Heat Wipes Out Western Snowpack, Raising Fears of Summer Drought
A record‑mild winter followed by an intense March heat wave has left the Mountain West virtually snowless, driving snowpack to historic lows. Key measurement sites in the Sierra Nevada and Colorado reported less than half of typical snow depth, jeopardizing the Colorado River’s primary water source. Scientists warn that any spring rain will likely be too little, too late, setting the stage for severe summer drought, heightened wildfire danger, and possible water-use restrictions across the region.
Why Electric Trucks Haven’t Taken Off in the U.S.
Rising diesel prices—now $5.64 a gallon, a 50% year‑over‑year jump—are squeezing U.S. trucking margins amid heightened Iran‑related geopolitical tension. The surge has forced carriers to add fuel surcharges, while food distributors pass costs to consumers. Tesla announced it will begin...
How Tolls in the Strait of Hormuz Would Undercut International Law
The United States and Iran are each proposing tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would contravene the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Neither country has ratified UNCLOS, leaving the proposed...
In New England, Catching Climate Data Along With Fish
Commercial fishing vessels from Maine to North Carolina are now outfitted with small, soda‑can sensors that record temperature, oxygen and soon salinity on the seafloor. Around 150 fishermen, including lobster and sea‑urchin catcher Bob Hersey Jr., pull these sensors up...
The Three Big Questions Delaying New York’s Budget
New York state lawmakers are still negotiating the 2026 budget, projected at roughly $260 billion. The April 1 deadline passed without an agreement, continuing a pattern of delays that began when Governor Kathy Hochul took office in 2021. Lawmakers remain split over...
Will the Iran Crisis Push the World to Rethink Oil and Gas?
The Endangered Species Committee, known as the "God Squad," voted unanimously to exempt offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from endangered‑species protections, marking its first meeting in three decades. The decision removes legal barriers for new wells, reviving a...
Vermont Hits Back at Trump’s Effort to Block ‘Climate Superfund’ Law
Vermont’s 2024 climate‑superfund law obligates fossil‑fuel companies to cover adaptation costs linked to climate change. The Trump administration, through the Justice Department, sued to block the statute, claiming it violates the Constitution by regulating emissions beyond state borders. The U.S....
He Helped Write the Clean Air Act. He Fears for Its Future.
Thomas Jorling, one of the original architects of the 1970 Clean Air Act, argues the law was deliberately written to cover future pollutants, including greenhouse gases. He disputes the Trump administration’s claim that the Act does not apply to climate‑changing...
Clean Energy Companies Are Trying to Survive the Trump Era
President Trump’s administration has rolled back federal climate initiatives, canceling billions in offshore wind subsidies and halting new turbine permits. The policy shift has forced clean‑energy firms to seek alternative financing, with geothermal and nuclear projects receiving the few remaining...
For Sperm Whales, Having a Calf Is a Group Effort
Researchers captured the first-ever video of a sperm whale giving birth in the open ocean, documenting a rare natural event that has eluded scientists for decades. The footage shows a pregnant female surrounded by several adult males and other members...
After Cosmic Crisp, Scientists Unveil an Apple for the Climate Change Era
Washington State University has introduced the Sunflare apple, the latest breakthrough from the team that created the market‑winning Cosmic Crisp. Sunflare is engineered to thrive amid hotter temperatures, erratic weather, and increased disease pressure, addressing climate‑change challenges facing the $23 billion...
Record Heat Meets a Major Snow Drought Across the West
A historic heat wave has driven snowpack in six Western states to record lows, leaving the Colorado River Basin with the lowest snow cover ever recorded. Temperatures well above March norms are turning precipitation into rain, hastening melt and amplifying...
Fearing Chaos of Climate Change, Some Seek Answers in Virtual Classroom
Alex Steffen’s month‑long Personal Climate Strategy Workshop offers a virtual classroom where individuals learn to anticipate and prepare for climate‑related disruptions. The program, launched in 2023, reflects a burgeoning cottage industry of climate‑focused advisory services ranging from survival camps to...
How a Power Line From Canada Could Be a New York Lifeline
A 339‑mile transmission line is set to bring Canadian hydropower to New York City for the first time, linking upstate New York’s power grid with renewable electricity from Quebec. The project, slated for completion in the mid‑2020s, will add roughly...
The Planet’s Warning Signs Are Flashing Red
The author notes that despite the Inflation Reduction Act and post‑Paris Agreement momentum, new research shows global warming has accelerated since 2015, with sea levels rising and glaciers melting faster. Leading scientists, including Katharine Hayhoe, warn that the current rate...
24 States Sue E.P.A. Over Climate Change Decision
A coalition of 24 states, joined by dozens of cities and counties, filed a lawsuit in the D.C. Court of Appeals challenging the Trump administration’s repeal of the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding. The suit argues the EPA acted illegally by...
How a Melting Glacier Could Affect Millions
The New York Times reports that the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is destabilizing faster than anticipated, raising the specter of a multi‑foot sea‑level rise. Scientists warn that a full collapse could add up to three feet to global oceans by...
Trump Officials Weigh New Plan to Stop Offshore Wind Farms
The Trump administration is drafting settlement agreements that would pay TotalEnergies nearly $928 million to cancel two offshore wind leases off New York and North Carolina. In exchange, the French firm would abandon the Attentive Energy and Carolina Long Bay projects and shift...
How To Bring a Bird’s Song Back From the Edge of Extinction
Australia’s critically endangered regent honeyeater, now down to roughly 250 individuals, has lost its traditional warbling song as populations fragmented. Researchers discovered that captive‑bred birds taught by a handful of wild‑born tutors quickly relearned the authentic melody, unlike those exposed...
Administration Targeted Climate Lab Over Tina Peters, Lawsuit Says
The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, in what the lab’s leadership says is retaliation for Colorado officials imprisoning a Trump‑aligned county clerk. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)...
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...
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...