Energy Policy / Public News Service

Iowa produces around 2.5 billion bushels of corn annually, making it the nation's top corn-producing state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Iowa farmers on board with corn-based jet fuel

A company working to create sustainable energy sources is investing in corn to make jet fuel, which it said burns far cleaner than the traditional…

The hottest year on record was 2024, as average global temperatures continue to rise due to the use of fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

As President Donald Trump abandons a promise the U.S. made in Paris nearly a decade ago, organized workers across Colorado are joining forces to …

Georgia's home energy rebate program is kicking off with a limited pilot phase. Approved contractors will work with their current clients to bring energy savings to eligible households. The full program rollout is set for early 2025. (Ramon Cliff/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Report highlights needs for GA energy efficiency

A new report from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy showed the Southeast, including Georgia, is not doing enough to invest in energy efficiency…

UMD researchers say Lake Superior's raw wave power tends to run from September to May. But climate change might be extending those conditions, potentially opening the door to more exploration of converting wave energy into electricity. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, January 20, 2025

What's in a big wave? Potential electricity for MN homes, businesses

It's that time of year, when a strong winter storm might produce giant waves along Lake Superior shorelines that aren't frozen over. Minnesota …

Protesters with the Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice of San Diego drew attention to the effects of climate change at an event in November. (GreenFaith)<br />

Monday, January 20, 2025

CA environmental advocates hold series of vigils around inauguration

Faith-based climate activists with the nonprofit GreenFaith are organizing a series of vigils tied to the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump…

Sustainable aviation fuel is a liquid fuel used in commercial aviation. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%, according to the International Air Transport Association. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, January 20, 2025

Future of sustainable aviation fuel in MT, U.S. depends on policy

Montana is a U.S. leader in the growing industry of sustainable aviation fuel. Experts in the field, and in the agricultural sector, hope to see new …

People in Alabama will experience increased risks from heat, rainfall and fires due to climate change over the next 30 years, according to ClimateCheck. (Ramon Cliff/Adobe Stock)

Report: AL needs to make energy efficiency a priority

A new report contended Alabama needs to invest more in energy efficiency so it can do more to lower power bills and curb the effects of climate change…

The average retail electricity price in Texas is 2% lower than in West Virginia, 9% lower than in Ohio and 20% lower than in Pennsylvania, according to the Ohio River Valley Institute. (Adobe Stock)

PA power demand spurs concerns over rising rates, gas dependency

Utility providers foresee a big rise in electricity demand which could lead to double-digit rate hikes if it is met with new natural gas-fired power p…

The U.S. Energy Information Administration finds most of New Jersey's electricity is generated by natural gas and nuclear energy. Solar energy accounts for 8% of total electricity generation. (Adobe Stock)

NJ gov continues advancing progress on climate goals

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is maintaining the state's clean-energy progress. In his final State of the State Address, Murphy thanked lawmakers for …

According to the Texas Tree Foundation, the lack of trees and green spaces contributes significantly to the

TX nonprofit calls trees good for your health, cooling your neighborhood

By María Ramos Pacheco for The Dallas Morning News.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

Enbridge's Line 5 runs from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, passing through northern Michigan. (Michael Carni/Adobe Stock)

Tribes, environmental groups challenge Line 5 tunnel in appeals court

This week, four tribal nations and environmental groups urged the Michigan Court of Appeals to overturn the state's approval of Enbridge's Line 5 …

Last year, electric vehicles accounted for nearly 9% of all new vehicles sold in the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

Bill would build more EV charging stations in rural VA

Virginians are buying more electric vehicles and need more charging stations but they are not being built across the state equally. House Bill 1791 …

Nationally, just one-third of state lawmakers are women. In the 2025 session, 52% of Colorado lawmakers are women. (Adobe Stock)

Veteran CO lawmaker sets sights on climate, child care in 2025

In 2019, Colorado lawmakers set goals for cutting climate pollution by at least half by the year 2030, and by 90% by 2050 - compared with 2005 levels…

Memphis Light, Gas and Water, Tennessee Valley Authority's largest customer, accounts for 11% of TVA's total load, serving around 431,000 electric customers. (Kevin Ruck/Adobe Stock)

Memphis may not have enough power to accommodate enormous AI facility

An environmental group is sounding the alarm about Elon Musk's xAI Colossus facility in Memphis, which they fear will strain the city's power grid…

Ohio's clean energy sector has seen significant growth, with clean energy and clean vehicle jobs reaching more than 119,000 in 2023, a 4.4% increase from the previous year. (Oleksii Syrotkin/Stocksy)

Ohio cities embrace clean energy innovation

Clean energy initiatives are gaining momentum across Ohio, with efforts aimed at expanding access and advancing sustainability. Not limited to …

In December, the Oregon Investment council found the state's Public Employee Retirement System returned 2.7%, which lagged other states and its benchmark, in part because of fewer public investments. (Ded Pixto/Adobe Stock)

New bill would pause Oregon state retirement fund's fossil fuel investments

A new bill aims to further reduce investments in fossil fuels by Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System. The Pause Act would impose a five-year …

Federal incentives are being offered for carbon capture projects, including a multistate pipeline proposal for the Midwest involving ethanol emissions. However, skeptics said the project's designs are too big for unproven technology. (Adobe Stock)

Carbon pipeline and landowner rights take their seat again in SD's capitol

South Dakota lawmakers begin a new legislative session today and are already hearing from worried landowners about their rights as a private company k…

At least 75 tree species, more than 225 bird species and eight federally listed, threatened or endangered bird, bat, salamander and plant species call the Monongahela National Forest home, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Wikimedia Commons)<br />

WV groups urge shutdown of Monongahela coal haul road

Advocates want federal regulators to shut down what they say is an illegal coal haul road in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. South Fork …

More than 420,000 Marylanders are members of the state's retirement and pension system. (Adobe Stock)

How to approach MD climate risks when saving for retirement

For workers or pension systems trying to keep support for the fossil-fuel industry to a minimum, one expert has some suggestions. Just last month…

Montana's Department of Justice opened 21 human trafficking investigations in 2024, which will be submitted for prosecution, according to the department. (Adobe Stock)

Energy industry new focus for human trafficking education

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

The Energy Information Administration reported natural gas is Connecticut's largest energy source, with nuclear energy running second. (Adobe Stock)

CT urged to increase renewable energy to cut ratepayer costs

Connecticut environmental groups are dissatisfied with Gov. Ned Lamont's energy strategy for the state. In his State of the State address, the …

Despite the decline, coal still plays a role in some regions, especially in states such as Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky, where coal is a significant part of the energy mix. (James Phelps Jr./Adobe Stock)

MI expert discusses wind, solar surpassing coal on U.S. grid in 2024

A Michigan expert weighs in on an historic shift in 2024 - wind and solar power surpassed coal on the U.S. grid. According to research from Ember - …

The Stibnite Gold Project is located in the Payette National Forest near the town of Yellow Pine. (David Farnsworth/Adobe Stock)

Forest Service approves ID gold mine despite threats to water, public health

The U.S. Forest Service has given the go-ahead for a gold-mining project in central Idaho. If it receives state permits, the Stibnite Gold Project …

The Solar Energy Industries Association reported Illinois ranks 15th in national solar capacity. (Adobe Stock)

Solar energy progress in IL could be on hold with new administration

By Kari Lydersen for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

Ohio ranks among the top 10 states in U.S. natural gas production, contributing about 5% of the nation's output and reserves, which is integral to the state's hydrogen hub project. (Calin Tatu/Adobe Stock)

Local concerns rise over Ohio’s hydrogen project

Ohioans are raising questions about the future of fracking and its environmental and community impacts, following the ARCH2 hydrogen hub open house …

Democratic presidential candidates have won Massachusetts and its 11 electoral votes in each election for more than 60 years, excluding Ronald Reagon's victories in 1980 and 1984. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Rightward shifts in solid blue MA ignite Democrats’ ‘listening tour’

Massachusetts Democrats hope a virtual "listening tour" will help clarify voters' rightward shift in last year's election. While Vice President …

Despite the New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act's minimum benefits for disadvantaged communities, there is insufficient integration of this and other justice mandates of the law into energy transmission plans. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NYS grid transmission process must be more equitable

A new report found New York State needs a more equitable grid transmission process. The Energy Justice Law and Poverty Center report noted …

Oil tankers, such as these near the port of Long Beach, are part of a debate over which oil company earnings should be taxable in California. (European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Tax break for big oil costs CA $75M to $146M a year

A new report from nonprofit The Climate Center has unearthed historical documents that show the big oil companies orchestrated a tax break that allows…

Researchers are testing a number of propulsion systems, such as hydrogen, electricity and biofuels, to reduce the aviation industry's carbon footprint or cut it to net-zero. (Artist's Rendering/Adobe Stock)

Colorado strategizes with stakeholders to decarbonize future of air travel

By Ethan Brown for The Sweaty Penguin.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

If confirmed, Brooke Rollins will direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its 100,000 employees, running on an annual budget of $437 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Texan tapped as ag secretary in upcoming Trump administration

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration Pres…

Researchers say most newer models of electric vehicles are fitted with heat pumps, which can add roughly 10% extra range to cars during freezing conditions. (Adobe Stock)

EV upgrades could ease concerns about cold-climate performance

By Kristoffer Tigue for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

NV groups celebrate temporary oil, gas ban in Ruby Mountains

The Biden-Harris administration is taking another step to protect northeast Nevada's Ruby Mountains - by putting them temporarily off-limits to oil…

The Perry Nuclear Power Generating Station on the shores of Lake Erie near Cleveland is one of two nuclear power plants currently operating in Ohio. (Wikipedia)

Ohio passes new law redefining nuclear power as 'green' energy

Backers say a law adding nuclear power to the definition of "green" energy will give Ohioans another option to cut carbon emissions but some environme…

Utah's economy and royalties from energy development on extensive state trust lands typically are the largest source of income for Utah's public school trust fund. (Adobe Stock)

Utah looks to diversify energy portfolio as AI gains momentum

Many contend Utah, like the greater United States, is facing an energy crisis, and the fast development and expansion of artificial intelligence …

The Cranberry Glades, located in the Monongahela National Forest, protects the largest area of bogs or acidic wetlands in West Virginia, according to the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit alleges South Fork Coal violations near Cranberry Wilderness area

Environmental groups are suing South Fork Coal Company, alleging the company has repeatedly violated federal law in Greenbrier County. The lawsuit …

In January, the Biden-Harris administration temporarily paused decisions on LNG export approvals to non-Free Trade Agreement countries, pending updated DOE analyses. (Adobe Stock)

LNG report sparks calls for change amid rising costs, environmental concerns

The Department of Energy is taking a close look at the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports, which some experts argue …

Two large-scale Wisconsin clean energy projects, the Apple River Solar Project in Polk County and the Darien Solar Energy Center in Walworth and Rock counties, are scheduled for 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Wisconsin ends year on a high note in clean energy

Wisconsin is ending the year on a high note in the clean energy space, with some notables like a first-of-its-kind energy dome and approval for the …

As of Dec. 2020, Pennsylvania had more than 12,000 active

PA group challenges fracking permits in Westmoreland County

CLARIFICATION: CNX entered into an agreement with Apex Energy II, but that sale has not been completed. Also, the state's agreement with CNX is not …

Among recently surveyed Wyomingites, 88% support constructing wildlife crossings across major highways intersecting with known migration routes, though only 48% consider the loss of wildlife and fish habitats an extremely or very serious problem, according to the 2024 State of the Rockies Project poll. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Wyoming gets mixed scores on 2024 conservation report card

A new scorecard from the Center for Western Priorities points to Wyoming's success as a western state balancing conservation goals and economic growth…

According to New York State's Energy Research and Development Authority, energy storage and grid modernization jobs grew by 7% in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

NYS 2025 energy storage deadline is fast approaching

One of New York State's first energy storage deadlines is fast approaching. A roadmap established earlier this year sets a state goal of developing 6…

Battery storage is considered a key form of clean energy innovation, and those behind a public-private-partnership in Minnesota want to make the region a hub to perfect these solutions and similar technologies. (Adobe Stock)

MN's 'Energy Alley' looks to lengthen its on-ramp for start-ups

Minnesota's clean energy goals are among the more ambitious in the U.S. But industry experts say it can't slow down on the innovation side to see …

The impacts of offshore transmission on the seabed can be mitigated with micrositing and proactive planning, which is critical for protecting ocean species, according to a report from the National Wildlife Federation. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Federal regulators urged to consider wildlife in MA transmission plans

Wildlife advocates want federal regulators to consider habitats and migratory routes, when planning new transmission infrastructure in Massachusetts …

Offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine has the potential to generate up to 156 gigawatts of power, which is more than 70 times the amount of electricity used by the entire state, according to Maine Audubon. (Adobe Stock)

Reports show ME clean energy projects can include wildlife protections

Wildlife advocates say it's possible to transition to renewable energy while protecting vital habitats and species. As Maine builds out its …

A 2021 United Federation of Teachers survey finds 68% of teachers don't have time to teach climate change, but 52% teach it for one to two hours per year. (Adobe Stock)

NYS Board of Regents allocates funding for climate education

New York's Board of Regents approved a Department of Education funding request for climate education. The board is putting more than $536,000 aside …

More than three-quarters of Western voters say more emphasis should be placed on conserving wildlife migration routes than on economic uses of lands in these areas, according to the State of the Rockies Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ one of eight Western states that could improve conservation policies

Arizona could be doing more to improve conservation policy, according to a new report by the Center for Western Priorities. The Center's Policy …

75% of Nevadans think more emphasis should be placed on conserving wildlife migration routes than on new developments, according to Colorado College's State of the Rockies Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NV emerges as conservation leader among Western states

Nevada scored high for its well-funded conservation programs and for the state's commitment to public land protections. A new report by The Center …

Since the passage of The Clean Energy Plan in 2022, Utah has seen more than 3,800 new jobs across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah lags on conservation policy

Among Western states, Utah could be doing more to support conservation policy, according to a new report by the Center for Western Priorities…

Ithaca, New York, is the first city in the world to commit to electrifying all its buildings. The city is aiming to accomplish the goal by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings

New York lawmakers are focusing on electrifying municipal buildings. Buildings statewide make up 32% of New York's greenhouse gas emissions and …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - January 23, 2025

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Energy Policy

Iowa farmers on board with corn-based jet fuel

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

Report highlights needs for GA energy efficiency

What's in a big wave? Potential electricity for MN homes, businesses

CA environmental advocates hold series of vigils around inauguration

Future of sustainable aviation fuel in MT, U.S. depends on policy

Report: AL needs to make energy efficiency a priority

PA power demand spurs concerns over rising rates, gas dependency

NJ gov continues advancing progress on climate goals

TX nonprofit calls trees good for your health, cooling your neighborhood

Tribes, environmental groups challenge Line 5 tunnel in appeals court

Bill would build more EV charging stations in rural VA

Veteran CO lawmaker sets sights on climate, child care in 2025

Memphis may not have enough power to accommodate enormous AI facility

Ohio cities embrace clean energy innovation

New bill would pause Oregon state retirement fund's fossil fuel investments

Carbon pipeline and landowner rights take their seat again in SD's capitol

WV groups urge shutdown of Monongahela coal haul road

How to approach MD climate risks when saving for retirement

Energy industry new focus for human trafficking education

CT urged to increase renewable energy to cut ratepayer costs

MI expert discusses wind, solar surpassing coal on U.S. grid in 2024

Forest Service approves ID gold mine despite threats to water, public health

Solar energy progress in IL could be on hold with new administration

Local concerns rise over Ohio’s hydrogen project

Rightward shifts in solid blue MA ignite Democrats’ ‘listening tour’

Report: NYS grid transmission process must be more equitable

Report: Tax break for big oil costs CA $75M to $146M a year

Colorado strategizes with stakeholders to decarbonize future of air travel

Texan tapped as ag secretary in upcoming Trump administration

EV upgrades could ease concerns about cold-climate performance

NV groups celebrate temporary oil, gas ban in Ruby Mountains

Ohio passes new law redefining nuclear power as 'green' energy

Utah looks to diversify energy portfolio as AI gains momentum

Lawsuit alleges South Fork Coal violations near Cranberry Wilderness area

LNG report sparks calls for change amid rising costs, environmental concerns

Wisconsin ends year on a high note in clean energy

PA group challenges fracking permits in Westmoreland County

Wyoming gets mixed scores on 2024 conservation report card

NYS 2025 energy storage deadline is fast approaching

MN's 'Energy Alley' looks to lengthen its on-ramp for start-ups

Federal regulators urged to consider wildlife in MA transmission plans

Reports show ME clean energy projects can include wildlife protections

NYS Board of Regents allocates funding for climate education

Report: AZ one of eight Western states that could improve conservation policies

Report: NV emerges as conservation leader among Western states

Report: Utah lags on conservation policy

NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings