May 22, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
The Associated Press reveals the significant gaps in health outcomes between Black Americans and their white counterparts throughout their lives.
Dead Chicks and Rotting Meat: South Africa Declares ‘Disaster’ Over Power Cuts
Summary
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed a "state of emergency" due to daily power disruptions of up to 10 hours. The outages are caused by an aged network of coal-fired power plants, which Eskom, the dysfunctional state power provider, is trying to keep operational. South Africa has had power interruptions for over 16 years, but the last several months have been the worst. Mr. Ramaphosa appointed an electricity minister and claimed the proclamation would boost power projects and exclude food producers and other important businesses from power disruptions. In interviews, energy and economic experts blamed a century of mismanagement for Eskom's problems. The utility, which largely serviced the white minority and subsidized power for major sectors like mining under apartheid, thus many profitable enterprises did not pay their due amount. Jesse Burton, a researcher at the Energy Systems Research Group at the University of Cape Town, said low prices still make it hard for Eskom to pay maintenance expenses. Analysts think radical steps like going into debt or implementing a tiered tariff structure that subsidizes the poor and taxes wealthy firms would alleviate the energy crisis.
May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Grassroots groups are collecting their own pollution data to increase accountability and demand environmental justice.
May 24, 2023
Carbon Emissions
Carbon Emissions
Three Texas oil & gas industry sites that caught fire had long violation records.
May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Houston residents protest proposed cutback in neighborhood drainage spending amid revenue surge
Carbon credits for nitrous oxide reductions could fill a key gap in international agreements and government regulations.
May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Supreme Court ruling on May 25, 2023, has curtailed the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) to regulate millions of acres of wetlands.
May 26, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
This article addresses the systemic racism and environmental injustice experienced by Latino farmworkers in the US, focusing on their exposure to the herbicide paraquat.
According to the American Red Cross, 64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of white children have few to no swimming skills.
May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
This article by Somini Sengupta discusses the dangerous feedback loops that extreme heat can trigger for hospitals and clinics in the United States.
Lawmakers in the United States are currently negotiating the national debt ceiling and in the midst of these negotiations, the future of clean energy and environmental protection.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Nearly two dozen lawsuits filed by cities and states aim to put fossil fuel companies on trial for deceiving the public about climate change.
Legislatures in a dozen states have passed “right of first refusal” laws that freeze out competition in transmission line projects, raising concerns about higher energy costs.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
EPA’s upcoming climate rules are expected to rely on carbon capture technology.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Final investment decision for Rio Grande LNG project, set to be built in Brownsville, Texas by Bechtel, is set to be made in June, says its developer.
The Federal Railroad Administration launched a public database for complaints about blocked crossings in late 2019, and it has received over 28,000 reports of stopped trains.