Environment / Public News Service

BP's refinery in Whiting, IN covers 1,400 acres in northwestern Indiana, just a few miles from the Chicago loop. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

BP, Feds Reach Settlement over Pollution from NW Indiana Refinery

WHITING, Ind. -- International oil-and-gas producer BP will pay more than $500,000 to the federal government as part of a legal settlement over air …

Local, state and federal agencies are working to electrify the Caltrain cars that go from San Jose to San Francisco, which will lower carbon emissions, allow more ridership and reduce congestion. (Caltrain)

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Post-Glasgow, Local Governments Join Race to Zero

LOS ANGELES -- A new report found American cities and counties should make it their goal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 63% by 2030 in order to…

Oil and natural-gas production is the largest industrial source of methane pollution in the country. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Pennsylvanians Make Voices Heard During EPA Methane-Rule Hearing

PITTSBURGH -- Pennsylvanians were overwhelmingly present during three days of virtual public testimony to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) la…

An estimated 5,500 miles of Pennsylvania streams have been polluted as a result of abandoned-mine drainage, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 6, 2021

Infrastructure Mine-Reclamation Funds Promising for PA

ASHLEY, Pa. -- The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill passed by Congress last month includes $11.3 billion for abandoned-mine reclamation and …

Dr. Matt Costa from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and intern Austin Lupo with WILDCOAST, collect soil samples at Brigantine Basin in Del Mar, Calif., to measure the stored carbon. (WILDCOAST)

Monday, December 6, 2021

Groups Urge CA to Harness Blue Carbon in Climate Strategy

SAN DIEGUITO LAGOO, Calif. - Coastal protection groups are pressing California to prioritize so-called "blue carbon" ecosystems in the fight against …

New Mexico and Colorado are considered leaders among states trying to curb air pollution from oil fields. (blogs.edf.org)

EPA Concludes Public Hearings on New Methane Rules

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- People who live on the Navajo Nation near the San Juan Basin are closely following work by the Environmental Protection Agency (…

Indigenous people in Peru demonstrate against oil drilling in 2013. (Amazon Watch)

Report: Half of Oil from the Amazon Processed in California

LOS ANGELES -- California-based facilities are refining half of all the oil drilled in the Amazon rain forests, according to a new report by the …

Hastings-on-Hudson is currently the highest-ranking town in New York State's Climate Smart Communities program. (Adobe Stock)

NY Small Towns See Opportunity to Address Climate Change Locally

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- One of the major takeaways from last month's big climate conference in Scotland is, all levels of government need to …

According to a poll conducted earlier this year by Colorado College, 78% of Coloradans say that oil and gas development on national public lands should be stopped or strictly limited. (Adobe Stock)

Report Underscores Need for Oil, Gas Leasing Reforms

DENVER -- President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act includes reforms for oil and gas production on public lands first introduced by the Reagan admin…

Forests cover almost 29 million acres in Oregon, nearly half of the state. (Gerry/Adobe Stock)

Groups: OR Forestry Climate Plan Signals Commitment to Curb Climate Change

SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Forestry recently approved its first Climate Change and Carbon Plan, to embrace climate-smart forest …

The latest North Carolina state budget includes $40 million for water and sewer projects in the state park system. (Adobe Stock)

Historic Dollars for Conservation, Outdoor Recreation in NC State Budget

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina communities will soon receive funding to preserve green spaces, maintain parks and boost resiliency against the …

Cases of chronic wasting disease among Wisconsin's deer population increased to a 20-year high of nearly 1,600 animals in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Public Can Weigh In on WI Efforts to Tackle Chronic Wasting Disease

MADISON, Wis. - The Department of Natural Resources wants Wisconsinites to weigh in on its efforts to address chronic wasting disease. The always-…

Conservationists say the Recovering America's Wildlife Act could support improvements to water quality in the Ozarks, including the Buffalo National River. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Act Could Boost AR Conservation, Advocates Say

