When it comes to adapting to the consequences of climate change, the federal government has relied heavily on one flagship program: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, or BRIC. Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, BRIC has doled out $4.5 billion in grants to help states and cities prepare for...
A massive climate resilience program is escaping Florida’s DOGE purge
When it comes to government spending, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a cue from the Trump administration. As his second term nears its end, DeSantis is spearheading a campaign to slash property taxes, which provide around 30 percent of local government revenue. He’s also looking to dramatically pare down...
What’s geologic hydrogen? What to know about the clean energy source buried under Michigan.
Michigan might be at the forefront of a new clean fuel source — and it’s buried right under the state. Last month, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said her administration wants to make the state a hub for geologic hydrogen, a potentially untapped reserve of clean fuel below the Earth’s surface that...
Native families were promised free solar. Trump took it away.
It was sunny and warm for the end of November on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation in northern Montana. Joseph Eagleman was standing on a grassy hill looking at a 20-panel solar array in the backyard of a Chippewa Cree elder. It was built under the Solar for All program, a...
Offshore wind showed up big during the East Coast’s brutal cold
Bone-chilling cold and Arctic winds gripped the northeastern U.S. over the past few weeks, straining electricity systems and raising power prices as people cranked up their heat. Now, as the region finally starts to thaw, early data shows how America’s offshore wind farms helped keep electricity flowing during the extreme-weather stretch....
It just got harder for shareholders to push companies on climate
Five years ago, climate activists stunned corporate America by winning three seats on Exxon Mobil’s board. Similar revolts have forced some of the nation’s biggest companies to address climate change. Now, the federal regulator overseeing shareholder rights is making it harder for small investors to convey their concerns. In November,...
Poison at play: Unsafe lead levels found in half of New Orleans playgrounds
Sarah Hess started taking her toddler, Josie, to New Orleans’ Mickey Markey Playground in 2010 because she thought it would be a safe place to play after Josie had been diagnosed with lead poisoning. Hess had traced the problem to the crumbling paint in her family’s century-old home. While it...
Growing evidence points to link between autism and wildfire smoke
Two new studies have identified an alarming connection between exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy and autism in young children. The unprecedented findings suggest the neurological consequences of breathing smoke are more profound than previously thought. The research builds on a robust body of evidence that shows wildfire smoke is...
Trump’s beef trade deal is a lose-lose gamble that won’t lower prices
Last week, President Donald Trump announced the United States would temporarily increase the amount of beef the nation imports from Argentina — by 80,000 more metric tons this calendar year. In an executive order, the president stated these beef imports would not be subject to tariffs, and that he came to...
The Olympics just saw its first ‘forever chemical’ disqualifications
Heading into the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, skiers and snowboarders were already adjusting to a ban on fluorinated waxes long prized for making their equipment faster. This week, the Winter Games saw their first enforcement of that rule, which is aimed at protecting public health and the environment. South Korean cross-country...