Director's Picks

Environmental group says Texas fails to hold repeat polluters accountable for unexpected emissions.

More than 21,000 unexpected pollution releases by Texas companies have released over 400,000 tons of air pollution in Texas from 2016 to 2022.

Why Does White East Palestine, Ohio Get Apologies, But None for Black Cancer Alley?

Black communities smothered 24/7 by toxic industries keep getting strung along, with no apology in sight.

March 24, 2023
Gas Industry Pushes Congress, FERC to Speed Up Permit Process

Natural gas pipeline developers are pressing Congress and US energy regulators to speed up the permitting process as a way to build more projects that deliver energy to the Easter

Want to cut global emissions by 10%? Stop fossil-fuel subsidies.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), countries spent a record-breaking $1 trillion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2022.

The Ground Beneath Their Feet

The only way to stop the long-lasting harms of lead poisoning in children is to end exposure to the chemical — and with data-driven and community-based action, that’s possible.

Earthjustice Applauds Reintroduction of the Environmental Justice for All Act

The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act has been reintroduced by Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva and Barbara Lee, and Senators Tammy Duckworth and Cory Booker.

Advocates’ Equity Tool Adds Race to Help Near-Miss Communities

Advocates criticized Biden’s Council on Environmental Quality for excluding race as a key factor in its tool and have added the metric in their alternative version.

Residents sue Louisiana parish to halt polluting plants.

Residents of a Louisiana parish located in the heart of a cluster of polluting petrochemical factories filed a lawsuit in federal court.

The EPA wants to limit how much soot you breathe. Here’s what it means for Texas and one of its historic Black towns.

Federal limits on particulate matter commonly known as soot could mean cleaner, safer air for Texans. But environmental experts worry Texas may snub rules.

They keep coming back’: A Black community in Arizona battles power expansion plans again

Residents in industry-choked Randolph renew efforts to block the power company’s plans near their fragile town.

Black farmers worry new approach on 'race neutral' lending leaves them in the shadows

The US Department of Agriculture is rolling out a new $3.1bn program to make payments towards loans for farmers who are behind on loan payments or on the brink of foreclosure.

EPA Orders Union Pacific to Assess Contamination in Houston’s Greater Fifth Ward Neighborhood

The U.S. EPA has ordered Union Pacific Railroad to investigate potential contamination in and around the former wood preserving facility in Greater Fifth Ward area of Houston, TX.

Why the White House’s environmental justice tool is still disappointing advocates

The revised version of the U.S. government's "disadvantaged communities" tool automatically considers more than 750 federally recognized tribal tracts disadvantaged.

Gulf of Mexico warming at faster rate than global ocean, study finds

The Gulf of Mexico is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the oceans on earth, according to a new study.

Which state you live in matters for how well environmental laws protect your health

The protection of children from pesticide exposure varies from state to state in the US due to different laws and regulations.

EPA and Justice Department File Complaint Alleging Public Health Endangerment Caused by Denka Performance Elastomer’s Carcinogenic Air Pollution

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice have filed a complaint against Denka Performance Elastomer under Section 303 of the Clean Air Act

March 1, 2023
Environmental justice investors: It’s the demand-side, stupid!

Environmental justice investors believe that the Biden administration, the (EPA), and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund could quickly realize their aims of reducing greenhouse gas

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $250 Million to Fund Innovative Projects That Tackle Climate Pollution

The US government has made $250 million available to states, local governments, Tribes, and territories to develop innovative strategies to cut climate pollution.

March 1, 2023
Impact
Impact
FERC gridlock around gas pipelines, LNG eases

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is moving towards a faster review process for natural gas pipelines and LNG export terminals, ending the backlog of projects.

Global clean energy growth offset rise in CO2 emissions last year, IEA says

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that carbon dioxide emissions related to energy increased by less than 1% last year to over 36.8 billion tonnes.

Q&A: Cancer Alley Is Real, And Louisiana Officials Helped Create It, Researchers Find

For years, environmental organizations have nicknamed the 130-mile industrial corridor along the lower Mississippi River between here and Baton Rouge.

Indoor air pollution kills and science needs to step up

In 2020, indoor air pollution killed almost 3 million people, nearly as many as outside air pollution. What is obvious is that, just as poorer and disadvantaged individuals.

February 8, 2023
Health
Health
Pollution and climate change set stage for rise in antimicrobial resistance

According to a report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme, pollution from many sources is increasing the occurrence of resistance to the chemicals.

February 9, 2023
Houston is one of the only cities where most greenhouse gas emissions come from traffic

Traffic accounts for slightly more than half of Houston's recorded greenhouse gas emissions. This is the highest proportion among the biggest cities in the United States.

February 9, 2023
Impact
Impact
Dead Chicks and Rotting Meat: South Africa Declares ‘Disaster’ Over Power Cuts

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.

February 9, 2023
Cheap clean hydrogen? Not so fast, energy giants say

According to a new report led by former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and sponsored by some of the nation's largest energy companies and a Bill Gates-founded group.

February 9, 2023
COP27
COP27
Minnesota Has Passed a Landmark Clean Energy Law. Which State Is Next?

Minnesota legislators have enacted legislation mandating carbon-free power by 2040. Minnesota now joins a group of ten states.

US FERC pulls back from expanded environmental reviews for gas projects

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission looks to be withdrawing from a practice of doing environmental impact statements (EISs) for most projects that add capacity.

January 30, 2023
COP27
COP27
Clean energy is taking over the Texas grid. State officials are trying to stop it.

Wind, solar, and nuclear energy contributed over 40% of the Texas' power in 2022. Texas wind turbines and solar panels have strong "complementarity."

January 30, 2023
Impact
Impact
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.