Environment / Public News Service

As part of its Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, the U.S. Forest Service has made $8 million available to help prevent fires in Montana by reducing hazardous fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

$8 million to be used to reduce Montana wildfire fuel

The U.S. Forest Service is spending $8 million to reduce wildfire risk in Montana, part of a larger federal program funded by the Inflation Reduction …

The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Experts: Wildfire management funding should include community response

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …

Environmental advocates say the growth of so-called 'fast fashion' is adding to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Buying just one white cotton shirt produces the same amount of emissions as driving 35 miles in a car, according to the climate action group, WRAP. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Serving looks with books: Libraries fight ‘fast fashion’ by lending clothes

By Claire Elise Thompson for Grist.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for New Hampshire News Connection reporting for the Grist-Public News Service C…

Menhaden are forage fish species and filter feeders, each capable of filtering up to seven gallons of water per minute. (Photo of female Osprey with Menhaden/TRCP)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Inflation Reduction Act funding is helping leading electric cooperatives, which serve one in five rural Americans, to accelerate the adoption of affordable and reliable clean energy, lowering costs for their members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

Colorado's second-largest electricity provider, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, projects new federal clean energy funding will …

The electric vehicle stations will have both fast and slow charging ports. (Mike Mareen/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

EV charging stations coming to NW Arkansas

The Ozark Regional Transit Authority will use a $14.9 million federal grant to build electric vehicle charging stations around northwest Arkansas…

In the past decade, the U.S. Energy Department said 2,555 North Dakota homes, occupied by people with limited incomes, have been weatherized. The free upgrades include furnace repairs, insulation and sealing drafty windows. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

An under-the-radar profession could use a helping hand

September is Workforce Development Month and North Dakota offices managing energy assistance programs hope people in need of a fresh career start will…

Conservation groups in Montana have sued the U.S. Forest Service for a logging project in an area of the Bitterroot National Forest that's been home to a successful wolverine den, according to Alliance for the Wild Rockies. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Montana suit: Logging project threatens critical habitat

Two conservation groups have filed suit in a federal court in Montana to stop a U.S. Forest Service logging project that would clear cut large stands …

Arundo was initially introduced to the Western United States for erosion control and aesthetics, according to Watershed Management Group. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Southern AZ nonprofit removes invasive plants to restore riparian areas

By Hunter Fore for Cronkite News.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

Data from the Electric School Bus Initiative finds Virginia is one of the top states to own and purchase clean school buses. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

VA sees more school districts shift to clean buses

Virginia kids are heading back to school in a more environmentally friendly way. School districts and counties statewide are making the switch to …

In 2017, the country's seafood industry supported 1.7 million jobs and contributed $212 billion in sales, according to NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Monday, September 16, 2024

Clamming for workers: ME boosts aquaculture training programs

The University of Maine is helping to train the next generation of skilled aquaculture workers. Designs for a new $10 million Sustainable …

One year of nuclear weapons spending could fund an estimated one-third of the costs for climate change adaptation in developing countries, and solarize more than 16.5 million homes. (Hamara/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

TN group echoes global call: No money for nuclear weapons

A Knoxville-based environmental group is raising awareness about increasing U.S. nuclear weapons spending and supporting this week's global effort to …

One cow can produce up to 264 pounds of methane every year, and it's estimated that livestock production is responsible for 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

How livestock farming fuels climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Monday, September 16, 2024

Federal lawmakers respond to WY wolf abuse, state's response

Following the torture of a wolf by a Wyoming man, a state panel is seeking a bill to protect the killing of predators with vehicles, but Federal …

In 2019, Formosa Plastics settled a $50 million lawsuit after a plant in Texas dumped billions of plastic pellets into Lavaca Bay. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Plastics production highlighted during Pollution Prevention Week

This is Pollution Prevention Week and advocates are renewing their call on one plastics manufacturer to clean up its act. An August demonstration at …

A proposed industrial complex in St. James Parish would be one of the largest plastic complexes of its kind. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Plastics firm's expansion cited during Pollution Prevention Week

This is Pollution Prevention Week and advocates are renewing their call for one plastics manufacturer to clean up its act. An August demonstration …

In August, Steelton-Highspire became the first school district in Pennsylvania to operate a fully electric fleet, and the first in the country to have its entire bus fleet supported by a solar array. (Steelton-Highspire School District)

Federal funding drives PA's increase in electric school buses

Many Pennsylvania students now ride electric buses to school. Some $900 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program …

According to NOAA data, since 1980, the U.S. has sustained 376 weather and climate disasters with a cumulative cost of $2.6 trillion. (Adobe Stock / AI)

Van Hollen introduces federal 'climate superfund' legislation

New federal legislation would make polluters pay for the costs of climate change mitigation. On Thursday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced …

The Oregon Outback covers a swath of sparsely populated counties in the southern part of the state. (chris/Adobe Stock)

