car standards

Leaders in Michigan are marking the historic new clean car standards, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency. The final rule, Multi-…

The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument encompasses about 14,000 acres in east-central Oregon. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

New BLM rules better protect national parks, supporters say

Conservation groups said two new federal rules aim to help better protect public lands, including national parks. The Bureau of Land Management's …

The new Public Lands Rule is designed to protect places such as Joshua Tree National Park, which is bordered by vast swaths of Bureau of Land Management land. (Dmitry/Adobestock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

Conservation groups praise new rules governing oil and gas on public lands

Groups fighting for public lands and national parks are praising two recent Biden administration rules for managing federal land. The oil and gas …

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Indiana's industrial sector is the state's largest energy consumer, accounting for 46% of the state's energy consumption in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

IN university hopes to lead in environmental responsibility

A central Indiana university has taken the initiative to address environmental challenges on campus and in the nearby community. Surveys conducted …

Climate scientists in Maine said the state has already experienced 8 inches of sea level rise over the past century and could see an additional 1.5 more feet by 2050, with significant implications for coastal industries, tourism and home insurance rates. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

Warmer, wetter climate in Maine impacts human health, infrastructure

Scientists said Maine's climate is getting warmer and wetter, with significant implications for human health and infrastructure. Data show the 10 …

The Midwest is expected to see a host of new transmission line projects over the next decade to accommodate clean energy growth. But getting the necessary permits can take time, since these projects often cross multiple jurisdictions. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 20, 2024

MN lawmakers give clean energy permitting a makeover

In the future, clean energy projects in Minnesota might come together more quickly, since state lawmakers have advanced a permitting reform measure…

Solar energy helps provide more than 263,000 jobs across the U.S., according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. (spyarm/Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 17, 2024

Surge in solar installations eases energy costs for Missourians

Missouri homes and businesses have installed enough solar energy to power 68,000 homes each year. A new report released by the Solar Energy …

If power grid operators cannot change the interconnection process in time, data show around 80% of the emissions reductions expected from the Inflation Reduction Act might not happen. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 17, 2024

New FERC rule helps VA upgrade transmission infrastructure

A new rule from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could improve Virginia's electric grid transmission capacity. It requires utilities and …

Planners said one of the biggest challenges in preparing for electric vehicles is changing planning and zoning codes to accommodate EV charging stations. (Adobe Stock)

Regional program helps Chicago-area communities become 'EV Ready'

By Kari Lydersen for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netw…

Fungal decay and fire both break down hydrogen and carbon bonds, a process that releases energy. But while fire releases heat, mushrooms absorb that energy like people do when digesting food. (Adobe Stock)

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

By Stephen Robert Miller for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for t…

The Environmental Defense Fund said methane emissions from oil and gas wells, including abandoned sites which were never capped, remain a significant driver of short-term climate change. (Adobe Stock)

North Dakota gets more federal funds to cap abandoned oil wells

A new round of federal funding is coming North Dakota's way to help plug dozens of abandoned oil wells. The U.S. Department of the Interior this …

Since 2023, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has completed more than 5,300 excavations to determine if households have lead water lines. (Rick Beauregard)

MI leaders mark progress in removing lead water lines

It has been a decade since the massive fallout from the Flint water crisis. Now, Michigan leaders are highlighting their progress in removing lead …

A previous Bloomberg grant laid the groundwork for significant initiatives, such as the city's solar array and passage of the Issue 7 transportation levy. (jonbilous/Adobe Stock)

Empowering Cincinnati: Bloomberg grant fuels climate and equity initiatives

Cincinnati is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies' $200 million Sustainable Cities initiative and will hire three new staff members to merge climate solu…

Industrial emissions of carcinogenic chemicals disproportionately occur in neighborhoods where African American, Hispanic, Latino residents, including many living in poverty. (Oleksii Fadieiev/Adobe Stock)

Environmental group takes on polluters in historic Louisiana neighborhood

An environmental justice organization in Wallace, Louisiana, says it won't back down in a fight for the health of its historic community. The …

