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 Farris Wilks. The Texas Freedom Fund for the Advancement of Justice PAC poured $375,000 into French’s campaign, accounting for more than half of his total primary haul. Wright edged French by just 6,000 votes, triggering a May 26 runoff that will determine who faces Democrat Jon Rosenthal in the November general. The race highlights the growing influence of oil‑industry money on Texas’s uniquely elected regulatory body.
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...
Iran Energy Shock Tests Limits of Trump’s Vision of US Energy Dominance
President Trump claims U.S. energy dominance despite Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade, yet gasoline prices surged to over $4 per gallon, costing households $8.4 billion in a month. The United States, while a net exporter, still imports roughly 6 million barrels of...
Unpacking Trump’s Use of Emergency Powers to Prop Up Coal
President Trump’s Department of Energy has revived Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to force utilities to keep aging coal plants operating, starting with Michigan’s JH Campbell plant in May 2025. The emergency orders bypass long‑term resource planning, cost utilities millions, and...
Bills to Protect Ratepayers From Data Centers Fail in Georgia Legislature
Georgia’s 2024 legislative session ended without any data‑center bills becoming law, leaving the state’s 2018 tax exemption and utility cost‑allocation rules untouched. Lawmakers considered a range of measures—from a full ban on new facilities to rolling back tax breaks and...
California Bill Aims to Keep Toxic PFAS Off Its Crops
California Assemblymember Nick Schultz introduced A.B. 1603 to prohibit the sale, use and manufacture of PFAS‑based pesticides statewide, with a full ban slated for 2035. Between 2018 and 2023, more than 2.5 million pounds of PFAS‑containing pesticides were sprayed on California crops,...
The Global Energy Supply in a Decade ‘Is Not a World We’re Going to Recognize’
A panel of energy experts warned that the United States’ war on Iran could cripple the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil conduit, and reshape global energy consumption patterns. Their new report, Global Energy Outlook 2026, argues that the world has...
US Senators Investigate $370 Million IRS Payout to Cheniere Energy
Seven Democratic senators have opened a Senate inquiry into a $370 million alternative‑fuel tax credit paid by the IRS to Cheniere Energy. The credit, originally designed for motor vehicles and small motorboats, was applied to LNG‑fuelled export tankers that are typically...
The Hidden Culprit Behind Rising Gas Utility Bills
Rising gas‑utility bills are now driven primarily by infrastructure costs, not fuel prices. The Building Decarbonization Coalition report finds pipeline replacements accounted for about 70% of customer charges in 2024, while gas itself contributed only 30%. Over the past decade,...
Corpus Christi Water Crisis Spurs Stampede on South Texas Aquifers
A severe water shortage in South Texas has driven Corpus Christi and surrounding communities to rapidly tap the Evangeline and other aquifers. The city began pumping millions of gallons per day after Governor Abbott waived permitting, prompting a cascade of...
How Forests Start to Fail, One Leaf at a Time
A new Swiss‑led study examined how oak and beech leaves respond to combined heat and drought, identifying climate thresholds that cause irreversible damage. Researchers warmed young trees by about 5 °C and varied water availability, tracking leaf temperature, water flow, and...
A Church’s Geothermal Experiment Could Pave the Way for Projects Across New York
Christ Church Bronxville installed a $4.4 million geothermal heating and cooling system, using 14 deep boreholes drilled in its parking lot. The project, funded by federal rebates and Con Edison incentives, reduces reliance on natural‑gas boilers and cuts the church’s carbon footprint....
Paramedics for Ecosystems
In southeastern Ecuador’s copper‑rich mountains, local residents called “paraecologists” are systematically cataloguing biodiversity, from endangered species to medicinal plants. Their field data—species inventories, water quality tests, and habitat maps—are transformed into legally admissible evidence. Ecuador’s constitution, which grants nature legal...
Warming Waters in the Gulf of Maine May Affect the Future of Lobsters
Researchers funded by NOAA’s American Lobster Initiative found that warming waters and ocean acidification together impair lobster embryo development, producing smaller, more vulnerable larvae. Maine’s lobster fishery, which harvested 78.8 million pounds and generated $619 million last year, faces uncertainty as the Gulf...
Maui Mental Health Providers Face Stress and Uncertainty About State Jobs
Hawaii’s Department of Health extended the contracts of Maui’s state‑run mental‑health clinic staff for six months, leaving many counselors and caseworkers uncertain about permanent state positions. The extension arrived without clear stipulations, prompting part‑time providers like psychologist Nancy Sidun to...
Florida Power & Light Profit Margins Top Other Utilities’ Nationwide, Report Says
Florida Power & Light (FPL) posted a 27‑cent‑per‑dollar profit margin in 2024‑2025, the highest among 110 investor‑owned utilities examined by the Energy & Policy Institute. The report, covering 2021‑2025 data, shows FPL’s average margin of 23.5% and notes a $7 billion...
