Climate Change/Air Quality / Public News Service

Expanded oil and gas subsidies, included in current versions of upcoming federal tax legislation, would support a massive expansion of LNG projects to more than double national export capacity by 2030. (Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 14, 2025

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies

Forty religious leaders from different denominations gathered in Texas this week to call for an end to fossil-fuel subsidies and expansion of related …

According to the World Health Organization, climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, March 14, 2025

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

As the warming climate continues to reshape the environment, its impact on people's health is becoming increasingly evident in Florida. Doctors and …

Nonprofits face a funding cliff as recent executive orders and federal cuts create uncertainty nationwide. Experts in philanthropy addressed the issue at the Climate Corrections Conference in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

As federal funding for climate initiatives faces steep cuts, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are stepping into the breach, calling out the …

The U.S. solar industry employs more than 263,000 workers, with jobs in installation, manufacturing, and research continuing to grow. (rh2010/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 13, 2025

MI expert predicts future of solar energy amid evolving federal policies

Michigan ranks 26th in the U.S. for total installed solar capacity, while global capacity rose 21% from 2023. However, there are industry concerns …

Thursday, March 13, 2025

UT clean-energy advocates call out PacifiCorp for backpedaling

The Sierra Club's Utah chapter said electric utility PacifiCorp's long-term plan to embrace renewable energy has changed and is now placing more relia…

Opened in 2017, Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence is the first new school in Parramore, Fla., in more than 40 years, serving preschool through eighth grade. It features a three-wall, climate-themed mural by artist Allison Dayka. (VoLo Foundation)

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

As Florida grapples with rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and extreme heat, the state's vulnerability to climate change is impossible to ignore…

A new trend, forests releasing more carbon than they capture, is expected to continue with prolonged drought and bigger and more frequent wildfires. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Colorado forests emit more CO2 than they absorb due to insects, wildfire

Researchers at Colorado State University have found the state's nearly 23 million acres of forests are currently releasing more carbon dioxide into th…

A solar project in Dayton was made possible through a solar-power purchase agreement with IGS Energy, approved by the Dayton City Commission last Wednesday after a four-year evaluation process, including a feasibility study to ensure sufficient power capacity. (Yeivaz/Adobe Stock)

Ohio cities embrace solar energy with Dayton's first utility-scale array

Ohio is seeing a growing number of solar energy projects, including the first utility-scale installation in Dayton, which will help power a key water …

The U.S. Energy Information said Kentucky's largest utility-scale solar photovoltaic generating facility is a 55-megawatt solar farm that came online in mid-2024, about 40 miles east of Bowling Green. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 10, 2025

KY animal shelter expects to save money, energy with new solar panels

This article was produced by Resource Rural.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Resource Rural-Public News S…

Eating food grown, raised or caught within a relatively short distance of where it's consumed supports local farmers and the economy and provides fresher meals. But

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Expert: 'Eating local' may not be best solution for fighting climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

The Texas House of Representatives has passed a bill to require all Texas prisons to have air conditioning by 2029 but the prison system only has to comply if the state provides the funding. (pict rider/Adobe Stock)

Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in TX prisons

Only 30% of prisons in Texas have central air conditioning and faith leaders and advocates for those incarcerated are raising concerns about inhumane …

Last September, The Pines Inn and Suites in Cottonwood was able to cover 70% of the business' solar-installation cost with a $32,000 reimbursement from REAP and $23,000 from the renewable energy Investment Tax Credit. (Anna May Cory)

Rural AZ hotel's solar installation in limbo after federal funding freeze

Small businesses in Arizona are feeling the impact of the sudden federal pause on clean-energy grants. One of those businesses is the Pines Inn and …

Lake algae blooms can release toxins posing serious risks to humans, pets and wildlife, potentially causing illness or even death. (Pete Niesen Photo/Adobe Stock)

MI scientist: Humans, not climate change, to blame for toxic lakes

Each summer, more lake beaches shut down as toxic algae blooms spread across the water and while climate change is often blamed, new research …

Clean energy projects, including wind farms, continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Policymakers and industry officials are sorting out how to avoid seeing retired parts become piles of waste. (Adobe Stock)

MN debates how to help retired clean energy parts stay 'green'