According to the EPA, Georgia has warmed less than most of the nation in the last century but in the next few decades, the changing climate is likely to harm livestock and increase the number of unpleasantly hot days and heat-related illnesses. (Laura Ballard/Adobe Stock)

Scientists call on moms to help fight climate change

Mothers from a nonpartisan climate science group are gearing up for summer, getting the word out to Georgia families on how more frequent and extreme …

A study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health found lead pipes were used, and often required, before being banned in the U.S. in 1986. Many cities still use lead water pipes installed prior to the ban. (Adobe Stock)

A spigot of federal money opens, clean water one goal

The Environmental Protection Agency said the country's aging systems of water pipes are hotbeds for chemical and lead contamination. More lead …

Local oyster harvesters help deploy limestone rock, a restoration material, for the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative oyster reef restoration experiments. (Courtesy FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory)

Community effort aims to restore Apalachicola Bay oyster harvests, livelihoods

Since the 2020 collapse of the famed Apalachicola Bay oyster fishery, people who made their livelihoods on the bay have been counting on local …

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

The Tennessee Lead and Copper Rule tests taps at risk of lead contamination. If more than 10% exceeds the limit, water systems must take action. (GDM photo and video/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

EDF maps show progress on Tennessee lead service line replacement

Tennessee has fallen behind on lead service line replacement, with the Environmental Defense Fund's new maps showing only one utility with a public …

House Bill 5004 would have updated Connecticut's 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act, establishing the state's climate goals. It also would have aligned gas-system planning with greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Failure of CT climate change legislation stagnates state progress

Bills addressing climate change are some of the biggest casualties of Connecticut's legislative session. One in particular is House Bill 5004…

Revenues from oil and gas extraction in New Mexico are higher than ever, having grown by about 10% over the past year. (Adwo/AdobeStock)

NM agency considers new rule on fracked wastewater

What the extraction industry calls "produced water" is the subject of hearings this week in New Mexico. The term applies to water coming out of the …

The Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan lays out a strategy for the state to achieve its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. It requires cutting emissions 26% by 2025, and 80% by 2050. (Chris/Adobe Stock)

Scientists engage moms to help fight climate change on behalf of kids

Moms from a nonpartisan climate science group are gearing up for summer, getting the word out to Pennsylvania families on how more frequent and …

About 400 companies will be involved in building the new Highmark Stadium in Buffalo through bids for new construction and demolition of the old stadium. (Quintin Soloviev/Wikimedia Commons)

Sustainable steel makes new Buffalo Bills stadium greener

The new Buffalo Bills stadium may not be the best environmentally but it has some green qualities. The steel for the stadium is being made locally …

A new study showed polluting chemicals in car interiors are a bigger risk for children and for people who drive for a living or have long commutes. (Dmindphoto/Adobe Stock)

Consumer groups call on feds to regulate flame retardants in cars

UPDATE: A response has been added from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. (2:02 p.m. PDT, May 14, 2024) A new study showed the flame …

Deconstruction, basically construction in reverse, is helping cities reduce materials ending up in local landfills. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado embraces deconstruction to keep materials out of landfills

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

Nationally, more than 9 million adults with asthma live in counties receiving a failing grade for at least one air pollutant, according to the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock)

MD air quality highlighted during Asthma Awareness Month

May is Asthma Awareness Month and a report on air quality shows mixed results for Marylanders. The American Lung Association recently released its 25…

Maine's aquaculture harvest more than doubled in volume and in value over the past decade. It creates more than $100 million in annual revenue for the state, according to the Maine International Trade Center. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New England groups warn against 'factory' fish farming in federal waters

New England fishermen and environmental groups are working to prevent the growth of industrial-size fish farms in U.S. open waters. They said …

Stakeholders across the renewable-energy industry say there's a bottleneck of projects due to constraints within the nation's power grid. (Adobe Stock)

For clean energy, power grid is a Rubik's Cube needing to be solved

A federal agency today is expected to announce reforms related to the power grid, which is stretched thin as the nation transitions away from fossil …

