Biden touts recycling’s ‘critical role’ in fighting climate change, awards $93M in EPA grants

In an America Recycles Day proclamation, President Biden called on businesses and the public to make recycling a priority. He acknowledged the disproportionate impacts of pollution on low-income communities.

By Megan Quinn • Nov. 16, 2023

Electric buses: Boom times and bumpy roads

Manufacturers are struggling to meet the demand spurred by federal funding and programs that encourage transit agencies to shift to zero-emission buses.

By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 16, 2023

Boston ends efforts to ban fossil fuels in new buildings through state program

Massachusetts’ largest city pursued inclusion in the state climate pilot program, but the mayor reported she got “clear indications” that Boston would not be selected for the last of 10 spots.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 15, 2023

Austin, Texas, releases zero waste plan as population booms

The city’s goal of achieving a 90% diversion rate by 2040 remains ambitious, but Austin Resource Recovery is planning new infrastructure and expanded collections to help bridge the gap.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 14, 2023

Biden announces $6B for climate resilience as report warns of ‘insufficient’ adaptation

Most U.S. climate adaptation actions are “incremental” rather than “transformative,” the nation’s preeminent report on climate change says.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 14, 2023

Understanding Kansas City’s innovative approach to winter readiness

As winter approaches, cities across the United States are gearing up for snow and ice challenges.

By Rubicon • Nov. 13, 2023

Meet Houston’s first emergency preparedness manager for vulnerable communities

Houstonians with disabilities have previously been unable to access emergency shelters and evacuation plans due to limited emergency preparedness outreach, a city official said.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 10, 2023

Lack of funding still stands in the way of California’s local climate policy

This finding in a report released Thursday is “very surprising” considering recent historic federal and state investments, said a co-author at the University of California Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 9, 2023

EPA should put landfill methane on COP28 agenda: former Oregon governor

States like Oregon are curbing landfill methane emissions to help achieve climate goals. Kate Brown says the EPA should take greater action on this issue ahead of COP28.

By Kate Brown • Nov. 8, 2023

Feds award $653M for 41 port projects

Projects in New Jersey, Washington state and Texas are among the recipients of grants that aim to bolster U.S. supply chain infrastructure.

By Julie Strupp • Nov. 7, 2023

NYC wants a ‘blue highway’ on its waterways

To leverage its long coastline for delivery and get polluting trucks off the streets, the city is looking to the private sector for ideas.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 7, 2023

Are EV sales tanking? This Al Gore doesn’t think so.

Despite recent labor and manufacturing woes, EV sales remain strong, and cities will benefit as more electric trucks and buses hit the streets, Al Gore III said.

By Dan Zukowski • Nov. 7, 2023

Big power’s EV charging strategy: Raise rates, overpromise, underdeliver, repeat

We grant publicly regulated utilities certain privileges in exchange for reliability and affordability. When they try to leverage that privilege to corner a new market, they deserve plenty of pushback.

By Jay Smith • Nov. 6, 2023

Ørsted cancels two offshore wind projects along New Jersey coast

The projects became financially unworkable due to supply chain problems and increased interest rates, the company said. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called Ørsted’s decision “outrageous.”

By Diana DiGangi • Nov. 2, 2023

EPA kicks off effort to help communities use climate, environmental justice funds

The agency will host a six-day “national virtual open house" starting on Nov. 6, which will include panels about how communities can use “historic” federal funds to address pollution and climate change challenges. 

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 2, 2023

How cities can decarbonize delivery in the era of online orders

A new action guide by the National League of Cities points to emerging policies and technologies to combat increasing air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 1, 2023

Local officials demand federal policy to reduce landfill methane emissions

Ground-up strategies to bring down such emissions are insufficient, more than 50 local elected officials said in a letter to the U.S. EPA.

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 31, 2023

Austin, Texas, mandates commercial composting for apartments

The city is offering thousands of dollars in rebates to early adopters and requiring properties to educate tenants and employees about the program.

By Amanda Loudin • Oct. 30, 2023

White House advances office-to-residential conversions with new resources

The guidance, financing and technical assistance aim to address a 30-year high in office vacancies and ease the affordable housing crisis.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 30, 2023

‘It has already begun’: Senate sounds off on climate disruption to supply chains

With droughts and heat waves affecting crops and shipping routes this year, the budget committee looked at the rising costs extreme weather will have on supply lines.

By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 27, 2023

DOE issues draft plan to speed up, improve grid interconnections

The draft road map aims to transform grid interconnection processes, a major hurdle to the Biden administration’s goal of decarbonizing the power sector by 2035.

By Ethan Howland • Oct. 27, 2023

Debate swirls at NYC hearing on proposed delays to building emissions enforcement

Participants weighed in on whether “good-faith efforts” toward compliance should delay penalties and whether renewable energy credits provide a worrisome loophole.

By Joe Burns • Updated Oct. 30, 2023

Los Angeles region to accelerate clean energy efforts in run-up to 2028 Olympics

The road map sets new and more granular decarbonization targets, said a co-chair of the public-private partnership behind the plan.

By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 26, 2023

EPA pours $128M into environmental justice projects

The Environmental Protection Agency chose 186 projects led by community groups and local governments and counts several waste and recycling initiatives among its recipients.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 25, 2023

70+ cities, groups report progress a year after committing to shared-mobility goals

The shared-use mobility “action agenda” seeks to reduce reliance on private vehicles while creating more sustainable and equitable transportation systems.

By Dan Zukowski • Oct. 24, 2023