Powered by RebelMouse

Supreme Court to review halted Utah rail project approval

The Supreme Court will decide if a key approval for the Uinta Basin Railway project in Utah can be reinstated, affecting local oil transport and production.

Mark Sherman and Mead Gruver report for The Associated Press.

In short:

  • The Uinta Basin Railway would connect Utah oil producers to larger markets, boosting daily crude shipment by 350,000 barrels.
  • Environmental groups and Colorado officials oppose the project due to spill risks and increased fossil fuel use.
  • The Supreme Court will determine if the Surface Transportation Board's environmental review was adequate.

Key quote:

“This project is vital for the economic growth and connectivity of the Uinta Basin region and we are committed to seeing it through.”

— Keith Heaton, director of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition

Why this matters:

The decision impacts economic growth in rural Utah and environmental safety in Colorado. Approval could increase oil production and transport, raising climate change concerns.

apnews.com
A yacht anchored in aqua blue water
Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash+

A climate summit built on contradiction

At COP30 in Belém, climate delegates slept aboard diesel-powered cruise ships and traveled roads carved through newly deforested land, contradictions that unsettled many, including California’s contingent.

Read the Full Article on www.latimes.com
Solar panels, wind turbines, and large battery containers for energy storage
Credit: Malp/Big Stock Photo

North Dakota utility regulators to consider state’s first-ever battery storage sites

For the first time, North Dakota utility regulators are considering proposals for massive battery storage sites that would serve as backstops for renewable energy sources. 
Read the Full Article on northdakotamonitor.com
A poster that says All You Need is Meat with a plate of meat in front of it
Credit: Wesual Click/Unsplash

In Brazil, agribusiness giants hire celebrity influencers to win hearts and minds

Brazil’s biggest meat and agrochemical companies have paid nearly 200 influencers to promote their products in the year leading up to COP30, using pop culture and wellness messaging to deflect attention from their rising emissions and environmental harms.

Read the Full Article on www.desmog.com
An aerial view of a coal plant surrounded by fog
Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash+

Wisconsin coal terminal to close after 50 years as clean energy saps demand

After nearly 50 years of operation, the Midwest Energy Resources coal terminal in Superior will shut down next June as coal shipments continue to decline amid the clean energy transition.

Read the Full Article on www.wpr.org
A house completely destroyed by a hurricane
Credit: ia_64/Big Stock Photo

Hurricane Melissa a ‘real-time case study’ of colonialism’s legacies

Hurricane Melissa ravaged rural Jamaica; campaigners at COP30 say the disaster exposes how communities shaped by slavery and colonial extraction now bear the brunt of climate impacts.

Read the Full Article on www.theguardian.com
a group of young people holding up climate protest signs in the street.
Credit: Leonardo Basso/Unsplash

Thousands march for climate action as COP30 talks enter second week

As the talks continue, some countries are pushing for a detailed “road map” for a global transition away from oil, gas and coal.
Read the Full Article on www.nytimes.com
prticipants at the entrance to COP 30 pavilion
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/isostandards/ Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

‘Additional promises mean nothing’: The awkward flaw in the world’s climate talks

World leaders have vowed to fight rising temperatures for years. Many of those pledges fade when the summits end.
Read the Full Article on www.politico.com
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

www.ehn.org
Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

www.ehn.org
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

www.ehn.org
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

www.ehn.org
silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

www.ehn.org
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

www.ehn.org
Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.