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Major legal brawl may decide what types of cars Americans can buy
Blue states are bracing for a battle with the Trump administration over their authority to limit tailpipe emissions, a showdown that will have major repercussions on the types of cars and trucks sold to American drivers. All sides expect President-elect Donald Trump to try to revoke states authority to adopt Californias strict rules on the […]
Federal hostility could delay offshore wind projects, derailing state climate goals
Numerous East Coast states are counting on offshore wind projects to power tens of millions of homes and to help them transition to cleaner energy. But putting wind turbines at sea requires the cooperation of a powerful landlord: the federal government. Soon, that government will be led by President-elect Donald Trump, who has frequently disparaged […]
Blue states prepare for battle over Trumps environmental rollbacks
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to slash federal climate, clean air and clean water regulations during his second term an agenda that could target rules governing everything from auto emissions to power plant pollution to drinking water standards. Trump has said that Lee Zeldin, his nominee to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will […]
Red and blue states have big climate plans. The election could upend them.
Pennsylvania wants to remain a manufacturing powerhouse. But state leaders also want to reduce climate change-causing emissions from steel mills and other industrial facilities, while cutting back the toxic pollutants that cause health problems in nearby neighborhoods. Thanks to a nearly $400 million investment from the federal government, the state is preparing a massive plan […]
Count salmon. Get paid. Expect grizzlies.
HAINES, Alaska In the middle of the fast-flowing Chilkoot River, an Alaska state employee sits on a small perch over a narrow, fence-like structure and stares down into the rush of water. Eagles look on from the trees overhead as the river thunders around boulders nearby. The workers back is turned to a female […]
Facing natural disasters, more lawmakers look to make oil companies pay for the damage
Vermont is the first state trying a new approach to climate policy: charging fossil fuel companies money to cover the damages caused by natural disasters worsened by climate change. Other states could be close behind. New York lawmakers passed their own measure in June, though its unclear if Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign the […]
In long-sought change, states must consider tribal rights when crafting water rules
In the 1800s, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa joined other tribes in signing a pair of treaties with the federal government, giving up massive swaths of land in return for the creation of a reservation in eastern Minnesota. The treaties included a guarantee: Tribal members would be able to return in […]
Why 51勛圖夥厙s wolf count is under scrutiny
With a controversial vote planned next week on whether to loosen protections for wolves in 51勛圖夥厙, wildlife advocates are raising alarm that officials could be relying on flawed wolf count figures from a tribe in the northeast corner of the state. 51勛圖夥厙 Fish and Wildlife Commission members have been told by agency staff that wolves […]
Gas taxes cant pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might
For decades, states have relied on gas taxes to provide much of the money to maintain roads and bridges. But as cars become more fuel efficient, and some Americans switch to electric vehicles, state leaders say the gas tax wont pay the bills for much longer. At the same time, many cities have seen their […]
States beg insurers not to drop climate-threatened homes
In the coming years, climate change could force Americans from their homes, not just by raising sea levels, worsening wildfires and causing floods but also by putting insurance coverage out of reach. In places including California, Florida and Louisiana, some homeowners are finding it nearly impossible to find an insurance company that will cover […]
States need to keep PFAS forever chemicals out of the water. It wont be cheap.
In recent years, Michigan has spent tens of millions of dollars to limit residents exposure to the harmful forever chemicals called PFAS. And some cities there have spent millions of their own to filter contaminated drinking water or connect to new, less-polluted sources. Weve made significant investments to get up to speed, said Abigail Hendershott, […]
Cant install your own solar panels? Some areas let you join a community project.
For four generations, Steve Wines family has tended a 600-acre farm in Virginias Shenandoah Valley, raising steers and growing corn, soybeans and alfalfa. The farm has struggled in recent years with rising costs and slumping crop markets, leaving Wine to question the operations viability. In a bid to sustain the farm, Wine will begin in […]