Already largest in world, OR dark sky sanctuary expected to grow

A sanctuary for stargazing in Oregon is the largest in the world and is set to get even bigger. In eastern Oregon, the organization DarkSky …

According to the Center for American Progress,

Climate change worsens food insecurity in NE, U.S. and globally

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News Se…

According to the site Tech-stack, AI algorithms can forecast energy needs, helps improve the reliability of solar energy supply and balance the grid load. (Adobe Stock)

IL residents can benefit from merging of solar and AI

By Kari Lydersen for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources must report annual greenhouse gas inventories to the legislature and governor each year. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa releases 'Condition of the State' report on clean energy goals

Alternative energy advocates say Iowa is making significant progress on reaching its green power goals by 2035. The state has become a national …

The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana opened a recycling collection operation in 2023 after receiving a $565,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Coushatta Tribe works to overcome obstacles to recycling program

By Taylar Dawn Stagner for Grist.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Louisiana News Connection reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collab…

Climate change harms Indigenous people's health. While it causes some health conditions, it is also worsening chronic illnesses to which they are prone. (Adobe Stock)

EPA awards climate grant to CT tribal nation

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has been awarded a grant to cut climate pollution. It is part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate …

A New York State Comptroller audit chided the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for using outdated data in Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act projects. It also noted the Public Service Commission failed to estimate costs for transitioning to renewables. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: Gov. Hochul slacking on meeting 2030 climate goals

Environmental critics feel New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is not doing enough to meet the state's 2030 climate goals. The concerns come after Hochul …

In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranked Chicago eighth on an annual ENERGY STAR Top Cities list. On average, ENERGY STAR buildings use 35% less energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 35% compared to typical buildings. (Adobe Stock)

Innovative construction projects address short-term, long-term IL energy needs

By Audrey Henderson for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

Lead contamination poses serious health risks, especially to children, and has been linked to<br />developmental issues and organ damage. (Adobe Stock)

Indianapolis neighborhood fears ongoing lead contamination Superfund site

By Enrique Saenz for Mirror Indy.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Mirror Indy-Free Press Indiana-Public News …

The Sierra Club said a third of all Americans, including 28 million children, do not have a park or natural space within a 10-minute walk of their home. (milicanistoran/Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to protect outdoor program for 4th-graders

A national program to connect children and families with the outdoors is at risk of ending without help from Congress. The Every Kid Outdoors …

The Production Tax Credit and the capital-based Investment Tax Credit make up more than a quarter of the Inflation Reduction Act's estimated $900 billion in spending by 2031. (Goodluz/Adobe Stock)

Report: IRA clean-energy credits boost union jobs, economy in Appalachia

A new report showed adhering to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements can greatly enhance the tax incentives for clean energy projects in Pe…

The Bold Alliance is composed of landowners from several Midwestern states who oppose allowing private companies to use eminent domain to build a CO2 pipeline. (Bold Alliance)

Midwestern group opposes plans for carbon-capture pipeline system

Landowners in several Midwestern states, including Nebraska, have organized in opposition to a plan to use eminent domain to construct a carbon-…

Research indicates 3.6 billion people currently live in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, with an estimated 250,000 additional deaths annually projected between 2030 and 2050 because of its effects. (Adobe Stock)

Leaders to gather in NC to tackle health impacts of pollution, climate change

Environmental leaders are set to gather in Durham to address how climate change is impacting human health and well-being. Emily Wolfe, health …

E-scooter companies say shared micromobility can be made safer if more people wear helmets, streets are properly maintained, and more cities add protected bike lanes. (Bondariev Volodymyr/Adobe Stock)<br />

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration…

In response to the House Draw Fire, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department invited reports of injured wildlife to a hotline typically used to report poaching. (Adobe Stock)

WY communities pitch in on wildfire recovery efforts

Recent extreme wildfires in Wyoming burned nearly 500,000 acres and among those recovering are ranchers and their surviving livestock. Wildfires …

81% of registered voters across the Midwest oppose the use of eminent domain by companies looking to transport carbon dioxide through underground pipelines, according to a poll commissioned by the Bold Alliance. (Jeffree Beall/Wikimedia Commons)

Poll: Most SD voters disapprove of local control limits on carbon pipelines

A new poll shows most South Dakotans don't approve of legislation that restricts local control on carbon pipelines. South Dakotans this November …

Solar energy costs far less than fossil fuels. The International Energy Agency finds utility-level solar costs about $20 per unit less to produce than natural gas. (Adobe Stock)

Misinformation prevents VA from reaping solar-energy benefits

Although most Virginians support and prefer solar energy, misinformation is keeping more of it from being built. Several counties and cities have …

Iowa has provided more than $3.3 billion to communities to help finance water quality improvement projects over the years, according to the Iowa Environmental Council. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa seeks to remove dangerous lead water pipes

Iowa is getting federal help to eliminate lead water pipes in the state. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working with local water …

Sheep graze on a solar field in Garrard County owned by Silicon Ranch Corp. (Silicon Ranch)

