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Success! Removing the Klamath Dams

Legal Planet

(Klamath River Dam removal project [credit: Los Angeles Times]) Most of the environmental law and policy matters discussed on Legal Planet–especially over the past few months–have dealt with natural resource crises, environmental rollbacks, hostile political actors and actions in Washington, D.C., etc. So let me take this opportunity to share an upbeat and inspirational environmental story in these otherwise troubled environmental times.

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7 Things to Know About Burning Hydrogen in Gas Plants: An H2 FAQ 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Gas-fired power plants are the largest source of heat-trapping carbon pollution from the US power sector. They also bring with them a host of other problems for people and communities. A flurry of new gas power plant proposals threatens to exacerbate these problems. Some gas plant developers and their backers are talk ing up the prospect of burning hydrogen in the plants as a way to address carbon pollution and keep the plants from becoming irrelevant as we make the necessary transition to a low

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Global Economy More Vulnerable to Warming Than Previously Thought

Yale E360

A new study finds warming could inflict far more damage to the global economy than previously assumed.

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Release: New bill introduced in the US House and Senate proposes bipartisan solution to the farmland access crisis

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Laura Zaks, Associate Director of Communications and Development Tel: 347.563.6408 Email: press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: New bill introduced in the US House and Senate proposes bipartisan solution to the farmland access crisis Washington, DC, April 1, 2025 Today, the bipartisan New Producer Economic Security Act was introduced in the U.S.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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Keep PA Beautiful Updates Popular Litter Education Series: Open Your Eyes To Litter In A Watershed

PA Environment Daily

Keep Pennsylvania Beautifuls popular Open Your Eyes to Litter series of five educational activity books was created over 20 years ago. Over one million copies of the original series were distributed to schools throughout Pennsylvania. To account for the changing environment, new environmental education standards and new types of litter, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is working with illustrator and concept artist, Brady Mock, and Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR

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Field Notes from India: Climate Adaptation from the Ground Up

Legal Planet

Climate educators from SEWA explaining solar power for salt gathering (L) and skylights that cool the interior of a house (R). Photos by Jim Salzman I spent last week in New Delhi, participating in the conference, India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future. Academics, civil society, and government officials were divided into groups focusing on science, health, labor, and the built environment.

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In a Warming World, Why Is the Southern Ocean Getting Cooler?

Yale E360

Climate models predict that as the planet warms, so will the Southern Ocean. But for decades, the waters around Antarctica have grown mysteriously cooler. A new study shows why.

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U.S. Designation of Canada’s “Zero Plastic Waste Agenda” as a Barrier to Trade

Enviromental Defense

Statement by Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager, Plastics Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat It is appalling that the latest report from the U.S. government on trade barriers points the finger at the Canadian governments action on plastic pollution. The entry on plastics reads like talking points from the plastics and petrochemical industry that has long opposed action on plastic pollution in the U.S. and els

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Environmental Hearing Board Denies EQT Shale Gas Motion To Exclude Evidence Of Medical Conditions, Toxicology Reports Related To A Landowner Appeal Of A DEP Water Supply Contamination Determination

PA Environment Daily

On March 27, the Environmental Hearing Board issued an Opinion and Order denying a motion by EQT Chapp, LLC, supported by DEP , to exclude evidence related to medical conditions and toxicology reports in connection with a landowners appeal of DEPs determination that the agency could not conclude his water supply was adversely impacted by oil and gas operations.

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NEPA as a veto point

Legal Planet

This is the fifth in a series of posts on the reasons we might have environmental review. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. The fourth post is here. Judicial review to enforce NEPA ensures that agencies actually take environmental review requirements seriously, as opposed to producing meaningless, general statements with little or no information.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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After Severe Drought and Storms, Ohio Farmers Fear for Long-Term Soil Health

Inside Climate News

Intense weather left farmers with small harvests in 2024and warnings about soil resilience. By Anika Jane Beamer Last summer, Brice Acton watched drought devour the fields of his small family farm in southern Ohio. It took just a matter of days. First, the corn stalks in sandy soils dried out. Within two weeks, plants in the clay soil at the upper end of his property were parched.

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Toxic Algae Spurs Sea Lion Attacks in Southern California

Yale E360

A sea lion sickened by toxic algae attacked a teenage girl in Long Beach, California, on Sunday, the latest episode of erratic behavior from affected animals.

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Upcoming Greenbelt Plan Review Needs Clear Guardrails

Enviromental Defense

Recent findings from Ontarios Integrity Commissioner are a timely reminder of why we need to place clear guardrails in this years legally mandated review of the Greenbelt Plan. Without strict terms of reference that forbid removal of current Greenbelt land or weakening of its current protections, Ontarians have reason to worry the review process will be little more than a new way to enable the same kinds of land-swaps that were the subject of the scathing Auditor Generals report and which remain

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April 4 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation

PA Environment Daily

The April 4 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on-- -- Sign Of Spring: Falls Trail At Ricketts Glen State Park open again! -- State Park Gift Cards Are Back ! -- Forests For All Strategic Plan Released -- Photo Contest Winners Now Displayed In Capitol Building In Harrisburg Until April 28 Click Here to read the entire Take Five.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Can NEPA change agency decisionmaking?