Minnesota remains focused on making non-carbon sources the bulk of its energy portfolio. But policymakers are trying to figure out the best way to …

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority is partnering with energy company Enbridge and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, or ARCH2, to make fuel at its Ohio site using solar power. (Kathiann M. Kowalski/Canary Media)

Ohio regional transit group plans shift to 'green' hydrogen for bus fleet

By Kathiann M. Kowalski for Canary Media.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

North Carolina's congressional score in the League of Conservation Voters' scorecard went down between 2023 and 2024. (Gerry/Adobe Stock)

Low marks for NC Congress members in 2024 conservation scorecard

North Carolina lawmakers in Congress received mixed marks in the new League of Conservation Voters scorecard. The scorecard ranks members of …

The League of Conservation Voters' National Environmental Scorecard has been released annually since 1970. (Sarah Cheriton-Jones/Adobe Stock)

MI congressional delegation shines on environmental scorecard

Michigan's congressional delegation has "aced" the National Environmental Scorecard, earning a perfect 100% in 2024. The League of Conservation …

Texas is already experiencing the effects of climate change, with rising temperatures creating intensified heat waves across the state. In 2023, Texas recorded its second-hottest summer on record. (Kasper/Adobe Stock AI)

Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change

School districts and county governments across Texas are being encouraged to consider building decarbonization to combat climate change. The process …

Volunteer lobbyists next Tuesday will encourage legislators to improve the infrastructure needed to address homelessness across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Volunteer lobbyists to press Colorado lawmakers on homelessness

Coloradans who want to help move the needle on homelessness can still sign up for a lobbying day next Tuesday at the State Capitol. Cathy Alderman…

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

Unfrozen abandoned mine land funds will help Pennsylvania reclaim 24,000 acres, maintain 16 water treatment systems for toxic runoff and handle 60 emergencies annually. (Adobe StocK)

Advocates laud Shapiro’s lawsuit to unfreeze federal funding

Environmental projects are restarting as advocates praise Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for suing the Trump administration, leading to the release …

After public outcry over the firing of thousands at the National Park Service and the Forest Service, the Trump administration has moved to re-hire some dozens of employees and additional seasonal workers. (BLM)

Poll: MAGA voters oppose cuts to parks, forest, wildlife agencies

People in Colorado and seven other Mountain West states may want to see changes in the federal government writ large but they oppose cuts to agencies …

Plaintiffs in a pair of new lawsuits against the Trump administration noted leaders in both political parties, thousands of businesses and millions of Americans support permanently protecting our coasts from offshore drilling. (paxphongtrinh/Adobe Stock)

Trump administration faces lawsuits over oil and gas drilling

Several environmental groups concerned about increased offshore drilling have a filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit …

Energy site NationalGrid.com reported storage sites for CO2 emissions should be 0.62 miles or more underground. (Adobe Stock)

OH residents watching bills proposing carbon-dioxide storage under homes

A bill which could approve the injection of large amounts of carbon emissions or industrial carbon dioxide into underground Ohio wells is raising conc…

Median wages for methane mitigation jobs are $127,000 a year in manufacturing, and as high as $145,000 in service-sector jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

An industry that got its start in Colorado finding and fixing methane leaks at oil and gas sites is on the rise. There are now some 74 sites where …

In January, President Joe Biden permanently protected more than 625 million acres of federal waters, including areas in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Alaska. (JT Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups challenge offshore protection rollbacks in AL, U.S.

Environmental groups are suing to stop plans to expand offshore drilling across 625 million acres of federal waters. Advocates argue President …

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said after nearly two decades of stagnation, electricity demand is starting to grow and is not expected to slow at all in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

As electricity demand soars, U.S. urged to find power grid consensus

South Dakota is cited in a new report which argues to avoid an energy crisis, America needs to have a shared vision of what a strong power grid looks …

There are currently 23 oil and gas facilities in federal waters off the coast of California, including one near Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

A coalition of environmental groups is suing the Trump administration to reinstate protections against new offshore drilling. President Donald Trump …

An attempt to open up the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to drilling was blocked by environmental groups during Donald Trump's first term as president. (paxphongtrinh/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit aims to block Trump's plans for offshore drilling in WA

