Hogan and Alsobrooks square off in critical Senate race over Maryland’s clean energy future

The Maryland Senate race between Democrat Angela Alsobrooks and Republican Larry Hogan will decide whether the state continues its progress toward a clean energy economy or shifts back to fossil fuels.

Aman Azhar reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Angela Alsobrooks, running as a Democrat, aims to continue Maryland's clean energy efforts, citing personal stakes in combating climate change.
Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican and former governor, has a mixed record on climate issues but promises bipartisan action.
The outcome of this election could flip the Senate, impacting national climate policy and funding.

Key quote:

"Young voters have noticed the flooding that is happening, the extreme temperatures we are experiencing, the hottest June that we’ve just witnessed in recorded history this year. The planet is warming up."

— Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County Executive.

Why this matters:

Maryland’s progress on clean energy is at stake in this election. A shift in Senate control could derail efforts to combat climate change, both locally and nationally.

insideclimatenews.org

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

a bridge that is lit up at night with wave breaking on a nearby lake shore in foreground.

Credit: Brad Switzer/Unsplash

Tribes exit pipeline negotiations in Michigan over lack of consultation

Seven Indigenous nations in Michigan have walked away from federal talks over a proposed oil pipeline tunnel, citing a lack of meaningful engagement and treaty violations.

Izzy Ross reports for Grist and Interlochen Public Radio.

In short:

The tribes oppose Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project, which would replace part of a 72-year-old pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, a critical freshwater corridor between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Their withdrawal follows the Army Corps of Engineers’ move to fast-track permitting under President Trump’s energy emergency order, which tribes say dismisses their environmental and legal concerns.
Tribal leaders and legal advocates argue that the project threatens water resources and violates both U.S. treaty obligations and international law requiring Indigenous consent.

Key quote:

“Tribal Nations are no longer willing to expend their time and resources as Cooperating Agencies just so their participation may be used by the Corps to lend credibility to a flawed [Environmental Impact Statement] process and document.”

— Letter from seven Indigenous nations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Why this matters:

Buried beneath the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron converge, Line 5 has become a flashpoint in the battle over fossil fuel infrastructure, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental protection. The aging oil and gas pipeline — operated by Canadian energy giant Enbridge — moves millions of gallons of crude and natural gas liquids daily through a region that holds 20% of the planet’s surface freshwater. A proposed tunnel to house a replacement segment beneath the lakebed has drawn fierce opposition from tribal nations, who warn it risks catastrophic spills and continued desecration of sacred territory.

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Hogan and Alsobrooks square off in critical Senate race over Maryland’s clean energy future

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