Palisades Fire Recovery Tests L.A.’s Ability to Invest in Resilience
The 2025 Palisades fire razed 97% of the affluent coastal neighborhood, leaving residents like Allison Holdorff Polhill to rebuild from scratch. Homeowners are channeling retirement savings into fire‑resistant materials, while federal disaster assistance lags and insurers contest payouts. City officials are weighing a climate‑disaster resilience district that would capture a portion of local property‑tax gains to subsidize retrofits. The proposal aims to turn the tragedy into a replicable model for high‑value, fire‑prone communities.
Trump Administration Sues California Over Tailpipe Emissions Limits
The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California challenging its stringent tailpipe emissions standards, arguing they force an unlawful rapid shift to electric vehicles. The suit follows congressional action that blocked California's plan to ban new gasoline car sales by...
Odds Rise That El Niño Will Soon Bring Weather Extremes
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center now sees an 80% chance that an El Niño will develop by August, up from a 60% forecast in February. Scientists warn the upcoming event could be as strong as the 2023‑24 episode that pushed global...
How Rising Home Insurance Costs Are Linked to Credit Scores
Home insurance premiums are soaring, and new research shows that credit scores now drive a major portion of the price gap. Homeowners with fair credit (580‑669) can pay up to 2.3 times more than those with excellent scores, a disparity...
As New York Energy Costs Surge, Attention Turns to Landmark Climate Law
New York’s electricity bills have surged past $400 per month for many residents, reigniting debate over the state’s 2019 climate law. Governor Kathy Hochul is weighing revisions that could affect the law’s aggressive renewable targets amid concerns the mandates may...
Why Data Center Firms Are Working With Trump on Energy Costs
The White House, led by former President Donald Trump, convened executives from Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and other AI‑focused firms to address rising electricity costs tied to new data centers. The companies signed a voluntary "ratepayer protection pledge" committing to...
TerraPower Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming Gets Federal Permit
TerraPower, the Bill Gates‑backed nuclear startup, secured a unanimous Nuclear Regulatory Commission construction permit for its Natrium advanced reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The approval marks the first U.S. commercial reactor permit in nearly ten years, allowing the company to begin...
Billions in Climate Grants, Frozen for a Year, Are Back in Court
The EPA, led by Lee Zeldin, froze roughly $20 billion in green‑bank grants awarded to eight nonprofits, citing alleged misconduct despite no fraud evidence from FBI and OIG investigations. The freeze has lasted a year, forcing recipient organizations to cut staff...
Warming Climate Can Increase Avalanche Risk, Studies Show
A new study finds that a warming climate is boosting avalanche risk in California’s Sierra Nevada, despite a decline in overall snowy days. Researchers point to heavier, wetter snow from intense atmospheric rivers as the primary driver of unstable snowpacks....
Data Centers and Your Power Bill
Tech firms are pouring billions into energy‑intensive data centers as U.S. electricity demand climbs, prompting political scrutiny over rising utility bills. The White House has suggested that these companies finance new power‑plant capacity, while Senators Hawley and Blumenthal introduced legislation...
E.P.A. Plans to Loosen Mercury Rules for Coal Plants, Documents Show
The Environmental Protection Agency is set to loosen federal mercury limits for coal‑burning power plants, permitting higher emissions of the neurotoxic metal. Agency officials argue the change will cut "unwarranted costs" for utilities, estimating up to $670 million in savings between...
As Trump Obliterates Climate Efforts, States Try to Fill the Gap
Democratic‑led states are accelerating climate initiatives as the Trump administration moves to roll back federal greenhouse‑gas regulations. Colorado proposes a $2,000 tax credit for new electric vehicles, Virginia is streamlining approvals for large solar farms, and California aims to make...