Part of the New York HEAT Act ensures no household would pay more than 6% of its annual income on gas or electricity bills. (Adobe Stock)

NY environmentalists want HEAT Act passed in remaining session

With less than a month left in the New York Legislature's session, environmentalists are pushing for the HEAT Act's passage. Last-minute stalling …

Union workers spent Wednesday lobbying California lawmakers to pass bills to protect labor during the transition away from fossil fuels. (Brooke Anderson)<br />

Union coalition calls for CA worker climate bill of rights

Dozens of union members rallied Wednesday in Sacramento, calling on lawmakers to pass a set of bills called the California Worker Climate Bill of …

Michigan law states an animal feeding operation is where the animals will be

Livestock waste making 'Pure Michigan' waters not so pure

Michigan boasts 11,000 inland lakes, more freshwater shoreline than any other state and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams but a new …

California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington are the only states with heat standards in place. Five other states either have active legislation or are in the process of rulemaking. (Adobe Stock)

VA farmworkers get updated heat protection guidelines

Some Virginia farmworkers will have updated heat protection guidelines. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee is enacting heat and safety protections …

Researchers studying ways to reduce the dairy industry's climate-altering emissions say a hotter climate can cause heat stress in dairy cows, reducing their feed intake, milk production, and fertility. (Adobe Stock)

Cow feed research aims to cut ME dairies' methane emissions

New research could help Maine dairy farmers increase profits while reducing effects on the climate. Scientists said adding a plant-based essential …

Gray wolf pack sizes range from two to 11 wolves. Most packs contain four to six individuals, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

WA considers reclassifying gray wolves as 'sensitive' species

The State of Washington is proposing to downgrade gray wolves from "endangered" to "sensitive" status as a species. At last count, there were 260 …

North Carolina is the sixth-largest producer of cotton in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

'Planet and people first': NC businesses see benefits of 'ESG'

Businesses large and small are doubling down on their commitment to more sustainable practices, even as lawmakers in North Carolina and other states …

The Justice40 initiative aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits from federal investments in climate change, clean energy, clean transportation, affordable housing, water infrastructure, workforce development and pollution remediation to disadvantaged communities. (elnariz/adobe stock)

Federal initiative empowers communities with career creation

A collaboration between the federal government and local communities works to create new career opportunities. The Flint Environmental Career Worker …

A well-designed riparian buffer can prevent 80% of excess nutrients from entering rivers and streams. (Adobe Stock)

Most SD surface waters fall below state quality standards

There are nearly 150,000 miles of rivers and streams in South Dakota, but new data show many of those don't meet state standards for safe water …

In 2022, 10.3 million park visitors spent an estimated $1.2 billion in local gateway regions while visiting National Park lands in Arizona, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rules could help national parks in AZ

As opponents to the Bureau of Land Management's new rules push back, public lands advocates are praising the agency's decision to put conservation on …

Calls for building out vast electric-vehicle charging networks have become a thorny issue in oil-producing states such as North Dakota. But EV owners say elected leaders need to realize some automakers are still making a strong push, despite their opposition. (Adobe Stock)

EV owners in ND: Less politics, more charging stations

It might not be surprising that North Dakota ranks low for electric vehicle adoption, but existing owners say they are frustrated elected officials …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported ammonia is often found in surface waters surrounding concentrated animal feeding operations. The ammonia causes oxygen depletion from water, which itself can kill aquatic life. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental lawyer: CAFOs not just a NIMBY issue

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a month to respond in court to a new lawsuit concerning a factory farm in the central part of the st…

University of New Hampshire scientists are researching how the addition of plant-based essential oils called Agolin in cow feed can improve overall milk quality and production while decreasing a cow's emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. (UNH)

NH scientists: Plant-based oils in cow feed cut climate-altering methane emissions

New research from the University of New Hampshire could help dairy farmers increase profits while reducing their effect on the climate. Scientists …

