Environmental Justice / 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 …

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…

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…

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 …

Climate activists say market-based solutions to climate change are no panacea for the disproportionate harm being done to mostly Black, Brown and Indigenous communities. (Yes! Magazine)

People of Color Want "Real" Solutions for Climate Change

By Sonali Kolhatkar for YES! Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

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 …

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 …

A program that would incentivize utilities to transition to clean energy was stripped out of the Build Back Better Act. (richard theis-EyeEm/Adobe Stock)

Front-Line Communities on Climate Action: First Step is "Stop the Harm"

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Communities dealing with the impacts of climate change in Washington state are watching legislation in Washington, D.C. closely…

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)

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 …

Illinoisans who fought for the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act are urging the federal government to follow the Prairie State's lead. (ink drop/Adobe Stock)

IL Leaders Urge Major Climate Investments During COP26

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- As talks continue in Scotland at the annual international climate summit, Illinoisans are among those urging the U.S. to follow …

The Long Island Solar Farm is part of the state's commitment to limit statewide greenhouse-gas emissions to 40% of 1990 levels by 2030 and 85% by 2050. (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

NY Advocate Joins Call for Action at Glasgow Climate-Change Conference

GLASGOW, Scotland -- A contingent of current and former elected officials from New York and across the country is in Glasgow, Scotland, this week and …

Currently, New Mexico averages 20 days a year classified as dangerous - a number expected to climb to almost 40 days per year by 2050, according to Climate Central. (orange31/Pixabay)

COP26: Readying Children for Their Climate Change Role

SANTA FE, N.M. -- The acceleration of global warming from fossil-fuel production, along with drought and wildfires, have been top-of-mind for New …

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 …

The drought, linked to climate change, has led to massive wildfires that have burned almost 2.5 million acres this year in California alone. (Bureau of Land Management)

CA Leaders In Glasgow Press for Quick Action on Climate Change

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A contingent of climate leaders from California is pushing for substantive change at the climate change conference in Glasgow…

World leaders at COP26 in Scotland, including President Joe Biden, secured pacts to reduce methane emissions worldwide. (Number 10/Flickr)<br /> — World leaders at COP26 in Scotland, including President Joe Biden, secured pacts to reduce methane emissions worldwide. (Number 10/Flickr)

MD Leaders at World Climate Summit Push for Action at Home

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Maryland lawmakers are traveling to the annual international climate conference in Glasgow, and they're pushing the U.S. to take …

Nevada's clean-energy economy supports 32,000 jobs and is expected to expand under the Build Back Better Act. (MT Aero)

NV Leaders Champion Build Back Better Plan

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- As Congress prepares to vote, Nevada leaders are calling on lawmakers to pass the Build Back Better Act, which contains $555 …

The Build Back Better framework would promote renewables and move the United States toward a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 50% to 52% by 2030. (Niserin/Istockphoto)

PA Officials Press for Action on Climate Change

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Local leaders from Pennsylvania and across the country are pressing for decisive action in the fight against climate change…

Under Mayor Peduto's administration, Pittsburgh has created a Climate Action Plan that includes electrifying public transportation and powering all city facilities with 100% clean energy by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Outgoing Pittsburgh Mayor Heads to COP26 Climate Summit

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The 26th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties, better known as COP26, kicked off yesterday in Glasgow, Scotland with …

In the next few decades, hotter summers are likely to reduce corn and rice yields in Arkansas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Solutions for Climate Change in Arkansas? Join the Discussion

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas is seeing the effects of climate change, from extreme weather events to less water in aquifers used by farms due to …

The Columbia Generating Station, a commercial nuclear facility, operates at Energy Northwest's campus, which is surrounded by the Hanford site. (Tobin/Flickr)

Tribes Protest N-Reactor Project on Hanford Site

RICHLAND, Wash. -- An advanced nuclear reactor proposal at the Hanford site is spurring opposition from local tribes. The Confederated Tribes of the …

Fossil fuels kill more than 8 million people per year as the result of pollution, research shows. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Fossil fuels kill more than 8 million people per year as the result of pollution, research shows. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Clean-Energy Transition More Gain than Pain

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- New research shows a rapid energy transition away from fossil fuels would save more than $5 trillion compared with continuing …

Studies have shown that pesticide exposure in childhood can affect neurological and behavioral development. (Adobe Stock)

Wrongful Pesticide Use on OR School Grounds Worries Public-Health Advocates

HILLSBORO, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Agriculture recently completed an investigation into a suburban Portland school for the misuse of toxic …

Forests can play a big role in alleviating climate-change threats. Forests, harvested wood products and urban trees offset 11% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States each year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Have Stake in Climate-Change Solutions

DENVER -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness and outdoors as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring …

Line 5 is just one of many oil and gas pipelines that environmental groups and Native American tribes contend are threats to sacred and biodiverse waterways. (Oil and Water Don't Mix Coalition)

Groups Urge White House to Support 'Line 5' Shutdown

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. - Environmental groups and tribal communities are asking the Biden administration to stand with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her …

West Virginia mom Lucia Valentine wants lawmakers in Congress to support investments in clean energy infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of Valentine)

WV Moms Call on Manchin to Support Biden’s Climate Plan

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some West Virginia families are calling on Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to support President Joe Biden's climate action plan…