Environmental groups have sued to block President Donald Trump's offshore drilling plans following his order to open the entire West Coast, including …

According to the 2025 Conservation in the West Poll, 86% of Montanans prefer decisions about public lands, water and wildlife be made by career professionals including rangers, scientists and firefighters, rather than officials appointed from other industries. (U.S. Forest Service)

Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management

In its 15th annual year of polling on Conservation in the West, the State of the Rockies Project this year has found support for conservation by some …

Indiana is the ninth largest farming state in the country, according to the Indiana Department of Agriculture, with about 53,600 farming operations. (Adobe Stock)

Funds to be released for some IN farmers' conservation projects

It looks like at least some Indiana farmers will be getting the federal dollars they have been counting on for farm conservation and soil health…

Methane mitigation jobs offer median wages as high as $127,000 in the manufacturing sector and $145,000 in the service sector, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming ripe for growth in methane mitigation industry

Drilling and mining activities can lead to leaked methane, a gas responsible for 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions and experts said capturing …

Data centers and the computer servers they hold can take up several hundred thousand square feet of property. (Adobe Stock)

MN could join data center 'gold rush,' but at what cost?

The Minnesota Legislature and a regulatory agency will be busy this week weighing demands for large data centers. Business leaders say this digital …

More than 60,000 people in Oregon could benefit from expanding food benefits to undocumented residents. (Franco Capotosti/Adobe Stock)

Undocumented OR farmworkers may gain access to food assistance

By Amal Ahmed for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Oregon News Service reporting for the Yes! Media/Sentient/Just and Climate-…

New York City's program is the only one charging drivers to get into the congested area, but New York isn't the only city with congestion pricing. (Adobe Stock)

NYers push back on federal attempts to end 'congestion pricing'

As the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to end New York City's congestion pricing program, the move is getting some pushback from people who …

Oil and gas operators seeking to reduce their methane emissions have many options, with 266 companies offering more than 18 categories of cost-effective technologies and services. (peterschreiber.media/Adobe Stock)

TX leads nation in methane mitigation

The methane mitigation industry has experienced a surge in Texas and around the nation over the last decade. A recent study found Texas has 293 …

The advocacy group Power a Clean Future Ohio said it is dedicated to ensuring every community has clean air, clean energy and clean transportation, no matter your ZIP Code or the color of your skin. (Sherman Cahal/Adobe Stock)

Ohio communities at risk amid EPA's program cuts

The Trump administration has begun dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency's office working to reducing environmental harms in minority and lo…

Methane is a major contributor to Utah's status among the top 10 regions in the U.S. for levels of ozone, short-term particle pollution, and annual particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock)

Methane mitigation industry battles climate change, creates UT jobs

New research found solving the $2 billion methane waste problem is creating economic opportunities for workers in Utah and other energy-producing stat…

Researchers are developing inductive charging technology that could allow EVs to charge without plugging in, using embedded road or parking pad systems. (Kalyakan/Adobe Stock)

MI keeps EV charging plans on track despite federal cuts

Earlier this month, the Federal Highway Administration stopped new funding for electric vehicle charging stations under the National Electric Vehicle …

Diesel exhaust represents about 80-percent of the potential cancer risk from all air toxics in the Puget Sound area. (Natalia Bratslavsky/Adobe Stock)

Shore power bill would improve WA air quality, cut emissions

New legislation would transition more ocean-going container ships to run off electricity instead of diesel while they are docked at Washington ports…

Immigrant farmworkers make up an estimated 73% of agriculture workers in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Challenges facing farmers in Colorado, across U.S.

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Yearly oil and gas operations in the United States release around 16 million metric tons of methane through venting, flaring and leaks, which amount to roughly $2 billion in lost natural gas. (anatoliy_gleb/Adobe Stock)

Report: Methane mitigation in PA drives economic growth, fights climate change

A new report shows U.S. companies tackling oil and gas pollution are seeing solid and strong economic growth. Pennsylvania's methane mitigation …

As a federal cost-cutting measure, approximately 1,000 National Park Service employees have been fired by the Trump administration. (nps.gov)

Conservationists claim 'Save Our Forests Act' could worsen climate change

Environmentalists said a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives meant to curtail forest fires in New Mexico and elsewhere will do no such …

