Climate Change/Air Quality / Public News Service

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)

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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…

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)

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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 …

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)

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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 …

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)

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

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…

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)

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

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)

Monday, November 27, 2023

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)

Monday, November 27, 2023

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)

Monday, November 27, 2023

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)

Monday, November 27, 2023

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…

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 …

Between August 2022 and July 2023, more than $270 billion in capital investment was announced for utility-scale clean=energy projects and manufacturing facilities in the United States, according to American Clean Power. (Adobe Stock)

IRA investments crucial for clean energy, national security

Military veterans and lawmakers say investing in the clean-energy economy with Inflation Reduction Act funds is the way forward to combat climate chan…

Since the Inflation Reduction Act became law, there have been nearly 60 solar manufacturing announcements. Companies have also announced enough new battery manufacturing projects to support production of more than 10 million electric vehicles per year. (Hrui/Adobe Stock)

A focus on Inflation Reduction Act climate investments for NV

The group Elected Officials to Protect America says clean energy investments through the Inflation Reduction Act should pay off well for Nevada famili…

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…

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 …

Historically the swale paintbrush grew in at least a dozen locations but has only been spotted in one since 1985. (courtesy MarkEgger/Flickr)

A New Mexico endangered species outside the cultural norm

It might not make hearts skip a beat like the sight of a Monarch butterfly or gray wolf, but biologists say a rare flowering New Mexico plant …

Elected officials: Inflation Reduction Act investments will aid national security

In order to fight climate change, officials are pushing for investments through the Inflation Reduction Act. The group Elected Officials to Protect …

Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection finds 67% of nitrogen oxide emissions, a key component of smog, came from transportation. (Adobe Stock)

Highway changes could make Hartford a walkable city

A Connecticut Department of Transportation study has outlined plans to make Hartford a walkable city. The Greater Hartford Mobility Study proposes …

Researchers are looking into whether reflective white paint on asphalt could reduce surface temperatures and thus reduce suffering in areas that host people experiencing homelessness. (Renee C. Byer/Sacramento Bee)

Can white paint be a part of the solution to combat climate change?

A new super-white paint in development may be a tool in the fight against climate change. Researchers at Purdue University are hoping to bring to …

According to Pacific Environment, wind-assist propulsion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions per cargo ship by 30% over the course of a voyage. (Cargill and BAR Technologies)

Southern CA ports lead the way for 'green' shipping

The importance of making ports and shipping more environmentally friendly was the topic of a town hall meeting on Tuesday. Three California members …

Family farm advocacy groups have been fighting the proliferation of manure digesters and related factory farm gas infrastructure. They say independent family farms raising livestock sustainably have been shut out of conservation programs due to lack of funding. (Nina Lawrenson/peopleimages.com)

MO family farmers: Inflation Reduction Act funds not for factory farms

Advocates for Missouri's small family farms have taken to the U.S. Capitol today, to talk with lawmakers about what could be done in the next Farm …

The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation will announce grant awards for youths in early December which will aim to increase environmental literacy, foster stewardship of natural resources, and promote physical health in the outdoors. (Adobe Stock)

NV group celebrates environmental wins, looks ahead to 2024

'Timely' and 'forward-looking' are the two terms one Nevada conservation group is using to describe the state's 2023 environmental landscape…

Around 11,900 acres of the historic Bohart Ranch east of Colorado Springs used by U.S. Air Force Academy cadets have been permanently protected. (Adobe Stock)

SOAR aims to conserve open space, military readiness

The skies above the historic 48,000 acre Bohart Ranch and a remote airfield on the property serve an important role for the United States Air Force Ac…

According to Clean Grid Alliance, Indiana ranks 19th in the nation for solar power and 12th for wind-energy production. (Adobe stock)

Renewable energy fuels major economic payoffs in rural Indiana

Wind and solar projects are powering a big surge for Indiana's economy. You've probably seen tall wind turbines and row after row of flat panels on …