The Mashomack Preserve is one of more than 100 nature preserves in New York under the care of The Nature Conservancy. (Carl Heilman/The Nature Conservancy)

Partnership Mixes Traditional & Western Ways to Protect NY Preserves

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - New York environmental groups are teaming up to blend Indigenous knowledge of the land with Western scientific knowledge to …

Like many across the country, the Benton Harbor water distribution system is more than 100 years old. (Adobe Stock)

MI Community Faces Water Crisis, Calls for Lead Pipe Replacement

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- As Congress continues to negotiate infrastructure and social safety-net bills, advocates for environmental justice say …

Nevada is spending millions to upgrade transmission lines so it can export excess renewable energy in the future. (ABCDStock/Adobestock)

Sisolak Urges Passage of Build Back Better Reconciliation Bill

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Congress is hashing out the size of the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, which would put billions toward the fight against …

A new survey finds 90% of Latinos support creating new national parks and wildlife refuges across the nation to provide areas for outdoor recreation. (Adobe stock)

Report: Majority of Latinos Back Funding Chesapeake Bay Recovery

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- With more Latino voters expressing concern about climate change, a new report found a majority of Latinos in the Chesapeake Bay …

Kentucky has a backlog of more than 1,000 abandoned mine land sites that qualify for federal assistance for cleanup. (Adobe Stock)

Looming Uncertainty Over Future of Abandoned Mine Land Cleanup

WHITESBURG, Ky. -- Congress has allowed the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program to expire, and advocates said nationwide on both state and tribal …

An international conference this week featuring linguists, educators, and practitioners will address ways to preserve indigenous languages. (marxelocinema/Pixabay)

Protecting the Future by Restoring Indigenous Languages

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- In anticipation of a new, decade-long focus on preserving indigenous languages, the first-ever conference on "Restoring and …

Four years ago last month, Hurricane Irma slammed into Texas with 100 mph winds and torrential rainfall. (harriscountysheriff)

How Texas Could Benefit from "Build Back Better"

HOUSTON -- How much would the Lone Star State benefit from the Biden administration proposals for clean energy and infrastructure? More than most…

The Canadian company Enbridge Energy has built a new oil pipeline in northern Minnesota that has capacity of 760,000 barrels per day. (Adobe Stock)

Line 3 Sparks Conversations on Faith, Fairness in Climate Fight

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. -- Oil will soon be flowing through the Line 3 pipeline replacement for northern Minnesota. Supporters are applauding completion…

President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill, expected to come to a vote Sept. 30, includes measures to help the nation switch to renewable energy. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Business Leaders Urge Congress to Pass Infrastructure Bill

RICHMOND, Va. -- Business leaders are urging Congress to take action to curb climate change by supporting the Biden administration's Build Back …

Electricity use is the second-largest source of carbon emissions in Oregon. (Beyond Toxics)

Groups Push for Stronger Action in OR Climate-Protection Program

Corrected 9/28/21, 2 p.m. MDT, to clarify that the Climate Protection Program was not directly created by executive order; and that it is unclear how …

The Solar Bear crew, comprised of tribal members from the Red Lake Nation, works to install 200 kilowatts of solar power on the Oshkimiijiitahdah building. (Photo courtesy of Robert Blake)

Helping Tribal Communities Flex Their Clean-Energy Muscle

By Abaki Beck for Yes!Media.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Members from Make the Road New York were among more than 10,000 attendees at the "Welcome Back Congress" rally on Tuesday. (Make the Road NY)

NY Immigrants, Allies Push for Federal Investments in Citizenship

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Thousands of U.S. immigrants and their allies rallied Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to demand that Congress include a pathway to …

A 2016 study from Princeton and Stanford found the combined emissions output of Pennsylvania's abandoned wells adds an estimated 50,000 metric tons of methane per year into the atmosphere. (Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Urge State to Increase Oil, Gas Well Bond Amounts

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Some environmental groups are formally requesting that Pennsylvania's Environmental Quality Board raise the bond amounts companies …

Advocates are calling on state and federal lawmakers to shift policies, such as replacing the term "playground" with "outdoor learning environment" in regulations to support the creation of more nature-based spaces. (Adobe Stock)

Children's Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Expand Access to Outdoor Learning

DENVER -- As Congress considers making significant investments in the nation's child-care system, children's advocates say now is the time to make …

Hurricane Ida broke New York City's single-hour rainfall record, at 3.15 inches - part of the pattern of more frequent and severe downpours which scientists say is a symptom of global warming. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most TV Coverage of Hurricane Ida Lacked Ties to Climate Change

NEW YORK -- New research suggests corporate and cable TV news outlets failed to contextualize more frequent and extreme weather events to global warmi…

Dulce Ortiz of Clean Power Lake County was among those who spoke at the signing of landmark clean-energy legislation in Illinois. (Office of Gov. J.B. Pritzker)

Landmark Climate, Jobs Law Hailed in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The historic clean-energy bill signed into Illinois law yesterday includes measures from closing coal and natural gas plants by 2…

The transportation sector is the largest contributor to greenhouse-gas emissions in New York state, according to the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. (Adobe Stock)

As Extreme Weather Continues, NY Pushes to Reduce Vehicle Emissions

ALBANY, N.Y. - Clean-energy groups are touting new zero-emissions vehicle initiatives in New York, part of the state's ongoing effort to reduce the …

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