Energy

Portland Releases 43-Step Climate Action Plan
A draft plan outlines suggested actions to build resilience, minimize carbon emissions, and protect vulnerable residents from extreme weather events.

Is $7 a Gallon for Gas on the Horizon?
Global oil prices may skyrocket when the European Union, which receives about one third of its oil from Russia, enacts a partial ban on importing Russian oil at the end of the year to stop financing Russia's war in Ukraine.

Oregon Law Requires Cooling, but Could Leave Many Renters Out
A state bill requiring landlords to allow tenants to install portable air conditioners comes with a raft of exemptions that could restrict the most affordable options.

The Marriage of Technology and Road Infrastructure
The future of road infrastructure likely includes wireless electric charging, innovative construction materials, and more data collection. Will cities remember to prioritize pedestrian safety, too?

Postal Service Commits to Electrifying Half its New Fleet
In the wake of condemnation from environmental groups, the USPS revised its plan to replace its gas-powered fleet of trucks.

Protecting Urban Residents From Extreme Heat
With temperatures reaching record highs in cities around the country, local officials are implementing measures to ensure vulnerable residents have adequate cooling.

EPA Launches School Bus Electrification Program
The agency will distribute $5 billion over the next five years to help school districts purchase electric and low-emissions buses.

Ways the EPA Can Still Fight Climate Change
Despite the Supreme Court’s recent decision to limit the EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from power plants, the agency still has a range of tools at its disposal for enforcing pollution controls and reducing harmful emissions.

Report: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reductions Not Hitting Paris Agreement Goal
The United States is making modest gains in the power and transportation sectors, but emissions in the industrial sector are holding steady, absent new reduction initiatives.

Can Los Angeles Join the Anti-Gas Station Movement?
A growing number of cities in California have prohibited the construction of new gas stations. Los Angeles could soon consider an ordinance to do the same—in a landmark move for the city some believe to be a symbol of car-dependent sprawl.

Funding Allocated to Extend Life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
In order to to ensure that the lights stay on, the California legislature approved allocating up to $75 million to extend the life of the state's sole remaining nuclear plant and four natural gas powered plants, to the chagrin of environmentalists.

High Gas Costs Making a Small Dent in Carbon Emissions
Americans are driving slightly less due to high prices at the pump, but this reduction in driving is only making a small impact on overall U.S. carbon emissions.

Supreme Court Guts the U.S. EPA’s Ability to Limit Carbon Emissions
The consequences of this ruling have long been foretold. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now officially barred from the fight against climate change, Congress will have to act to reduce carbon emissions.

Biden Proposes Gas Tax Holiday to Reduce Gas Prices
President Biden asked Congress on June 22 to suspend federal fuel taxes, unchanged since 1993, for three months to provide motorists 'relief' at the pump. Additionally, he asked states to follow suit and for oil companies to increase refining.

Friday Funny: The Onion Satirizes the Federal Government’s Electric Car Fetish
The totally satirical, not-at-all-real website The Onion is back with another planning-related fake news take.

Energy Department Resumes Loan Program with Hydrogen Storage
The Energy Department's loan office, known for a bad loan to the solar panel startup Solyndra in 2011, will loan $504 million to a company that will use renewable energy to create 'green hydrogen' and store it in salt caverns in Utah.

Fighting for Their Future: Hawai’i Kids Sue State Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A group of Hawai’ian youth is suing the state’s Department of Transportation, claiming that Hawai’i’s transportation system contributes to climate change and the destruction of homes and cultural traditions.

Desalination and Water Recycling Needed to Increase Bay Area Water Supply
In an ongoing drought exacerbated by climate change, the Bay Area needs to look toward two technologies to secure adequate drinking water supply: desalination and wastewater recycling, according to an analysis by the San Francisco Examiner.

Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible
With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

Extending the Life of California's Largest Power Plant
Gov. Gavin Newsom has notified the U.S. Department of Energy of his interest in using funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant slated to close in three years.
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