ST. JOE, Ark. -- More than a decade of restoration efforts in a section of Northern Arkansas' Ozark National Forest have led to 40 new species of …

There are hundreds of natural-gas processing facilities in the nation, and more than half of these plants would meet the Toxics Release Inventory's chemical reporting thresholds for 21 different toxic chemicals, according to the EPA. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Rules: Natural-Gas Facilities to Show Air-Pollution Data

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Natural-gas processing plants in West Virginia and around the country will soon have to start publicly reporting the chemicals …

Old electronics can be sold, donated or recycled instead of thrown out to reduce waste. (Mihail/Adobe Stock)

Consumers Advocate: Give Experiences, Refurbished Gifts This Holiday Season

BOSTON -- This holiday season, consumer advocates are urging Commonwealth residents to consider giving gifts that don't require purchasing anything…

Farming is Virginia's largest private industry, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (Adobe Stock)

New Land Trust Model Will Support BIPOC-led Farming in Central VA

RICHMOND, Va. -- In central Virginia, permanent access to land is one of the biggest barriers to farming. A new land-trust model aims to secure both …

Nearly 2,000 children in New Mexico's foster care system will be recipients of new EcoCare Kits to help them connect to nature and their court-appointed advocates. (3330852/Pixabay)

NM Nature Kits Connect Foster Children with Court Advocates

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The 800 children living in foster care near Albuquerque are some of the first to receive a new therapeutic kit designed to help …

The Texas counties of Pecos, Nacagdoches and Hutchinson have the highest numbers of "orphan wells," according to data compiled by Native State Environmental. (nativestateenvironmental.org)

Conservatives Seek Reforms for "Orphan Wells" on Public Lands

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Build Back Better Act making its way through Congress includes reforms for oil and gas production on public lands first …

Steven Ladefoged, owner of Montago Coffee, says conservation is important to protect Montana's $2.4 billion recreation economy. (Steven Ladefoged)

MT Businesses: Measures in Congress Crucial for Climate Action

HELENA, Mont. - Nearly three dozen Montana businesses are thanking U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., for his work on the infrastructure bill signed by …

Managers of a grant program to install more boat-cleaning stations at Minnesota lakes are getting a jumpstart on next year's boating season by installing units this winter. They hope being proactive will prevent further spread of aquatic invasive species. (Adobe Stock)

Winter Won't Stop AIS Prevention Work in MN

CASS LAKE, Minn. - Minnesota boat owners have stored their watercraft for the winter. But in the coming weeks, some lakes will be getting new …

Black-footed ferrets rely exclusively on prairie dogs for prey and on prairie-dog burrows for shelter. (Adobe Stock)

Suit Filed Over Plan to Poison Thunder Basin Prairie Dogs

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wildlife advocates are taking the U.S. Forest Service to court over a plan to eliminate prairie dogs from the Thunder Basin …

Methane emissions have been linked to negative health outcomes, such as headaches, nausea, memory loss and other issues. (Denys Prykhodov/Adobe Stock)

Methane-Detection Vehicles to Help Utility Prevent Leaks

LANSING, Mich. -- A public utility in Michigan is launching a pilot program to reduce its methane emissions. Consumers Energy has what it calls the …

Experts at The Pew Charitable Trusts say the sounds, shorelines and marshes of North Carolina's coast form one of the largest estuary systems in the country. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Experts at The Pew Charitable Trusts say the sounds, shorelines and marshes of North Carolina's coast form one of the largest estuary systems in the country. (Adobe Stock)

NC’s Updated Coastal Habitat Plan Focuses on Seagrass, Local Solutions

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. -- North Carolina's Marine Fisheries Commission has approved an updated version of the state's Coastal Habitat Protection Plan…

Salmon need unobstructed culverts so they can swim upstream to the places where they spawn. (George Cole/Adobe Stock)

