The US funds lithium mining, risking water supplies

The US funds lithium mining, risking water supplies

Federal funding for lithium mining under the Inflation Reduction Act is raising concerns about environmental impacts on water supplies.

Elyse Hauser reports for Floodlight.


In short:

  • The Inflation Reduction Act and other federal programs provide significant funding for lithium mining to meet the demand for electric vehicle batteries.
  • Lithium mining methods, such as brine evaporation and hard rock mining, pose substantial risks to groundwater supplies and biodiversity.
  • Local communities and environmentalists are opposing new mining projects, fearing long-term ecological damage and threats to sacred Indigenous sites.

Key quote:

"We need lithium as a part of our transition off of fossil fuels, but it can’t come at the expense of biodiversity or our most precious protected areas."

— Patrick Donnelly, Center for Biological Diversity

Why this matters:

Increased lithium mining is critical for the energy transition, but it threatens water resources and ecosystems, especially in arid regions. Effective regulations and alternative battery technologies are needed to balance environmental concerns with energy needs.

three windmills on top of a hill with blue sky and clouds behind.

Trump administration redirects clean energy funds in defiance of Congress

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is cutting funding for wind, solar, and electric vehicles despite a signed federal budget that preserved those levels, prompting accusations of unlawful spending violations.

Zack Colman reports for POLITICO.

Keep reading...Show less
Sign saying Break Free from Fossil Fuels on a street.

Burning fossil fuels linked to 1,500 deaths in Europe’s latest heat wave

A new analysis directly attributes about 1,500 deaths in 12 European cities last week to the intensifying effects of climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions.

Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Blue European Union flags flying in front of a building.

Far-right group takes lead in EU climate talks, raising doubts over 2040 emissions goal

The far-right Patriots for Europe bloc will lead the European Parliament’s negotiations on the EU’s proposed 2040 climate target, placing a group hostile to existing climate policies at the center of the talks.

Kate Abnett reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
Wind turbine, solar panels and nuclear cooling towers with a blue sky in background.
Credit: jaroslavav/BigStock Photo ID: 83377346

Solar is no longer alternative energy—it's the new default

Around the globe, solar power is scaling up at a breakneck pace, reshaping energy systems, economies, and even geopolitics.

Bill McKibben reports for The New Yorker.

Keep reading...Show less
A power plant with a wind turbine in the foreground.

Shanxi province faces difficult path away from coal as China pushes clean energy

China’s top coal-producing region, Shanxi, is struggling to pivot from its fossil-fueled past to a cleaner economic future, as the country races to meet ambitious carbon targets by 2060.

Amy Hawkins reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
A flooded park alongside a river with submerged trees.

Texas growth and lax rules put more homes in harm’s way from flood disasters

As deadly floods strike Central Texas, experts say outdated maps, weak regulations, and rapid development are funneling millions of Texans into flood-prone areas with few safeguards.

Joshua Fechter and Paul Cobler report for The Texas Tribune.

Keep reading...Show less
Rural hills under dark storm clouds during daytime.

Trump administration moves to shut down critical storm research lab in Oklahoma

The Trump administration has proposed closing more than two dozen federally funded meteorological labs, including Oklahoma’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, sparking bipartisan concern over public safety and economic consequences.

Emily Kennard reports for NOTUS.

Keep reading...Show less
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.

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.”

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

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.”

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.

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