"Public utility commissions have a ton of influence over utility rate hikes and power plant construction, but only a handful of states let voters decide who’s on them."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
First, the good news: A new analysis of global wildfire activity in 2025 shows that the year had the second-lowest area burned since 2002.
But at the same time, the study also revealed that the world experienced some of the most destructive and deadly fire events in recent history, including the catastrophic Los Angeles fires of January 2025 that killed dozens and burned over 12,000 homes.
"Federal regulators are giving chemical manufacturers and petroleum refiners more time to provide data on a group of chemicals that have been linked to human health harms as officials consider tighter regulations."
"Michigan may be known as the Great Lakes state, but most of its residents have a river to thank for their hometown’s existence."
"At a virtual public comment hearing hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, a long line of environmental advocates voiced strong opposition to proposed new regulations weakening requirements that utilities must follow in cleaning up toxic coal ash residue at hundreds of sites across the country at which coal was burned to produce electricity."
"Canada’s first big heat wave of the year was expected to bring prolonged warm weather to southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba."
"Illinois lawmakers last week passed a new law establishing more robust requirements for monitoring per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — better known as PFAS “forever chemicals” — in wastewater discharges at major facilities across the state. The deciding 64-34 House vote came just days after the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed rescinding limits for select toxic PFAS compounds in drinking water — a decision that environmental advocates, and the Illinois EPA, immediately rebuffed."
"The Interior Department unveiled Thursday the first iteration of a new public tool for mapping federal lands and waters, rolling out a unified “national map” with boundaries used by five agencies."
"EPA’s efforts to undo Biden-era climate rules for power plants could get a major overhaul before they clear White House review, according to some insiders watching the process."
"Nearly 3 million Cubans experience water shortages every day because of a severe oil shortage that government officials blame on a U.S. energy blockade, authorities said late Wednesday during a roundtable discussion regarding the impact of the ongoing blockade."
