May 5, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Residents of East Houston, like Angela Jackson, are fed up with the overwhelming stench and illegal dumping near the McCarty Road Landfill...
Thermal Energy Networks Are the Next Big Thing
Summary
Thermal energy networks, or neighborhood-wide ground-source heat pump systems, are emerging as a revolutionary approach to decarbonizing heating and cooling. These systems use interconnected geothermal loops to distribute heating and cooling more efficiently than individual systems, providing savings and grid stability. HEET’s Zeyneb Magavi and Eversource’s Eric Bosworth discussed Massachusetts’ pilot projects, highlighting benefits like energy efficiency, local energy independence, and reduced carbon emissions. The concept allows natural gas utilities to transition into thermal utilities, leveraging existing expertise and infrastructure. Early pilots show promise, with systems operating at a COP of 5+, doubling efficiency compared to air-source heat pumps. Expansion hurdles include high upfront costs, regulatory barriers, and workforce development. However, with supportive legislation in eight states and growing interest nationwide, thermal energy networks could play a crucial role in sustainable urban energy solutions.
May 1, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
The Trump administration’s EPA is terminating over $2.4 billion in environmental justice grants, mostly aiding poor and minority communities...
April 28, 2025
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Juan and Ana Parras founded T.E.J.A.S. to combat environmental racism in Houston’s industrial corridors, leveraging decades of grassroots organizing to empower...
April 17, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
A Tulane study confirms long-standing claims that Black communities in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" suffer disproportionate pollution while being excluded from both high...
April 11, 2025
Climate
Climate
A $378 million funding delay to LIHEAP after mass HHS layoffs threatens vital cooling aid for low-income Americans amid intensifying heat waves.
A federal appeals court ruled a lawsuit can proceed against St. James Parish, Louisiana, for alleged racist land-use policies...
April 9, 2025
Climate
Climate
Trump administration terminated NASA's contract supporting staff for the U.S. National Climate Assessment, potentially crippling its development...
President Trump rescinded federal flood standards requiring climate-resilient rebuilding, raising concerns that taxpayer-funded infrastructure...
The Trump administration plans to close the Community Relations Service, a Justice Department office created in 1964 to mediate racial tensions, sparking concerns...
The USDA resumed clean energy grants but encouraged recipients to strip diversity and climate goals, raising concerns about political interference and uncertainty over funding...
The article reflects on Dr. King’s enduring legacy, urging continued resistance against systemic oppression through community building, political courage, and cultural...
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated 483 census tracts as Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZs).
April 2, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
The Trump administration is halting federal support for climate-friendly transit projects in Democratic-led states, threatening funding...
March 31, 2025
Food & Water Justice
Food & Water Justice
A $1 billion groundwater pipeline project to supply booming Central Texas cities has ignited a legal battle over aquifer rights, exposing the limits...
February 28, 2025
Economic Justice
Economic Justice
Climate disasters cost U.S. farmers over $20 billion in 2024, yet most federal aid favors large commodity producers...