In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike.

Menhaden, often referred to as the "most important fish in the sea," are vital to the diets of predatory species like striped bass and osprey. Now, experts warn the decreasing menhaden population in the Chesapeake Bay could disrupt the ecosystem and threaten the sportfishing industry.

Steve Atkinson, chairman of the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association, explained the ripple effect of the menhaden shortage on other species.

"The decline of menhaden in the bay is impacting the most important fishery that we have, which is striped bass," Atkinson pointed out. "That fishery has been in decline for over a decade now. Striped bass are overfished but we also believe they are underfed, because they rely heavily on menhaden."

The Chesapeake Bay is a primary spawning ground for menhaden and decades of overfishing have taken a toll on the species. The shortage is not only affecting sportfish. Research at the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William & Mary shows ospreys, which rely on menhaden to feed their chicks, have seen a dramatic reduction in nesting success.

Conservation groups said the problem stems from the current management of menhaden fishing. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has implemented catch limits but some experts believe they do not fully address the localized effects on ecosystems.

Jaclyn Higgins, forage fish program manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said more needs to be done.

"A huge amount of menhaden that are being taken out of arguably the most important estuary in the United States, by the third-largest fishery in the United States, and we have no idea what those impacts are to the greater ecosystem," Higgins emphasized.

Higgins noted about 75% of the Atlantic coastwide quota for menhaden is allocated to Virginia. She believes the management framework is robust but needs to be more region-specific.

Last month, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to establish a workgroup to consider additional protections from industrial fishing of menhaden in the bay. These could include seasonal closures, to protect important fish and bird species.

Savannah's leaders are pointing out the ways federal dollars are being used to boost the area's resilience against climate change.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, many residents are just now getting their power back after a week in the dark. Mayor Van Johnson said the storm has been a wakeup call for the urgent need to tackle climate change, and Savannah's resilience plan is designed to do just that.

"In 2020, the city council unanimously adopted a 100% Savannah Initiative," he said, "which means transitioning partially to clean energy in the 2030s and totally by 2050."

Johnson said 75% of the city's buildings are at risk of flooding, and 26% face wildfire threats. Despite these challenges, he noted that efforts to build climate resilience have boosted the local economy, with jobs popping up in solar energy, construction and renewable technology.

Savannah is part of a statewide initiative that recently received $156 million from the Solar for All program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act. This funding, spread across Georgia, aims to expand solar energy over the next five years.

Nicole Lee, CEO of Be Smart Home Solutions, said its efforts have already helped local families lower energy costs.

"The Thomases were our very first clients to get solar with the Georgia Bright Program," she said. "They have seen savings of more than 50% on their power bills. Just this summer, they've seen a bill of $18 from solar plus storage."

She said the solar system proved invaluable during Hurricane Helene, allowing them to power critical medical devices and even serve as a resiliency hub for their neighbors.

Chatham County Commissioner Aaron Whitley emphasized the importance of preparedness in the face of future storms, pointing to new projects aimed at enhancing community resilience.

"Chatham County is working on community resiliency hubs that will provide power during the outages like the ones we experienced last week," he said.

Officials have said these efforts are also crucial to protect vulnerable communities from the health impacts of climate change. Other projects in the works include what's known as beach "re-nourishment," a drainage basin study, and forging more partnerships with other organizations to bolster the region's preparedness.


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Neighborhoods across New Mexico and other states will soon be cleaner and quieter as the U.S. Postal Service rolls out its new electric mail-delivery trucks.

The USPS received $3 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to electrify its fleet - the largest in the country.

Kathleen Garcia, who directs the Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All campaign, said the Next Generation Delivery Vehicles will not only fight climate change but also reduce noise pollution for the 45 million Americans who live in close proximity to a road or other transport infrastructure.

"A lot of these vehicles just go a short distance every single day, and then they return back to the hub, where they can easily be charged," she said, "and so it just makes a lot of common sense."

New Mexico is one of the 13 states that have mandated adoption of electric vehicles. To that end, the state's "Clean Car Tax Credit" officially launched on Oct. 1. It allows people who bought a clean car as of May 2024 to apply for state tax credits for the purchase. Up to $3,000 in credits are available for individuals or businesses.

Many people have commented on the odd appearance of the new vehicles - which, compared with predecessors, have much larger windshields and bumpers and a hood that some say resembles a duck bill. Garcia said there's a good reason for the modifications.

"The design changes," she said, "were made to ensure the safety of the driver and the safety of folks that are around the vehicles - other drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists - to really make sure that they're moving around town safely."

Within the next few years, the USPS expects to replace its current fleet, introduced 40-years ago, with 60,000 new vehicles - most of them electric models - across all 50 states. The new EVs feature airbags, 360-degree cameras, blind-spot monitoring, collision sensors and anti-lock brakes.

A bill pending in Congress would use federal funds to help farmers in Missouri and elsewhere transition from concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, to more climate-friendly production. The idea, according to the bill's backers, is to assist producers who want to move from intensive animal agriculture to pasture-based animal agriculture or specialty crop production.

Tim Gibbons, communications director with the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, said the program could allow family farms to better compete with corporate-owned operations.

"Using those dollars to support the vast majority of livestock producers in Missouri would be beneficial, not only to their family farms, but to their local economies, to the land that they're stewards of, and also allowing them to stay in business," he said.

Missouri conservation groups say CAFOs dominate the state's agricultural industry, mass-producing meat at a minimal cost to outcompete smaller independent farms. Agri-business associations say concentrated operations are needed to provide an affordable food supply for a global population.

Conservationists claim CAFOs produce water and air pollution, use hormones and antibiotics in meat production, and often neglect and abuse farm animals. Gibbons says the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act would help keep independent operations from being forced out of business.

"Ninety-percent of Missouri hog producers were put out of business in one generation, and that's through industrialization, vertical integration and the corporate takeover. We're working to ensure that independent operations can be viable and farmers can pass the farms down to the next generation," he added.

Gibbons said Missouri Rural Crisis Center was formed in 1985 out of the farm crisis of the 1980's and added that the group advocates for policies that support independent family farm operations.


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