KY communities consider solar zoning ordinances

As Fayette County considers approving industrial-scale solar operations on farmland, more communities in the Commonwealth are considering special …

Solar panels on the roof of Lifeline Church of God in Princeton, W.Va. (Resource Rural)

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

Wayne County Schools and a church in Princeton have installed solar panels with help from the Inflation Reduction Act, local grants and solar …

Around 66% of committed electric school buses are located in school districts with the highest shares of low-income households, according to the Electric School Bus Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates tout electric school buses in Nevada, ask for more resources

Nevada has secured 60 electric school buses to take students to and from school and as the school year kicks off, advocates want to see more of the …

According to the American Lung Association's

NC group offers virtual training to help residents advocate for clean air

The advocacy group CleanAIRE NC is offering a virtual training session Thursday to help North Carolinians tackle air quality issues in their communiti…

The USDA says in Illinois in 2021, there were 9.50 billion cubic feet of live trees in forests. (Adobe Stock)

IL environmental group monitors forests amid Biden legislation

The Biden Administration issued an executive order in 2022 to strengthen and protect America's forests and old-growth trees. Old-growth trees have …

As it travels under the Straits of Mackinac, Enbridge's Line 5 diverges into two, 20-inch diameter, parallel pipelines. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Indigenous water protectors protest aging pipeline

Indigenous water protectors and allies met at Michigan's Straits of Mackinac last week, to spotlight the dangers of the 71-year-old Line 5, deemed …

The new report recommended Pennsylvania address methane leakage by establishing a large-scale program to cap abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. It could create 75 direct jobs per year and 525 direct jobs by 2030. (Funtay/Adobe)

A new roadmap for a clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers

A new report is providing a roadmap for policymakers and industry leaders to shape the future of Pennsylvania's clean energy landscape. The findings …

Weston Lombard, at his Athens County farm, uses regenerative practices funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. (Photo credit Sijie Yuan)

Ohio reacts to Biden's investment targeting rural electrification

President Joe Biden has announced a landmark $7.3 billion investment, the largest since the FDR New Deal, aimed at electrifying rural America…

A new report by The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana reveals Indiana's housing is aging, with 15% of homes and rental properties built before 1939. (Adobe stock)

Environmental racism threatens Hoosier communities

A new report found Hoosier homeowners and renters face significant challenges from environmental hazards and climate change. "The State of Fair …

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Brazil and Vietnam are currently the largest coffee-producing countries in the world. Production is increasing in China and even in California and on the Gulf Coast. (Somchai20162516/Adobe Stock)

Climate solutions for the future of coffee

By Anne Connor for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

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Environment

$8 million to be used to reduce Montana wildfire fuel

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Experts: Wildfire management funding should include community response

Serving looks with books: Libraries fight ‘fast fashion’ by lending clothes

Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

EV charging stations coming to NW Arkansas

An under-the-radar profession could use a helping hand

Montana suit: Logging project threatens critical habitat

Southern AZ nonprofit removes invasive plants to restore riparian areas

VA sees more school districts shift to clean buses

Clamming for workers: ME boosts aquaculture training programs

TN group echoes global call: No money for nuclear weapons

How livestock farming fuels climate change

Federal lawmakers respond to WY wolf abuse, state's response

Plastics production highlighted during Pollution Prevention Week

Plastics firm's expansion cited during Pollution Prevention Week

Federal funding drives PA's increase in electric school buses

Van Hollen introduces federal 'climate superfund' legislation

Already largest in world, OR dark sky sanctuary expected to grow

Climate change worsens food insecurity in NE, U.S. and globally

IL residents can benefit from merging of solar and AI

Iowa releases 'Condition of the State' report on clean energy goals

Coushatta Tribe works to overcome obstacles to recycling program

EPA awards climate grant to CT tribal nation

Critics: Gov. Hochul slacking on meeting 2030 climate goals

Innovative construction projects address short-term, long-term IL energy needs

Indianapolis neighborhood fears ongoing lead contamination Superfund site

Congress urged to protect outdoor program for 4th-graders

Report: IRA clean-energy credits boost union jobs, economy in Appalachia

Midwestern group opposes plans for carbon-capture pipeline system

Leaders to gather in NC to tackle health impacts of pollution, climate change

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

WY communities pitch in on wildfire recovery efforts

Poll: Most SD voters disapprove of local control limits on carbon pipelines

Misinformation prevents VA from reaping solar-energy benefits

Iowa seeks to remove dangerous lead water pipes

KY communities consider solar zoning ordinances

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

Advocates tout electric school buses in Nevada, ask for more resources

NC group offers virtual training to help residents advocate for clean air

IL environmental group monitors forests amid Biden legislation

Indigenous water protectors protest aging pipeline

A new roadmap for a clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers

Ohio reacts to Biden's investment targeting rural electrification

Environmental racism threatens Hoosier communities

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Climate solutions for the future of coffee