For the 2023 tax year, the top five Minnesota counties under the state's wind energy production tax received nearly $12-million in combined revenue. (Adobe Stock)

In some MN counties, wind turbines are taxpayers, too

Minnesota is coming off another windy month of April. Those strong wind gusts may have translated into some extra cash for counties with wind …

Stalactites cling to the roof of what's called the

NM's Chaco, Carlsbad parks gain protection from new BLM rule

New Mexico's diverse national parks located adjacent to extraction sites will enjoy greater protections under a new federal rule. Changes to how the …

Air quality can suffer greatly during the summer when the Northwest experiences wildfires. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Air Quality Awareness Week starts with focus on wildfire smoke

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality across the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

The Department of Energy estimates that the new standards, once finalized, will cumulatively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons or more. (Adobe Stock)

AZ consumer group praises new water heat efficiency standards

An Arizona consumer group is applauding the U.S. Department of Energy's new residential water heater standards that they say will save American …

Wildfire smoke contains tiny particles that can be harmful to the lungs. (Jacob/Adobe Stock)

Air quality awareness week arrives as wildfire season nears

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality around the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

Smoke from across the region can affect air quality in cities like Seattle. (Tabor Chichakly/Adobe Stock)

NW wildfire season highlights importance of Air Quality Awareness Week

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality across the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

More than 80 national park units, including Rocky Mountain National Park, sit next to public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks

As critics work to roll back new Bureau of Land Management rules, public lands advocates are defending the agency's move to put conservation uses on …

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Environment

Michigan leaders celebrate historic clean car standards

New BLM rules better protect national parks, supporters say

Conservation groups praise new rules governing oil and gas on public lands

IN university hopes to lead in environmental responsibility

Warmer, wetter climate in Maine impacts human health, infrastructure

MN lawmakers give clean energy permitting a makeover

Surge in solar installations eases energy costs for Missourians

New FERC rule helps VA upgrade transmission infrastructure

Regional program helps Chicago-area communities become 'EV Ready'

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

North Dakota gets more federal funds to cap abandoned oil wells

MI leaders mark progress in removing lead water lines

Empowering Cincinnati: Bloomberg grant fuels climate and equity initiatives

Environmental group takes on polluters in historic Louisiana neighborhood

Scientists call on moms to help fight climate change

A spigot of federal money opens, clean water one goal

Community effort aims to restore Apalachicola Bay oyster harvests, livelihoods

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

EDF maps show progress on Tennessee lead service line replacement

Advocates: Failure of CT climate change legislation stagnates state progress

NM agency considers new rule on fracked wastewater

Scientists engage moms to help fight climate change on behalf of kids

Sustainable steel makes new Buffalo Bills stadium greener

Consumer groups call on feds to regulate flame retardants in cars

Colorado embraces deconstruction to keep materials out of landfills

MD air quality highlighted during Asthma Awareness Month

New England groups warn against 'factory' fish farming in federal waters

For clean energy, power grid is a Rubik's Cube needing to be solved

NY environmentalists want HEAT Act passed in remaining session

Union coalition calls for CA worker climate bill of rights

Livestock waste making 'Pure Michigan' waters not so pure

VA farmworkers get updated heat protection guidelines

Cow feed research aims to cut ME dairies' methane emissions

WA considers reclassifying gray wolves as 'sensitive' species

'Planet and people first': NC businesses see benefits of 'ESG'

Federal initiative empowers communities with career creation

Most SD surface waters fall below state quality standards

New BLM rules could help national parks in AZ

EV owners in ND: Less politics, more charging stations

Environmental lawyer: CAFOs not just a NIMBY issue

NH scientists: Plant-based oils in cow feed cut climate-altering methane emissions

In some MN counties, wind turbines are taxpayers, too

NM's Chaco, Carlsbad parks gain protection from new BLM rule

Air Quality Awareness Week starts with focus on wildfire smoke

AZ consumer group praises new water heat efficiency standards

Air quality awareness week arrives as wildfire season nears

NW wildfire season highlights importance of Air Quality Awareness Week

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks