President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright f
Alabama Black Belt becomes environmental justice test case: Is sanitation a civil right?
The federal government has raised the question of whether everyone has the right to basic sanitation in their homes, and it has used a civil rights investigation to push Alabama to address long-standing sewage infrastructure problems in remote and lightly populated areas. This marks the first time the federal government has taken such action, and it is seen as a significant development in the fight for civil rights. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines environmental justice as the fair treatment of all people with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws. President Joe Biden's administration has been focused on environmental justice and addressing the disproportionate burden faced by minority and low-income populations. Alabama has reached an interim settlement agreement with federal authorities to provide adequate sewage treatment to residents in Lowndes County, a majority-Black county that has faced sewage infrastructure challenges for years. The state now has a limited time to assess the sewage needs and develop a plan for the entire county. Failure to address the issue may lead to a re-opening of the investigation and potential violations of civil rights.
A $200 billion surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of all global coal plants, raising significa
During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions
Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production
A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i
A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i
Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with
Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f
The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,
Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const
Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,
COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui
COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid