July 15, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
The National Young Farmers Coalition’s Michelle Hughes discusses the shortcomings of the 2024 Farm Bill in a conversation with Ray Levy Uyeda.
Carbon capture project is ‘Band-Aid’ to greenwash $10bn LNG plant, locals say
Summary
The proposed Rio Grande LNG, situated on pristine wetlands between Port Isabel and the city of Brownsville is claimed by developer NextDecade to be the "greenest LNG project in the world," employing carbon capture and storage, or CCS, to collect more than 5 million tons of CO2 created during the process of supercooling the gas for loading into specialized ships for export. According to the firm, it will be one of the largest CCS systems in North America, as well as the first LNG terminal to cut CO2 emissions by more than 90%. However, according to a 2019 study by the Department of Energy, the process of cooling the gas generates just 6-7% of the total emissions connected with such facilities. As a result, the planned CCS facility will only be able to reduce a tiny portion of Rio Grande LNG's overall climate effect. According to the Sierra Club, developing Rio Grande LNG may result in up to 163 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per year, which is equal to 44 coal plants or more than 35 million automobiles. Due to technical and economic barriers, only 30 commercial CCS projects are in operation globally, many of which are utilized to recover additional oil by re-injecting CO2 into wells. According to the Global CCS Institute, the capacity of these current systems is 43 million tons of CO2 per year, or around 0.1% of global emissions. At least 15 proposed or current LNG export or upstream gas projects throughout the world have revealed intentions to use CCS, including five in Louisiana and Texas proposed by NextDecade, G2 Net-Zero LNG, Venture Global, Sempra Energy, and the French conglomerate TotalEnergies. The Biden administration boosted CCS in August by increasing a carbon-storage tax credit known as 45Q in the Inflation Reduction Act.
July 15, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
A new partnership between Nuveen and Perch Energy will allow residents of four South Bronx Section 8 apartment buildings to save up to 20% on their electricity bills by connectin
July 15, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
A proposed offshore wind port on Sears Island, Maine, has sparked debate among residents, environmentalists, and labor advocates.
July 15, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has signed a consent decree requiring the EPA to act on haze pollution plans from Texas and 31 other states.
July 13, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Multnomah County, Oregon, is suing fossil fuel companies, including Exxon, Shell, and Chevron, for their role in causing a deadly heat dome in June 2021
July 12, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Hurricane Beryl, a Category 1 storm, caused multiple fossil fuel plants on the Gulf Coast to release toxic pollutants due to power outages that led to flaring.
July 12, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Brent McNiel's home in Richmond, Texas, remained powered during Hurricane Beryl thanks to his solar and battery system from Sunrun Solar.
July 11, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has greenlit a significant methane gas pipeline project through predominantly Black and brown communities in Tennessee, raising environmental
July 11, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
CenterPoint Energy spent significantly less on tree maintenance compared to other utilities serving Greater Houston.
A record-breaking heat wave continues to afflict the U.S., particularly the East and West, with forecasts predicting its spread to the Southeast.
July 10, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
FEMA is revising its disaster rules to incorporate climate change impacts when rebuilding after floods.
July 9, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Carlos Claussell Velez discusses the significant impact of trees in mitigating the effects of urban heat islands, particularly during heat waves.
July 9, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Timet’s new titanium production facility in Ravenswood, West Virginia, will be the first industrial plant in the U.S. powered by a solar microgrid.
July 5, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Aging water infrastructure in Texas's major cities is leading to significant water loss, with approximately 88 billion gallons wasted in the past year.
July 5, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Albuquerque's efforts to ensure a stable water supply have been undermined by a critical issue: the El Vado Dam, a key infrastructure piece for the city's water management