Shareholders rake in billions while utilities drive climate emergency, energy unaffordability: Report

Coal-fired power-plant diagram

WASHINGTON— Six of the nation’s largest utility corporations netted more than $10 billion in profits while disconnecting their customers’ power at least 662,000 times last year — including hundreds of thousands of record-heat summertime shutoffs, according to a report released today [Feb. 3, 2025] by the Center for Biological Diversity. The report, Powerless in the … Read more

UMass Amherst’s updated indexes name nation’s most prolific polluters

Industrial plant emitting fumes and creating pollution

Marathon Petroleum, Vistra Energy, Standard Industries and Dow are among the nation’s largest corporate polluters, according to updated data released today by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute (PERI). “The Greenhouse 100 and Toxic 100 indexes inform consumers, shareholders, regulators, lawmakers and communities about corporate releases of toxic and climate-altering … Read more

COP29 closes: New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance in effect

At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties’ (COP) 29 Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan

UN Climate Change News, 24 November 2024 – The UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) closed today with a new finance goal to help countries to protect their people and economies against climate disasters, and share in the vast benefits of the clean energy boom. With a central focus on climate finance, COP29 brought together nearly … Read more

To accelerate switch to zero-emissions school buses, California launches a $.5B funding effort

‌SACRAMENTO – California is launching a new statewide funding program that will put 1,000 new, zero-emission school buses on the road, furthering the state’s lead in having the most clean buses in the nation. “California is showing the nation and the world how to move from ambition to action,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “This is … Read more

Case challenging Utah’s Uinta Basin Railway now before Supreme Court

Oil tank cars spotted for unloading at unloading facility

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today [Jun. 24, 2024] that it will consider part of an appellate court decision tossing out the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s permit for the proposed Uinta Basin Railway. The project is designed to quintuple oil production in Utah’s Uinta Basin and move crude through the Colorado Rockies to … Read more

Formosa Plastics required to follow new federal air pollution regs. designed to protect public health

ST. JAMES PARISH, LA — Formosa Plastics wants to build a massive petrochemical complex with 14 facilities that make single-use plastic products. Even though the facility is not yet built, the company must renew its operating permits under Title V of the Clean Air Act. Since Formosa Plastics last applied for these permits in 2020, … Read more

Is universal ZEV adoption absolute in achieving carbon net-zero by 2050?

Exhaust spewing from vehicle tailpipes

Um, no. Background The average global surface-air-temperature-rise — compared to that which was present at the time the Industrial Revolution first became a thing back in year 1750 — must climb by no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (C), in order “to reduce the greatest global risks and avoid significant, wide-ranging, and severe impacts,” as … Read more

New automobile standards to make for cleaner car travel, improve air quality, protect public health, fight climate change

Hydrogen car and fuel-filling infrastructure

WASHINGTON – Today, March 20, [2024], the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced final national pollution standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2027 through 2032 and beyond. These standards will avoid more than 7 billion tons of carbon emissions and provide nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society, … Read more

Clean mobility community, school projects across California receive $33M from state air board

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently awarded $33 million in grants to support projects that increase access to zero-emissions transportation and diversify mobility options for schools and communities that service more than 20 low-income areas, including a new effort that empowers communities with resources to plan for future transportation projects. The programs, … Read more

Environmental groups chalk up victory. Major So. Cal. polluters could face financial penalties

Los Angeles – In a major win for polluter accountability, a legal settlement announced today will require the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to adopt a rule that could fine polluters for their emissions contributing to the region’s poor air quality. Plaintiffs estimate that a fee rule could result in SCAQMD collecting over … Read more