In 2024, Houston has experienced 116 unauthorized air pollution events, with nearly half related to flaring from industrial facilities. These events, occurring every 2.5 days
White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council Urges EPA to Strengthen Air Quality Standards
The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council recently sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging them to significantly strengthen the national ambient air quality standards for particulate matter and ozone. The council emphasized that soot and smog disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income communities. By implementing these improved air quality regulations, it is estimated that thousands of deaths could be prevented, particularly benefiting overburdened communities. The advisory council called upon the EPA to listen to scientific recommendations and lower the allowable levels of fine particulate matter pollution (soot) to 8 micrograms per cubic meter annually and 25 micrograms per cubic meter daily, as well as ground-level ozone (smog) between 55 and 60 parts per billion. Strengthening air quality standards is crucial for advancing environmental justice and saving lives, especially considering the serious consequences of poor air quality on people's health.
Hurricane Milton struck Florida just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, exacerbating the state's recovery efforts. Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm, causing widespread
A new study from Princeton University advocates for coal plant retirement strategies that prioritize climate and environmental equity, rather than just minimizing costs.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a mobile solar microgrid was deployed to assist recovery efforts in Georgia. Managed by the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist
FEMA is grappling with financial and staffing shortages as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, just weeks after Hurricane Helene's devastation. Despite receiving $20 billion
An analysis reveals how Texas’ once-thorough air pollution monitoring team has been significantly weakened since the fracking boom. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has reached an agreement with Alabama's transportation department over claims that a highway expansion caused flooding in the historicall
Hurricane Helene's estimated damage cost has skyrocketed to $225-250 billion, making it one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. The destruction spans from Florida to Tennesse
The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, Maine, received $7.5 million from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program to develop a distributed microgrid. This
A carbon capture monitoring well at Archer-Daniels-Midland’s (ADM) facility in Decatur, Illinois, leaked CO2, but most residents only learned of it through media reports. The EPA
This article explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding "managed retreat," where local governments offer buyouts to residents in climate-vulnerable areas. While some communities
A shelter-in-place order affecting over 90,000 residents near Atlanta, Georgia, was lifted after a weekend chemical fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers. The fire produced a toxic
This article challenges misconceptions about the clean energy transition, arguing that it can spur economic prosperity rather than sacrifice. Ben Jealous highlights the success of
Richmond, California, a predominantly minority, low-income community, fought a 20-year battle for environmental justice, culminating in the creation of a protected public park at
Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has updated its MiEJScreen tool, which maps how environmental contamination intersects with health