Revenue from Washington state's cap-and-trade program has exceeded expectations, bringing in $1.5 billion this year. (martin33/Adobe Stock)

WA cap-and-trade spending falls short for frontline communities

Washington state's Climate Commitment Act promised funds for communities on the front lines of climate change. One group is tracking those dollars to …

Elected leaders and Connexus Energy officials gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony in October to announce the planned installation of a battery storage system inside the company's Vadnais Heights substation. (Photo courtesy of CEEM)

MN project takes on energy reliability, affordability balancing act

In what's described as the first such project in the upper Midwest, a Minnesota utility is retooling one of its power distribution systems to make …

The group GreenLatinos is matching federal climate change grants with Latino environmental justice organizations, businesses, universities, unions, and elected officials. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental coalition to match Latino community groups with federal grants

The Biden Administration has earmarked millions of dollars from federal programs to help Latinos and other disadvantaged groups fight climate change…

The State of Montana works to reduce the threat of climate-induced avalanches on over 4,000 miles of trail across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Climate change to cost MT jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars

A new scientific report from a wildlife conservation group details the potential impacts of climate change on Montana jobs and the environment…

Activists are calling for climate action ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in San Francisco. (Bay Climate Action)<br />

Activists petition world leaders for climate action at CA trade summit

Climate activists will deliver a petition with 15,000 signatures today to trade negotiators ahead of next week's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation For…

Farms are in a unique position to slow global warming by reducing methane emissions, which are more than 80 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers and making space for next generation farmers

As Congress drafts the next Farm Bill, the National Young Farmers Coalition is calling on lawmakers to tackle climate disruptions and racial equity …

A 2021 report found Virginia has the potential to create more than 220,000 terawatts of offshore wind energy by 2050. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Dominion Energy plan falls short on renewables

A new report found Dominion Energy's Integrated Resource Plan does not align with Virginia's climate goals. Dominion wants to keep using gas and …

More than 10 trillion gallons of water have been lost from the Colorado River basin between 2000 and 2021, according to a recent UCLA study. (Paul Moore/Adobe Stock)

AZ celebrates Colorado River conservation agreements

Arizona leaders are celebrating the federal government's just over $63 million investment for water conservation, efficiency and protection of the …

Farmers in Illinois and across the country are concerned over whether Congress will complete its work on a new Farm Bill by the end of the current term. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Bill delays could affect food benefits for many Americans

The once-every-five-year Farm Bill will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from finding a path forward…

A 2023 U.S. Department of Energy report finds that in 2022, the energy workforce added around 300,000 jobs to the energy-efficiency workforce, an almost 4% increase from 2021. (Adobe Stock)

State of NY makes massive investment in renewable-energy projects

New York has made a massive investment in renewable energy. The state is committing $300 million to create the nation's first offshore wind blade and …

Farmers and ranchers steward about 44% of the United States' landmass. (ZoranZeremski/Adobe Stock)

Delayed Farm Bill could affect millions of Americans

The Farm Bill, typically renegotiated every five years will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from …

More than 6,000 blue economy businesses in Massachusetts employ a total of 100,000 individuals, who earn nearly $4 billion in annual wages. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers, scientists advocate for MA’s 'blue economy'

Lawmakers and scientists in Massachusetts are working to bolster the state's growing "blue economy." Several pieces of legislation aim to create a "b…

According to a poll by the Climate and Community Project, 55% of Mainers believe utilities should be nonprofits, and 60% said they've experienced a power outage in the past few months. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Maine voters consider costs, climate in public utility amendment

An amendment on Tuesday's ballot in Maine to transfer ownership of the state's two private utilities to the public is considered a dead heat…

Cedar Rapids, in eastern Iowa, had only 15.5 inches of rain in all of 2022, which is about half of what it would normally get by early October. (Adobe Stock)

IA implements first-ever drought plan

The State of Iowa has just put its first-ever drought plan to work to help it manage one of the longest and most severe dry periods in recent history…

