Back

Director's Picks

Houston Area Has More Than 100 Unauthorized Air Pollution Events Already This Year

Summary

In 2024, Houston has experienced 116 unauthorized air pollution events, with nearly half related to flaring from industrial facilities. These events, occurring every 2.5 days on average, release harmful chemicals such as benzene and methane, compounding the pollution burden for communities near the Houston Ship Channel. Companies like LyondellBasell and Chevron Phillips are frequent offenders, contributing to long-term environmental and health risks. Despite penalties, many facilities continue to flout regulations, exacerbating air quality issues. Local activists argue that lack of transparency and enforcement leaves vulnerable communities exposed to toxic pollution.

discover more

January 21, 2025

President Trump signed executive orders prioritizing fossil fuels while rolling back renewable energy efforts. These orders aim to expand oil and gas production, halt funding for

January 20, 2025
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed executive orders reversing key climate policies from the Biden administration. He declared a “national energy emergency,”

January 18, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

A report by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) warns that the global economy could lose 50% of its GDP between 2070 and 2090 due to climate shocks like fires, flooding,

January 17, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

Los Angeles wildfires have ravaged 40,000 acres and destroyed 12,000 structures since January 7, exposing residents to uniquely hazardous smoke. Unlike typical wildfires, these

January 17, 2025
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

California's electric truck depots are increasingly adopting microgrids powered by solar, batteries, and gas generators to address utility grid delays. Prologis’ Denker Avenue

January 17, 2025

A study in *Environmental Science & Technology* shows prioritizing the closure of coal-fired power plants in environmental justice communities could prevent up to 136 premature

January 17, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Residents of Shiloh, Alabama, a majority-Black community, are seeking federal accountability for years of severe flooding linked to a highway expansion by the Alabama Department

January 17, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

The American Conservation Coalition (ACC), a conservative climate organization, aims to influence Donald Trump’s second term with an "America-first climate strategy" focused on

January 15, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

President Biden’s American Climate Corps, aimed at creating green jobs to combat climate change, is shutting down ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. Launched in 2023 with a

January 15, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for a second term, state-level climate initiatives are poised to counteract federal rollbacks. States like California, bolstered by the U.

January 14, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

The Center for Microgrid Research at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, not to be confused with the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, is expanding its efforts to

January 10, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

New York City has implemented congestion pricing, making it the first U.S. city to adopt this policy, which charges vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The plan aims to

January 9, 2025
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Jimmy Carter’s presidency made energy a central political issue in the U.S., emphasizing reduced oil dependency and energy conservation. As president, Carter created the Departmen

January 9, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

Texas is experiencing a rapid increase in microgrid adoption as extreme weather events, such as Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and Hurricane Beryl in 2024, expose vulnerabilities in the

January 9, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change

New research highlights the growing prevalence of "weather whiplash," rapid shifts between extreme rain and drought, as a hallmark of climate change. In Los Angeles, this phenomen