Resilience
States and localities are having to adjust to a changing climate, establishing new policies, rules and guidelines relating to energy, land use and water rights, as well as responding to emergencies triggered by more intense storms, floods and wildfires.
Most of Alabama may be covered in forests, but asphalt still reigns on school playgrounds. The Alabama Forestry Foundation wants to change that.
Storms that have devastated mountain communities and other inland regions are a reminder to prepare. New development in areas that were once thought unlikely to flood may be more susceptible as the climate heats up.
A new commission appointed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills will explore ways to make state infrastructure more resilient to climate change.
A new order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeks to prod longer-term planning to address growing power demands and the transition to renewables.
Some conservatives want Washington to stay out of disaster zones, leaving the job to states and localities, along with private insurance. This won't fly politically or practically.
Florida and Alabama have made it a crime to produce or sell meat grown in a lab, and a U.S. senator has joined what he calls the “pro-bio slop caucus.” Instead, they should be celebrating good old American innovation.
Other local governments and regions can learn from a range of strategies such as zoning changes, encouraging EVs and making freight systems more efficient.
A big slice of Inflation Reduction Act funding comes with a mandate to help underserved communities. Cincinnati is already delivering on the promise.
It will be one of the most noticeable ways climate change threatens human health in the years to come. It could cause as many as 27,800 U.S. deaths per year by 2050.
To help ensure the passage of nearly 2 billion birds from around 400 different species, the National Audubon Society is asking state residents to dim their nighttime lights as a part of the biannual “Lights Out, Texas!” campaign.
Four Los Angeles city-based Metro board members urged the transit agency to adopt an aggressive conversion plan to meet the original goal of 100 percent zero-emission buses by 2030. But the five-year delay will likely stand.
Organic waste in landfills is a major source of methane emissions. Orange County, Calif., is making progress in diverting it.
The funds will be used to support the state’s comprehensive Everglades restoration plan, and measures to support agriculture and the water needs of Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Recent events highlight the fact that water systems are targets for cyber attacks. There are ways of strengthening defenses at little to no cost, but more needs to be done to implement them.
It also may harm forests’ ability to adapt to climate change and effect the way plants and animals interact with fire.
The County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new climate action plan on Tuesday that will set updated standards for phasing out oil and gas production, construction of zero-carbon buildings and reducing driving trips.
Thirty-two lawsuits now target fossil fuel companies over climate damage.
Researchers predict there will be 11 hurricanes, five of which will reach major hurricane strength, and 23 named storms due to a historically warm Atlantic Ocean and probable La Niña conditions.
With California facing a serious budget crunch, lawmakers may have to curb their policy ambitions in a variety of areas. Ahead of April tax collections, it's not yet clear if proposed cuts will be deep enough.
The artificial reef aims to replenish marine life eradicated by a nuclear power plant’s water cooling system. The plant has now been shut for more than a decade, giving the aquatic ecosystems time to rebuild.
More than $100 billion in private investment has already been spurred by the federal Inflation Reduction Act, helping to drive advanced manufacturing in many states.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties produced 31.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent in 2021. The energy industry produced 45 percent of the region’s emissions, with transportation close behind.
The $7.5 million electric crane will help the city forgo around 350,000 gallons of diesel fuel in its lifespan. The machine is the largest of its kind to run entirely on electric power.
New research finds that Native Americans are more exposed to flood risk than other groups, but Black and Asian communities are less exposed than predominantly white ones. Overall, the risk to property is much greater than depicted in official FEMA maps.
Public data from a network of state air monitors around the Houston Ship Channel is hard to interpret and is often inadequate, leaving Latino-majority neighborhoods unaware whether the air they breathe is safe.
An audit by a federal watchdog found several instances of poor planning, misallocation of funds and a lack of workers which undercut millions of dollars of federal aid meant to keep stormwater at bay.
Americans with the fewest resources, those with disabilities and the marginalized suffer the most after a hurricane, tornado or wildfire. We need to provide more support to our most vulnerable residents.
The Delta Conveyance Project is a 45-mile tunnel that would run beneath the delta and move more water from Northern California to cities further south. Opponents worry about the tunnel’s impact on the delta’s fragile ecosystem.
The pilot release of a first-of-its-kind mapping tool is a step toward understanding carbon storage in Oregon estuaries, supporting long-term goals to preserve them.
A new $1 billion fund will help Texas communities fix crumbling water infrastructure. Advocates say much more will be needed due to population growth and climate change.
Cities and counties all over the country exceed the new standard. A lack of detailed measurement data will leave many states flying blind.