Why Doesn’t Texas, the Leader of Onshore Wind Energy, Have Any Offshore?
Texas, the nation’s onshore wind leader, has no offshore projects because state officials blocked approvals, causing zero bids in the 2023 federal Gulf lease auction. Despite the Gulf’s high wind potential and Texas’s oil‑gas expertise, political hostility, stringent easement requirements,...
Georgia’s New Public Service Commissioner Says She Will Put Affordability and Transparency First
Alicia Johnson, newly elected Georgia Public Service Commissioner, is pledging to put affordability and transparency at the forefront of utility regulation. Her election, alongside Democrat Peter Hubbard, marks the first Democratic presence on the five‑member commission since 1998, reflecting a...
Water-Use Restrictions Follow Snow Drought and Heat Wave in the Western U.S.
A historic snow drought combined with an early‑season heat wave has left the Western United States with dramatically reduced snowpack, prompting aggressive water‑use restrictions in Colorado cities such as Denver and Erie. Officials aim to cut municipal consumption by up...
Judge Rules Alabama Power Can Keep Its Solar Fee, Among the Nation’s Highest
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit, allowing Alabama Power to retain its $39‑per‑month standby fee for residential solar customers, one of the highest in the United States. The fee, calculated at $5.41 per kilowatt of installed capacity, adds roughly $39...
Scientists Deploy First Satellite Tag on a Leatherback Sea Turtle in Ecuador to Better Reveal Gaps in Ocean Protection
Scientists from The Leatherback Project and Ecuador's Fundación Reina Laúd successfully attached the first satellite tag to a leatherback sea turtle in Ecuador, marking a milestone for Eastern Pacific research. The 4.5‑foot female, nicknamed Lucero, now transmits location and dive...
Toxic Ocean Crisis in Papua New Guinea Sparks Mass Marine Die-Off and Public Health Emergency
Dead fish and other marine life have been washing ashore New Ireland, Papua New Guinea since December, with community monitoring recording nearly 3,500 dead animals across six villages. At least 750 locals have suffered severe skin rashes, respiratory distress and...
Summit Sold Its Midwest Pipeline as a Carbon Solution. Now, It’ll Be Used for Fossil Fuels.
Summit Carbon Solutions, originally marketing its Midwest CO₂ pipeline as a carbon‑sequestration tool for ethanol plants, has quietly redirected the project toward enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The shift follows expanded federal tax credits that reward CO₂ used in oil production...
This Year’s US Wildfires Have Already Set Records That Could Foreshadow a Smoky, Fiery Summer
The 2026 U.S. wildfire season has already broken records, with over 15,000 ignitions and more than 1.5 million acres burned by March 27—127 percent above the ten‑year average. Early March fire activity tops any year in the past decade, driven by an intensifying...
Legislation Aims to Protect Floridians From Data Center Costs, but Will It?
Florida lawmakers have passed SB 484, a bill that obligates hyper‑scale data centers to shoulder the full cost of the electricity and water they consume, preventing those expenses from being passed onto average ratepayers. The measure requires utilities to file...
New Jersey Turns to Big Batteries as Power Prices Rise
New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities approved incentives for three battery storage projects totaling 355 MW under the Garden State Energy Storage Program. The projects—Woods Landing (200 MW), Two Rivers (150 MW) and North America Energy Storage (5 MW)—will receive up to $27.6 million annually,...
Scientists Discover a New Branch of Life in the Deep Sea
Researchers have catalogued 24 new deep‑sea amphipods and a previously unknown superfamily, Mirabestia maisie, from the Clarion‑Clipperton Zone (CCZ). The discovery comes as the U.S. NOAA fast‑tracks permits for commercial mining of manganese nodules in the same area. Scientists warn...
As Prices Soar, EPA Greenlights Higher Ethanol Blends in Gasoline
The EPA announced an emergency waiver allowing nationwide summer sales of E15, a gasoline blend containing up to 15% ethanol, as gas prices near $4 per gallon. The move, highlighted at CERAWeek, is framed as a relief measure for consumers...
Iowa’s Cancer Crisis Linked to Pesticides, PFAS, Fertilizer and Radon, Report Says
A new report by the Harkin Institute and the Iowa Environmental Council links Iowa's soaring cancer rates to four major environmental exposures—pesticides, PFAS, nitrate‑laden fertilizer runoff, and radon. The analysis cites heavy pesticide use (over 60 million pounds annually), widespread PFAS...
Courts’ Fight Over ‘Cop City’ Protests Raises Questions About Terrorism Laws and Environmental Activism
Georgia prosecutors have invoked the state’s domestic terrorism statute against activists who opposed the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, known as “Cop City.” The charges stem from 2023 protests that included arson and property damage, carrying potential sentences of up...