Maryland consumes almost six times the amount of energy it produces. (Adobe Stock)

MD gas plant bill hurts economy and environment, advocate says

Energy costs in Maryland are higher than the national average and one proposal to address the issue is facing backlash from environmentalists…

The USDA has a long history of refusing to process loans from Black farmers, and approving smaller loans compared to white farmers. (Brittany Bell Surratt)

Small MS family farms battle inequities, climate change

For generations, small family farms have worked to feed Mississippi communities but small-scale operations, particularly those run by Black farmers…

A 2017 Technology Risk Assessment by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives found the potential returns on waste gasification are smaller and more uncertain, than the risks of gasification and pyrolysis. Vicky Abou-Ghalioum of the Buckeye Environmental Network identified explosion risks of pyrolysis. (Yellow Boat/Adobe Stock)

Pushback grows as Ohio EPA approves controversial plastic incineration plant

Ohio residents gathered in Youngstown late last week to protest the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's decision to grant an operational permit to …

The Stand Up to Factory Farms coalition is made up of more than 25 organizations concerned about the harmful impacts of factory farms on Oregon family farms, environment, public health and animal welfare. (barmalini/Adobe Stock)

OR clean water advocates call for moratorium on factory farms

Oregon lawmakers are considering a moratorium on permits for new or expanding factory farms in some of the state's most polluted areas. A coalition …

Life expectancy for New Mexicans is 73 years, compared to almost 80 years for top-rated Hawaii. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

NM lawmakers weigh bills to protect air, land, water for future generations

Recognizing climate change is not isolated to certain parts of New Mexico, legislators are considering bills to help protect the state's air…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - March 14, 2025

2025Talks - March 14, 2025

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Climate Change

Religious leaders gather in TX to fight oil and gas subsidies

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

MI expert predicts future of solar energy amid evolving federal policies

UT clean-energy advocates call out PacifiCorp for backpedaling

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

Colorado forests emit more CO2 than they absorb due to insects, wildfire

Ohio cities embrace solar energy with Dayton's first utility-scale array

KY animal shelter expects to save money, energy with new solar panels

Expert: 'Eating local' may not be best solution for fighting climate change

Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in TX prisons

Rural AZ hotel's solar installation in limbo after federal funding freeze

MI scientist: Humans, not climate change, to blame for toxic lakes

MN debates how to help retired clean energy parts stay 'green'

Ohio regional transit group plans shift to 'green' hydrogen for bus fleet

Low marks for NC Congress members in 2024 conservation scorecard

MI congressional delegation shines on environmental scorecard

Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change

Volunteer lobbyists to press Colorado lawmakers on homelessness

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

Advocates laud Shapiro’s lawsuit to unfreeze federal funding

Poll: MAGA voters oppose cuts to parks, forest, wildlife agencies

Trump administration faces lawsuits over oil and gas drilling

OH residents watching bills proposing carbon-dioxide storage under homes

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

Environmental groups challenge offshore protection rollbacks in AL, U.S.

As electricity demand soars, U.S. urged to find power grid consensus

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

Lawsuit aims to block Trump's plans for offshore drilling in WA

Poll: 2 of 3 Republicans oppose funding cuts to federal land management

Funds to be released for some IN farmers' conservation projects

Wyoming ripe for growth in methane mitigation industry

MN could join data center 'gold rush,' but at what cost?

Undocumented OR farmworkers may gain access to food assistance

NYers push back on federal attempts to end 'congestion pricing'

TX leads nation in methane mitigation

Ohio communities at risk amid EPA's program cuts

Methane mitigation industry battles climate change, creates UT jobs

MI keeps EV charging plans on track despite federal cuts

Shore power bill would improve WA air quality, cut emissions

Challenges facing farmers in Colorado, across U.S.

Report: Methane mitigation in PA drives economic growth, fights climate change

Conservationists claim 'Save Our Forests Act' could worsen climate change

MD gas plant bill hurts economy and environment, advocate says

Small MS family farms battle inequities, climate change

Pushback grows as Ohio EPA approves controversial plastic incineration plant

OR clean water advocates call for moratorium on factory farms

NM lawmakers weigh bills to protect air, land, water for future generations