More than 30 food, health and environmental organizations are urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to disqualify digesters that turn animal waste into gas from a federal renewable energy grant program, alleging that such funding causes pollution and benefits large factory farms.
Residents living near massive coal terminals and rail lines say dust from uncovered coal piles and trains coats their homes, harms their health and shows no signs of stopping as the Trump administration promotes expanding the coal industry. TNL staff reporter Shannon Kelleher visited Curtis Bay in South Baltimore to understand how these terminals affect communities.
Diets around the world dependent on ultra-processed foods and animal-based agriculture are driving obesity rates and climate change, but solutions exist that would bolster health, and save money and the planet, according to a new review.
David Jones Jr. is no stranger to treacherous work. For years, the 45-year-old South Baltimore resident made his living scaling tall buildings to install signs. But for Jones, the real danger has been in and around his home: Jones and his wife live a few hundred feet away from a large coal terminal where dust from mountainous, uncovered coal piles has blown over the community day after day for decades.
Plastic production, use and disposal each year saddles the US with up to $1.1 trillion in social costs, the bulk of which are due to human health impacts, according to a new report from Duke University that characterizes the tally as a “conservative” estimate.
Earth’s vital signs are “flashing red,” fossil fuel use is at peak levels and warming is increasingly impacting forests, oceans and disaster frequency, according to a new report.
A review of documents and federal moves show the Trump administration has acted on most of a 29-item list of environmental policy requests from industry groups in its first eight months in office. The changes affected rules on air pollution, chemical safety and water protections.
Massachusetts is one of many states nationwide with programs that encourage renewable energy development to meet robust greenhouse gas reduction goals. And like Massachusetts, many other states are sharpening their clean energy strategies to navigate the anti-renewable energy policies of the Trump administration.
The popularity of residential solar is seeing a steep reversal due to shifting state and federal policies driven by powerful utility interests. And while some say the decline is simply a mild adjustment, others fear the market for residential solar may be on the brink of a long-term slide.
The Trump administration’s new AI action plan aims to make the US a leader in developing and deploying the technology. This sweeping proposal would fast-track AI development by exempting data centers from environmental protections. It may also increase reliance on fossil fuels. Experts warn it could strain US water and power supplies, deepen pollution in vulnerable communities and sideline clean energy.