Climate Activists Stage Mock Funeral for Landmark Climate Rule
Climate activists staged a mock funeral outside EPA Region 9 in San Francisco to mourn the February 12 rescission of the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding, which had enabled greenhouse‑gas regulation under the Clean Air Act. The repeal, set to take effect on April 20, eliminates the EPA’s legal authority to curb emissions from vehicles, power plants and other polluters. Organizers warned the rollback will accelerate heatwaves, wildfires and public‑health threats. Democratic states, cities and advocacy groups have already filed lawsuits challenging the decision in federal court.
Iowa Moves to Shield Farmers, Ethanol Plants, From Lawsuits Over Emissions
Iowa lawmakers have passed a bill that shields farmers, ranchers and ethanol plants from most climate‑related lawsuits, pending Governor Kim Reynolds’ signature. The legislation broadly defines “agricultural sources,” encompassing everything from cropland to ethanol facilities, and limits liability to cases...
Dam Useless: Barriers Prevent a Migratory Fish From Reproducing
The Bronx River’s historic spawning route for alewife and blueback herring is now fragmented by three obsolete dams and a low‑lying weir. A state grant enables the NYC Parks Department to design removal of the Starlight Park weir, while the Army...
California’s Climate Leaders Talk Clean Energy Growing Pains and the War on Iran
California’s Climate Policy Summit highlighted Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent veto of AB 740, a flagship virtual power plant bill, sparking boos from climate advocates. Lawmakers also passed SB 237, which streamlines permits for new oil and gas drilling in Kern County, raising...
Global Finance and Energy Leaders Warn of Potentially Dire Impacts From Iran War
The International Monetary Fund and International Energy Agency warned Tuesday that the ongoing Iran war could push the global economy into recession and spur higher inflation. The conflict has cut oil output by roughly 10 million barrels per day, triggering the...
‘Heat Batteries’ Leave Some City Blocks Scorched
Cities across the United States are feeling the sting of urban heat islands, where concrete and steel act like “heat batteries” that trap and radiate warmth. Recent citizen‑led sensor studies in Houston confirmed hotter micro‑climates in densely built, tree‑poor neighborhoods,...
Norway Reopens Annual Whale Hunt Despite Pressure to End Commercial Whaling
Norway reopened its annual minke whale hunting season, authorizing a quota of 1,641 whales—235 more than the previous year. Despite the quota, domestic demand remains low, with only about 1% of Norwegians regularly consuming whale meat, and roughly a third...
Trump’s Tax Refunds Do Little to Stem the Affordability Crisis, Michigan Democrats Say
Michigan Democrats highlighted a resident's solar savings to illustrate the limits of President Trump’s promised tax refunds. Ann Siegel’s $26,000 solar system, reduced to about $16,000 after an $8,000 Inflation Reduction Act credit and utility earnings, cut her monthly bill...
Oil Tycoon Funds Far-Right Candidate Challenging Texas Oilfield Regulator
Incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, who led the first major overhaul of Texas oilfield waste rules in four decades, faced a strong primary challenge from Bo French, a far‑right candidate backed by billionaire oil tycoon Tim Dunn and fellow magnate...
Cancer Rates Are Higher Near Large Livestock Feeding Operations in 3 States, a New Study Finds
A Yale‑led analysis of county‑level data in California, Iowa and Texas finds cancer incidence modestly higher near dense concentrations of animal feeding operations. The study reports a 4% rise in overall cancer rates in high‑exposure California counties and an 8%...
The Extraordinary Sensory Worlds of Animals
Pulitzer‑winning science journalist Ed Yong sat down with Inside Climate News executive editor Vernon Loeb for an Earth Day interview that explores the extraordinary sensory worlds of animals. The conversation delves into the concept of the "Umwelt," the unique set of...
Utility Accountability Bills Divide Maryland’s Democratic Leadership
The Maryland Senate overturned key consumer‑protection measures passed by the House, reinstating a $1 billion gas‑pipeline subsidy and allowing utilities to keep a share of unspent ratepayer funds. The Senate also kept cuts to the EmPOWER energy‑efficiency program, lowering its savings...
Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Back?
The Bridger Pipeline Expansion proposes a 647‑mile, 36‑inch crude line from the Canadian border through Montana into Wyoming, echoing the route of the defunct Keystone XL. The project would initially move 550,000 barrels per day, with the potential to double capacity...
Meeting Climate Targets Requires Humanity to Reorient Its Relationship With Nature, New Study Says
A new Frontiers in Science paper argues that meeting global climate targets requires a “Nature Positive” strategy that halts biodiversity loss by 2030 and embeds economies within Earth’s ecological limits. The authors, a mix of scientists, conservationists and Indigenous leaders,...
Severe Exposure to ‘Forever Chemicals’ During Pregnancy Could Lead to Childhood Asthma
Swedish researchers at Lund University linked very high prenatal exposure to per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with a 40% increase in childhood asthma risk. The study examined over 11,000 children born between 2006 and 2013 in Ronneby, where decades‑long contamination...