Infrastructure Bill Includes Investments for NW Salmon Passage

SEATTLE -- The infrastructure bill recently passed by Congress is a boon not just for people. It also could help wildlife such as endangered salmon …

Experts estimate the Gulf of Mexico lost between 4 billion and 8 billion oysters due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and loss of reproduction in ensuing years. Places like Suwannee Sound in Florida and other Gulf states are tapping settlement money to help populations rebound. (macayran/Pixabay)

Settlement Funds from Oil Spill to Help Restore FL Oyster Reefs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Storm damage, pollution and other factors - some related to climate change - are reducing the oyster population. But settlement …

The 1.5-million-acre Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico offers trout fishing, hiking, skiing and other recreational opportunities. (nationalforest.org)

NM Groups Want Free-flowing Rivers Protected in National Forest

TAOS, N.M. - In Northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest, many rivers are eligible for federal "Wild and Scenic" designation, and conservation …

In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Allegheny National Forest is Pennsylvania's lone national forest. (Adobe Stock)

Group Petitions Allegheny National Forest to Ban Bikes on Non-Motorized Trails

WARREN, Pa. -- A Western Pennsylvania conservation group is petitioning the Allegheny National Forest to prohibit bike riding on all non-motorized …

Beginning in 2024, manufacturers must increase their zero-emission truck sales to between 30% and 50% by 2030. (Renew Oregon)

Front-Line Communities Applaud OR "Clean Truck" Rules

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Communities on the front lines of climate change are expected to benefit most from new rules in Oregon to move the state toward …

The N-Drip system uses low-pressure, gravity-powered "micro-irrigation" techniques to deliver full crop yields using about half the water. (CAP)

Innovative Irrigation System Aims to Save Dwindling AZ Water Supplies

PHOENIX -- The extended drought and climate change have pushed Arizona into water restrictions for 2022, and farmers could see their allotments …

The Tesla Gigafactory, where the Megapack was designed, is in Nevada. (Smnt/Wikimedia Commons)

Nez Perce Tribe First in ID to Receive Tesla's Large-Scale Solar Battery

BOISE, Idaho -- Idaho's first large-scale solar battery from Tesla has been installed by the Nez Perce Tribe. The Tesla Megapack is about the size …

Between 2010 and 2019, taxpayers lost out on $12.4 billion in revenue from drilling on public lands. (Adobe Stock)

Conservatives Call for Oil and Gas Reforms on Public Lands

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The Build Back Better Act making its way through Congress includes reforms for oil and gas production on public lands first …

Katharine Heyhoe is a climate scientist from Canada who now lives in Texas. (Ashley Rodgers)

Grassroots Family Ag Group Marks 50 Years in MT

BILLINGS, Mont. - A grassroots organization that stands up for family agriculture in Montana is celebrating 50 years this week - and looking toward …

Collapse of the 90-year-old Lake Dunlap Dam spillway in 2019 because of aging structural steel highlighted infrastructure needs in Texas. (Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority)

U.S. Infrastructure Bill Signed, 'Build Back Better Act' on Deck

AUSTIN, Texas -- With the massive infrastructure bill now signed into law by President Joe Biden, environmental advocates are keeping the pressure on …

In a recent survey of 500 Pennsylvanians, 76% said they believe litter reduces property values, increases taxes with cleanup costs, and is an environmental issue. (Adobe Stock)

November Cleanup Campaign Targets Trash in PA Waterways

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania has seen a lot more litter generated during the pandemic, and environmental advocates have launched a cleanup campaign …

Numerous studies including from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows disproportionate impacts of climate change on socially vulnerable populations in the United States. (Pixabay)

Advocates Call Build Back Better Essential For Environmental Justice

ORLANDO, Fla. - Advocates are calling on Florida's leaders to keep the momentum going after the U.N. Climate Change Summit by thinking of ways to …

The Four Corners Power Plant, built in 1962, is one of the largest coal-fired generating stations in the U.S. (serc.carleton.edu)

NM Utility Provider Under Fire Over Aging Power-Plant Investments

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Critics of a plan by New Mexico's largest utility company to abandon one of the oldest coal-burning plants in the country say …

A project to mitigate flood damage in Three Forks, Mont., is expected to cost $5 million. (CheriAlguire/Adobe Stock)

Infrastructure Bill's Passage Could Bring Flood Relief for MT City

THREE FORKS, Mont. -- The passage of the infrastructure bill in Congress could provide relief for a Montana community threatened by floods. Three …

Advocates of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda say it would create millions of well-paying jobs. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

MI Officials Urge Bold Action as COP26 Concludes

MARTIN, Mich. -- As leaders from around the world meet in Scotland, the United States' plan to tackle climate change is coming into focus. The Build …

One of the reasons that the coalition opposes the permit is because it said Invenergy did not provide, and Allegheny County did not require, an analysis of the impact the facility would have on nearby "environmental justice communities." (Adobe Stock)

Environmental Orgs Appeal Permit for Gas-Fired Power Plant in Southwest PA

ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Several environmental organizations are appealing a decision made last month by Allegheny County to approve an air permit …

Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions as part of an effort to slow climate change also reduces air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter, that harm human health, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions as part of an effort to slow climate change also reduces air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter, that harm human health, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Build Back Better Act’s Tax Credits Will Benefit WV Families

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Experts say the consumer rebates outlined in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act will help families save money as they …

Galveston Bay will receive settlement funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to build oyster reefs made mostly from limestone, recycled oyster shells or concrete. (ancolek1998/Pixabay)

Deep Horizon Oil Spill Settlement Funds to Help Restore TX Oyster Reefs

HOUSTON -- Storm damage, pollution and other factors, some related to climate change, are reducing the oyster population, but settlement funds from …

Leaves act like mulch, helping to suppress weeds and fertilize the soil as they break down. (Adobe Stock)

Give Your Rake and the Planet a Break by Leaving Some Leaves

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- As the fall season begins to wind down, Minnesotans are urged to take a more environmental approach to their yardwork. Experts …

NC Lawmaker: Build Back Better Act “Makes Up” for Time Lost on Emissions

DURHAM, N.C. -- North Carolina lawmakers say President Joe Biden's recently announced Build Back Better Act will help ensure generations of residents …

Rare earth metals - a set of 17 elements from Earth's crust - are used in all kinds of high-tech processes, including clean energy, military technology and electronic devices. (Kim/Adobe Stock)

New Sources Sought for Rare Earth Elements, to Stop Reliance on China

DETROIT -- Michigan researchers have received a $3.1 million grant to study potential new sources of rare earth metals and how to process them…

Some four out of ten U.S. residents - 135 million people - live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the 2021 State of the Air report by the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock)

NC Scientist Says Climate Action Needed Now to Protect Human Health

RALEIGH, N.C. - Higher temperatures driven by climate change will likely make air pollution worse, and one North Carolina scientist says action is …

Wisconsin's natural landscape is a key tourism draw, but local leaders demanding climate action say changing weather patterns could alter outdoor recreation. (Adobe Stock)

Local Leader: Climate Change Threatens Daily Life in WI

WESTON, Wis. -- In Washington, D.C. and on the other side of the globe, key talks continue surrounding climate-change solutions, and at the local …

One way to recycle jack-o'-lanterns with wildlife in mind is to fill them with seeds, turning them into "snack-o'-lanterns" for birds and squirrels. (Pixabay)

Conservationists: Don't Make the Trash Your Pumpkin's Graveyard

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Halloween decorations are coming down, but that does not mean your jack-o'-lantern has to be sent to the trash. To help the …

The release of methane is one the largest sources of greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. (Leonid Ican/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Hope Climate Summit Spurs Action, Results

PARK CITY, Utah -- As talks continue at the annual international climate summit, Utahns are among those urging the U.S. to follow up on its …

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