Legal Planet

This is the fourth in a series of posts on the reasons we might have environmental review. The first post is here. The second post is here. The third post is here. Another pathway by which environmental review might change outcomes, even with no legally binding substantive components, is through changing internal agency decisionmaking. The simplest version of this argument is that environmental review, by producing previously overlooked information about environmental impacts, causes agencies to

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New Study Projects Climate-Driven Flooding for Thousands of New Jersey Homes

Inside Climate News

Sea-level rise threatens coastal communities even if global emissions drop. By Jon Hurdle Some 62,000 people and 56,000 homes on and near the New Jersey Shore will see at least one annual flood because of sea-level rise by 2050, even if the world makes sweeping cuts to carbon emissions now, according to a new online tool released Wednesday by Climate Central, a New Jersey-based research and advocacy nonprofit.

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Recycling Nuclear Waste: A Win-Win or a Dangerous Gamble?

Yale E360

As interest in nuclear power rises, startups are pursuing plans to recycle spent fuel and reuse its untapped energy to power reactors. Advocates tout new recycling methods as a breakthrough, but many experts warn it will extract plutonium that could be used for nuclear weapons.

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Big Banks Quietly Prepare for Catastrophic Climate Change

Scientific American

Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and an international banking group have quietly concluded that climate change will likely exceed the Paris Agreement's 2 degree goal and are examining how to maintain profits

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 5

PA Environment Daily

The following notices were published in the April 5 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments. -- The US Environmental Protection published notice it will hold a May 6 virtual hearing [if requested] on a proposed underground oil and gas wastewater injection well for enhanced recovery of oil and gas owned by Sandstone Development, LLC in Cyclone, Lafayette Township, McKean County.

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NEPA as a political tool

Legal Planet

This is the third in a series of posts on the reasons we might have environmental review. The first post is here. The second post is here. A frequent critique of NEPA is that it is paperwork without purpose, and thus a waste of resources. How can a statute that has no substantive requirements, and only requires analysis and public disclosure of the effects of a proposed agency action, have any impact on the environment?

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Dramatic cuts in China’s air pollution drove surge in global warming

New Scientist

The rate at which the planet is warming has sped up since 2010, and now researchers say that China's efforts to clean up air pollution are inadvertently responsible for the majority of this extra warming

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AI Model Can Predict When Lightning Will Spark Wildfires

Yale E360

Researchers have developed an AI model that can predict with 90 percent accuracy when and where lightning will ignite wildfires.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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What is eDNA and Why is it Important?

Academy of Natural Sciences

Tanya Dapkey, the Macroinvertebrates Section Lead of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research, stands on the edges of the Delaware River. Trees rustle in the breeze, the water laps on mossy rocks. Holding a small clear vial of water, her collected sample, Dapkey is using a novel scientific technique aimed at detecting particles of living organisms eDNA.

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Protecting Clean Water Together: All Those Plastics You Thought You Couldn't Recycle? Now You Can In Monroe County

PA Environment Daily

By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association The world has a plastic problem. And its not just that as much 40 percent of the oceans surface is now covered in plastic with billions of tons being added every day. Plastic is also in our bodies. Our lungs, our blood streams, our hearts. And not just in adults its even in the organs of newborn babies.

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Fires used to terrify city residents. New research suggests climate change could see this fear return

Environmental News Bits

by David Bowman, University of Tasmania and Calum Cunningham, University of Tasmania For centuries, fire was one of the major fears for city-dwellers. Dense cities built largely of wood could and did burn. In 1666, a fire in a bakery went on to destroy two-thirds of the city of London, leaving 85% of residents homeless. … Continue reading Fires used to terrify city residents.

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Common artificial sweetener makes you three times hungrier than sugar

New Scientist

The artificial sweetener sucralose increases brain activity in regions involved in appetite, suggesting it makes people hungrier

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District Court Vacates Lesser Prairie-Chicken 4(d) Rule

Endangered Species Law

On March 29, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (District Court) vacated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) special 4(d) rule for the northern distinct population segment (DPS) of the lesser prairie-chicken (LEPC). The 4(d) rule had prohibited, in most circumstances, “take” of the species’ northern DPS. Plaintiffs challenged the 4(d) rule in a number of ways, including on grounds that the U.S.

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Shingles Vaccination May Help Protect People from Alzheimer’s Disease

Scientific American

A natural experiment in Wales showed that a shingles vaccine might lower the risk of developing dementia

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EPA To Hold May 6 Virtual Hearing [If Requested] On Proposed Permit For A Sandstone Development Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Lafayette Twp., McKean County

PA Environment Daily

On April 3, the US Environmental Protection published notice it will hold a May 6 virtual hearing [if requested] on a proposed underground oil and gas wastewater injection well for enhanced recovery of oil and gas owned by Sandstone Development, LLC in Cyclone, Lafayette Township, McKean County. Sandstone applied for one UIC Class IIR injection well permit for the injection of produced fluids in the McKay 7A conventional well for the enhanced recovery of oil and gas in the McKay Lease area.

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Agostina Torres: The order and timing of removal of invasive species influence community reassembly

The Applied Ecologist

Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Agostina Torres introduces us to her latest research which evaluated the dependence of community reassembly on inverse priority effects by experimentally removing the target invasives in field and mesocosm communities. About the research Overview The study emerged as part of my PhD doctorate. Along with my supervisors, Drs.

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NASA cut $420 million for climate science, moon modelling and more

New Scientist

Under pressure from Elon Musks DOGE task force, NASA is cancelling grants and contracts for everything from lunar dust research to educational programmes

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USDA Will Fund 543 Projects in 29 States Through Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program 

Nanotech

On March 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will release obligated funding under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states. According to the press release, USDA is aggressively exploring additional ways to unleash American energy and incentivize the production and use of homegrown U.S. biofuels, including working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop Renewable Volume O