Climate change with rising seas is making it more dangerous, and much more expensive, to live on the subtropical islands at the southern tip of Florida. (Stingrea1/Pixabay)

In face of rising seas, Monroe County adapts, innovates

By Steve MacLaughlin for NBC Miami.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

According to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, Indiana ranks third out of 56 U.S. states and territories that release the highest total chemicals and pollutants per square mile into the air. (Adobe Stock)<br />

IN gets multiyear grant for climate pollution research

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is using a $3 million federal grant to track greenhouse-gas pollution in the state. The Climate …

In the America's Health Rankings report, Michigan ranks 18th among states for childhood immunizations, and 27th for kids getting preventive dental care. (tigercat_lpg/Adobe Stock)

Report shows uptick in mental health concerns for MI women

Michigan women have mental-health concerns at rates higher than the national average, according to a new report. The United Health Foundation …

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency found 58% of methane emissions from landfills come from food waste. (kpn1968/AdobeStock)

Continued food waste in U.S. alarms states with high food scarcity

A new government report highlighted the urgent need to keep food waste out of landfills, noting 30% to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is never …

Federal officials say the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides funding opportunities for smaller communities to improve their water infrastructure. (Adobe Stock)

Biden pushes rural investment message with MN visit

President Joe Biden was in southern Minnesota yesterday to highlight federal investments for rural America. Biden visited a farm near Northfield to …

Nebraska currently ranks 15th in the nation for the amount of electricity generated by renewable sources. In neighboring states, South Dakota ranked 1st, Iowa 6th, Kansas 9th, Colorado 14th, Wyoming 20th and Missouri 29th. (engeL.ac/Adobe Stock)

Nebraska climate advocate receives largest climate grant offered to individuals

Nebraska environmental leader Jane Kleeb has received the largest environmental award offered to an individual, a $3 million Climate Breakthrough …

Students in Porterville, Calif., work on a project as part of the green curriculum offered via a partnership with the nonprofit Climate Action Pathways for Schools. (CAPS)

CA high schools offer credit for climate action

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

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PNS Daily Newscast - UPDATE - November 30, 2023

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Climate Change

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

Will big oil companies cover climate change costs in NY?

As climate change conference opens, one CA city takes action

Public and private sectors discuss AZ's clean energy economy

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

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

Sweeping clean energy bills passed in Michigan

IRA investments crucial for clean energy, national security

A focus on Inflation Reduction Act climate investments for NV

Research links climate-change impacts to depression in high schoolers

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

A New Mexico endangered species outside the cultural norm

Elected officials: Inflation Reduction Act investments will aid national security

Highway changes could make Hartford a walkable city

Can white paint be a part of the solution to combat climate change?

Southern CA ports lead the way for 'green' shipping

MO family farmers: Inflation Reduction Act funds not for factory farms

NV group celebrates environmental wins, looks ahead to 2024

SOAR aims to conserve open space, military readiness

Renewable energy fuels major economic payoffs in rural Indiana

WA cap-and-trade spending falls short for frontline communities

MN project takes on energy reliability, affordability balancing act

Environmental coalition to match Latino community groups with federal grants

Report: Climate change to cost MT jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars

Activists petition world leaders for climate action at CA trade summit

Removing barriers and making space for next generation farmers

Report: Dominion Energy plan falls short on renewables

AZ celebrates Colorado River conservation agreements

Farm Bill delays could affect food benefits for many Americans

State of NY makes massive investment in renewable-energy projects

Delayed Farm Bill could affect millions of Americans

Lawmakers, scientists advocate for MA’s 'blue economy'

Maine voters consider costs, climate in public utility amendment

IA implements first-ever drought plan

In face of rising seas, Monroe County adapts, innovates

IN gets multiyear grant for climate pollution research

Report shows uptick in mental health concerns for MI women

Continued food waste in U.S. alarms states with high food scarcity

Biden pushes rural investment message with MN visit

Nebraska climate advocate receives largest climate grant offered to individuals

CA high schools offer credit for climate action