Two Years After Fatal Explosion, Alabama Mine Regulator ‘Letting the Fox Guard the Henhouse’
Alabama’s Surface Mining Commission announced it will require only the Oak Grove mine to submit updated methane‑monitoring plans, rolling back a federal‑mandated requirement that applied to all underground coal mines in the state. The change follows a six‑month deadline extension...
Susan Collins and Climate Change: ‘The Silence Is Deafening’
Sen. Susan Collins defended the EPA’s abrupt cancellation of $7 billion in Solar for All grants, which would have helped 20,000 low‑income Maine households, while simultaneously emphasizing the Inflation Reduction Act’s partisan origins. Despite a 31% score from the League of...
How the Iran War Reveals the Extent of Fossil Fuel Propaganda
Oil prices are edging toward $100 a barrel for Brent crude as the Iran war disrupts the Strait of Hormuz, pushing national gasoline averages to $3.91 and squeezing low‑income households. Economists warn the ripple effect will raise costs for everything...
A Gas Plant Proposal for Rural Virginia Gets Local Land Use Approval
Fluvanna County’s Board of Supervisors approved a 4‑1 vote for Tenaska’s 1.5‑gigawatt Expedition Generating Station, a natural‑gas plant, granting a special‑use permit, higher smokestack allowances, and restrictive covenants. The deal promises roughly $250 million in tax revenue and includes a $5 million...
Georgia Hasn’t Had a Consumer Advocate for Electric Ratepayers for 18 Years
Georgia eliminated its Consumer Utilities Counsel (CUC) in 2008, leaving the state without an independent advocate for residential and small‑business electricity customers. Recent attempts to restore the office have stalled in the state Senate, despite growing concerns over rapid utility...
Senator Launches Investigation Into Methane Pollution in the Permian Basin
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse announced a Senate Environment Committee probe into the Permian Basin after MethaneSAT satellite data revealed methane emissions four times higher than EPA estimates. The inquiry targets eight major oil and gas producers, demanding details on monitoring practices...
In N.C., Stokes County Approves a Data Center Rezoning, Triggering a Citizens’ Lawsuit
Stokes County commissioners voted 3‑2 to rezone 1,844 acres for a massive data‑center project, overruling the local planning board and approving the request from Engineered Land Solutions. The rezoning was approved without a detailed site plan, tenant identification, or verified...
Wondering How to Talk About Climate Change? Take a Lesson From Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime stunt spotlighted Puerto Rico’s fragile, climate‑stressed power grid, showing how pop culture can convey climate urgency without a lecture. The performance reached over 100 million U.S. viewers, turning a visual spectacle into a de‑facto climate message....
The Fight Over New Jersey’s Tough Environmental Justice Law Is Now in the Courts
New Jersey’s 2020 environmental justice law, hailed for its stringent permit‑denial provisions, is now being tested in court. In January, the state’s intermediate appellate court unanimously upheld the enforcement rules, prompting the recycling and construction industries to seek review by...
Everglades Restoration Also Helps Save the Planet From Climate Change, Study Finds
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows Florida’s Everglades absorb about 14 million tons of CO₂ each year, roughly 10% of the state’s road emissions. Carbon sequestration in the wetlands rose 18% between 2003 and...
New York Cooks Up a Plan to Boost Energy Efficiency in Public Housing
New York State has pledged $32 million to replace gas stoves with induction models in public‑housing units, beginning with a full‑building pilot on the Bronx’s Seneca Avenue. The program targets indoor air‑quality improvements and compliance with Local Law 97’s emissions goals, especially...
Pennsylvania Publishes Long-Awaited Study on Radioactivity in Landfill Runoff
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection released a two‑year study of 49 landfills, including 23 that received oil‑and‑gas waste, and concluded that current landfill leachate poses no immediate radiation risk to human health. The analysis found 11 sites exceeded EPA radium‑226/228...
‘We Live in One Ocean’: Native Hawaiian Activist Calls for Inclusion in Deep-Sea Mining Decisions
Delegates at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) gathered in Jamaica to push the long‑delayed deep‑sea mining code toward finalization this year. The code will set rules for extracting polymetallic nodules from the Clarion‑Clipperton Zone, a 2.3‑million‑square‑mile area central to the...
Alabama Poised to Drastically Overhaul Utility Regulation. Will It Lower Electric Bills?
Alabama lawmakers are pushing sweeping utility reforms as residential electricity bills rank among the nation’s highest. The Senate’s SB 360 would enlarge the Public Service Commission to seven members, create a governor‑appointed Secretary of Energy, and freeze rate increases through 2029....
Warming Waters Threaten Seafood Supply
A new study in *Science* shows that rising ocean temperatures are forcing fish to mature earlier at smaller sizes, leading to higher mortality and reduced reproductive output. Incorporating these evolutionary responses, the researchers project a 20 % drop in global fish...