U.S. energy independence strengthened, low-carbon fuels advanced with issued final EPA rule

WASHINGTON – Today [Jun. 21, 2023], the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program that establishes the biofuel volume requirements for 2023 to 2025. This final rule builds on the RFS program’s progress over the previous two years and reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthen the … Read more

Breaking: Historic climate case heard in Montana court brought by youth, ends

Helena, MT — Trial in the landmark youth-led constitutional climate lawsuit Held v. State of Montana drew to a close today [Jun. 20, 2023], marking the end of a week and a half of expert testimony and firsthand, often emotional, accounts from the 16 young Montanans who filed the lawsuit three years prior. The proceedings concluded … Read more

The best path to transport net-zero emissions: And, the answer is?

There is much debate over how best to achieve net-zero emissions. While I don’t have the definitive answer, I surely have an opinion. Keep in mind that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide are still rising. But, understand also that transportation contributes significantly to that increase. The biggest atmospheric-GHG contributor within the transport sector, meanwhile, is … Read more

New report touts clean-car benefits for Colorado

DENVER – Coloradans—who frequently endure unhealthy air pollution largely from gasoline-burning vehicles—stand to receive major jobs, health, and energy savings benefits if the state adopts a strong Colorado Clean Cars plan that would speed up the transition to zero-emissions electric cars and light-duty trucks, a new report shows. “The Benefits of the Colorado Clean Car … Read more

Industrial-scale commercial-charging hardware key to successful U.S. zero-emissions freight operations

A new study published today [May 11, 2023] by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) assesses where, when, and how much charging infrastructure will be required by 2030 to support the fast-moving transition to zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles in the United States. Infrastructure development creates economic opportunity for local communities, and business opportunities for … Read more

Taking stock – Part II: California – a frontlines leader in taking on GHG

There is no other place on Earth quite like California. In fact, if an independent nation, California’s economy would rank as the world’s fifth largest. That’s no idle boast. Neither is the fact that the Golden State is 105 million acres in size* on which some 40 million residents have staked out some kind of … Read more

California prepares for big-time EV big-rig transition

There’s an electric-truck wave headed for California. Although relatively slow in coming, make no mistake: the sweep will be thorough. “‘California continues to lead by example with first-of-its-kind standards to slash air pollution and toxics from heavy-duty trucks,’ said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Transportation.* ‘Where you live, work, or go to school should not … Read more

New ‘In-Use Locomotive’ rule in effect in California

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today [Apr. 27, 2023] passed a new rule aimed at reducing emissions from locomotives when they operate within the state. Under the In-Use Locomotive Regulation, operators will now be required to pay into a spending account, and the amount will be determined by the emissions they create while … Read more

Carbon-capture tech., lithium mining topics of two televised reports

This past weekend on both Saturday (Apr. 29, 2023) and Sunday (Apr. 30, 2023), I watched two of what I thought were powerful, made-for-television programs. The first “In Real Life,” the Mining for Clean Power, episode, and first aired on the Scripps News network on May 15, 2022, dealt with one aspect of the renewable energy … Read more