As preparations for COP29 ramp up, the debate over the financial commitments of wealthy nations to support developing countries in decarbonization and disaster recovery intensifie
Six Houston-based refineries dump millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater with little penalty, report finds
According to a report produced by the Environmental Integrity Project, 81 oil and gas refineries around the nation dump almost 500 million gallons of toxic wastewater per day. Every day, six refineries in the Houston region discharge around 55 million gallons of effluent into nearby waterways. ExxonMobil Baytown, Pemex Deer Park, Valero Houston, Chevron Pasadena, LyondellBasell-Houston, and Kinder Morgan Galena Park are among those refineries. The pollution is released into the Houston ship channel, which ultimately drains into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The EPA has never imposed any limitations for the discharge of dangerous contaminants such as selenium, cyanide, benzene, and mercury. When it comes to the EPA's regulations, corporations who violate these limitations seldom suffer financial consequences. From 2019 to 2021, 67 of the 81 refineries covered in the study reported enough pollutants to exceed their pollution control permits. Only 15 of the 67 were fined for water pollution breaches throughout that time period. Between 2019 and 2021, the Phillips 66 refinery in Sweeny, Texas, roughly an hour south of Houston, allegedly breached its emission standards 44 times. The majority of the infractions involved the discharge of cyanide into the Brazos River. Despite this, the corporation was only fined $30,000.
The United States Department of Justice issued an amicus brief supporting claims from a Wisconsin tribe that Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline is trespassing on tribal lands.
The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a key organization setting standards for corporate emissions reduction, is in turmoil following its decision to allow carbon offsets t
Grist’s examines President Biden’s ambitious environmental justice initiative, Justice40, aimed at directing 40 percent of certain federal climate and environmental
The Biden administration's allocation of $830 million in grants to fund 80 projects aimed at strengthening the nation's infrastructure against the impacts of climate change.
The importance of more than just financial support for Indigenous communities in transitioning to green energy.
a recent study suggesting that installing solar panels on nonresidential buildings like schools and stores could substantially reduce the energy equity gap in marginalized neighbo
Geothermal energy, long considered a niche player in the U.S. energy landscape, is now poised for significant growth thanks to a confluence of factors including technological adva
Walter Moorer and other residents of Chin Street in Africatown, Alabama, have long protested against the environmental hazards posed by the Hosea Weaver asphalt plant, which emits
The Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice released a comprehensive report unveiling the profound social inequities exacerbating environmental issues in New York City
A biomass and carbon capture project slated for California’s Central Valley came to an abrupt halt after San Joaquin Renewables withdrew federal and local permits under scrutiny f
The Biden-Harris Administration, as part of its ambitious climate agenda, announced a $20 billion investment in clean energy and climate solutions, aimed at reducing energy costs
The imminent groundbreaking of the largest urban solar farm in the United States, located in Houston's Sunnyside neighborhood.
A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives investigated the link between long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker
City of Houston is obligated to return at least $45 million in federal funding to the state after failing to fulfill its commitment to construct affordable housing.