Energy production

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

In case challenging scope of nation’s landmark environmental law, Supreme Court hears arguments over Utah oil train

Oil tank cars spotted for unloading at unloading facility

WASHINGTON— The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today [Dec. 10, 2024] in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, a case challenging the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act, the nation’s landmark environmental law. The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. ET; audio will be livestreamed. Utah’s Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and … Read more

U.S. transportation emissions data in 2023: The bigger picture

A transit bus fueled by soybean bio-diesel

In 2023, according to data in the latest (2024) Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations Environment Programme with the clever title “No more hot air … please!,” greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale totaled 57.1 billion (giga) tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. America’s contribution to that total weighs in at 11 percent, … Read more

New coal leasing in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin to stop

Wyoming coal-mine coal

GILLETTE, WY — The Biden administration announced today that it will end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the largest coal-producing region in the United States. The decision represents an historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing that the market has shifted away from coal as an electricity source … 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

Also being said re California’s emissions-reduction effort?

There is no doubt in my mind that times have changed. Life has emerged from the pandemic business as usual, I’m afraid. Okay, so where exactly am I going with this? To provide perspective, let’s look at just one piece of the entire worldwide greenhouse-gas-emissions-reduction picture, or dare I say, puzzle: California. On this very … Read more

U.S. LNG export expansion paused

WASHINGTON— The Biden administration announced today [Jan. 26, 2024] it would freeze approvals of new gas export projects, signaling a major pivot in how it considers climate and health harms from oil and gas projects. The White House is directing the Energy Department to expand its criteria for evaluating new gas exports and take a hard … Read more

Top air, climate polluters named in UMass Amherst Updated Indexes

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) today published their latest Greenhouse 100 Polluters Index, Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index and Toxic 100 Water Polluters Index, revealing the top industrial polluters in the United States. PERI has also updated its Air Toxics at School database, which tracks air pollution at every … Read more

Running extra: Caltrain – a clean, green commute-train machine

In 1978, when I moved from Maryland to California (now my permanent home), there were only a smattering of railroads across the U.S. that served the commuting public. Caltrain – before it was called “Caltrain” (providing such service between San Francisco – also known as the City by the Bay – and San Jose – … Read more

If U.S. wants most advanced energy economy, some serious energy-permitting reform a must

Over the past two years, Congress has passed several much-needed laws and allocated over a trillion dollars to grow and update infrastructure and clean energy technology in the United States to combat climate change and lower consumer energy costs. However, these projects cannot become a reality under the current regulatory structure, which takes several years … Read more