Coal is still the largest power source in the United States: 45% of our energy comes from it. News21 has an evocative multimedia site exploring our inescapable dependence on coal.
News21 digs deep to tell the story of American coal from the mine to your outlet. Miners and mining towns play a big part in the telling, people who are struck by the tragedy of coal mining (worker deaths, poisoned wells) but also the jobs and income that drive their towns. A video called "Wyoming to Chicago" traces a mine in Wyoming's Powder River Basin directly to the Fisk Generating Station in a low-income community in Chicago, where they estimated $117 million in health problems are attributable directly to the power plant.
"It fuels the world 'til they find something better," says one interviewee.
FULL STORY: Coal: A Love Story
Federal Judge Strikes Down Oakland's Ban on Coal Exports
Shipping coal from Utah to export to Asia through a new cargo facility in Oakland, California took a significant step forward on May 15 with a strongly worded ruling condemning the adequacy of the city of Oakland's environmental analysis.
Environmental Justice Wins With Coal Ban in Oakland
The City Council in Oakland, California took its first, substantive steps toward banning the handling and storage of coal in the city.
Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills
Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism
After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.
Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras
The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.
Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum
Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.
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