Sat.May 27, 2023 - Fri.Jun 02, 2023

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Three Reasons Why Spring is a Great Time for Renewable Energy

Union of Concerned Scientists

I love spring. I love unmuffling as I—and the world around me—shake off winter. I love flowers popping up, trees leafing out, birds singing their hearts out. And I love hearing about new renewable electricity records as spring unfolds. A few recent examples for that last love: California scored a new record for total generation from renewable energy in mid-April and a new record for solar production in mid-May.

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As Plastics Keep Piling Up, Can ‘Advanced’ Recycling Cut the Waste?

Yale E360

Proponents of a process called pyrolysis — including oil and gas companies — contend it will keep post-consumer plastics out of landfills and reduce pollution. But critics say that by converting waste to petroleum feedstock, it will only perpetuate a dependence on fossil fuels.

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Supreme Court Curtails Federal Wetlands Protections; Developers Still Must Consider State and Local Wetlands Laws

Law and Environment

On May 25, 202 3, the Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency , which significantly narrowed the Clean Water Act’s (“CWA”) test for determining whether wetlands are protected “waters of the United States” and the federal permitting requirements for development projects in covered wetlands areas. The Court’s Ruling The Supreme Court’s ruling has two basic parts: It adopted Justice Scalia’s plurality opinion in Rapanos v.

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Evaluation of GCM simulations with a regional focus.

Real Climate

Do the global climate models (GCMs) we use for describing future climate change really capture the change and variations in the region that we want to study? There are widely used tools for evaluating global climate models, such as the ESMValTool , but they don’t provide the answers that I seek. I use GCMs to provide information about large-scale conditions, processes and phenomena in the atmosphere that I can use as predictors in downscaling future climate projections.

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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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Planet Labs, UAE Space Agency to Build Satellite Atlas for Climate Damage, Resilience

Environment + Energy Leader

The project aims to provide countries facing extreme climate risk with data to help build climate resilience through policy decisions and financial programs.

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Long-Duration Energy Storage is Key to Cleaning up the Power Grid

Union of Concerned Scientists

When reading about energy storage you may come across terms like long-term storage, seasonal storage, diurnal storage, or long-duration storage. Long-term storage can include seasonal energy storage, which can shift delivery of power to a different time of year. Diurnal storage can shift power delivery over a few days. And, long-duration storage is particularly important for the power grid’s transformation to clean energy and what I’m focusing on here.

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Shanghai Sees Hottest May Weather on Record

Yale E360

Shanghai recorded its highest May temperature ever amid an extended stretch of sweltering spring heat.

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Coal Will Nosedive by 2050 While Wind and Solar Shoot Up, Benefiting Companies

Environment + Energy Leader

The latest data from the Energy Information Administration doesn't look good for coal. In the most likely scenario, coal provides 5% of the electric portfolio, while wind and solar make up 55%.

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Atlantic Hurricane Season 2023: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly—and More

Union of Concerned Scientists

Another Atlantic hurricane season is upon us starting on June 1 st. What will this season bring? Hard to foretell, but some data can help us with the basics. First of all, the good Colorado State University released its forecast (usually the first out every year), which projects an Atlantic hurricane season somewhat weaker than recent years, with 13 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), six hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), and two major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 11

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Reports of an AI drone that 'killed' its operator are pure fiction

New Scientist

It has been widely reported that a US Air Force drone went rogue and "killed" its operator in a simulation, sparking fears of an AI revolution - but this simulation never took place. Why are we so quick to believe AI horror stories?

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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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Youth Climate Lawsuit Against Federal Government Headed for Trial

Yale E360

A federal judge has ruled that a high-profile climate lawsuit, brought by a group of Oregon youth against the U.S. government, can finally go to trial.

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What EPA’s New Rule for Power Plants Means to Commercial and Industrial Users

Environment + Energy Leader

While the coal and natural gas industries will fight this proposed rule, the corporate sector has either been eager to move to renewables or resigned to it. For companies with net-zero goals, it may make their transition smoother and inevitable.

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Mountain Valley Pipeline Pushed Forward on False Claims of Need

NRDC

Claims that MVP is needed for energy security or demand—or that it is nearly built and has no legal hurdles ahead—are contradicted by data.

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As Water Levels Drop, the Risk of Arsenic Rises

Inside Climate News

In Colorado's famed San Luis Valley, residents who rely on well water are grappling not only with a shortage amid drought, but questionable quality of the water coming out of the ground. By Melissa Bailey, KFF Health News When John Mestas’ ancestors moved to Colorado over 100 years ago to raise sheep in the San Luis Valley, they “hit paradise,” he said.

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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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Scientists Identify Bacteria That Can Break Down 'Forever Chemicals'

Yale E360

Researchers have identified soil bacteria able to break down some PFAS chemicals, known as "forever chemicals" because they take decades to degrade naturally.

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DOE Develops Catalyst to Produce Low-Cost Hydrogen from Water

Environment + Energy Leader

Hydrogen is considered an important piece of sustainability measures and lowering emissions in heavy industries such as steel and transportation.

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California Assembly Passes Climate-Resilient Food & Farming Bill

NRDC

With AB 408, California can reduce climate emissions, protect farmworkers, stimulate economic growth, and increase equity across the food and farming system.

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Virus that carries huge amounts of DNA could advance gene therapies

New Scientist

A modified virus that can carry around 20 times more DNA than existing viruses used for gene therapies could allow us to make complex changes to cells

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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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Digitalization and Predictive Policing in Conservation

Legal Planet

Digitalization is reshaping environmental governance in profound ways. As environmental degradation and climate change intensify, society increasingly turns to digital technologies to live more sustainably and protect biodiversity and other natural resources, such as land, water, and energy. Digital tools are transforming who is involved in environmental decision-making, how environmental problems are understood and assessed, and what actions are ultimately taken.

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DOE Launches Clean Fuels and Products Program to Decarbonize Transportation

Environment + Energy Leader

A goal of the program is to reduce emissions from these sources by 85% through 2035.

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Texas Supreme Court Rules on Suspension of Proceeds of Oil and Gas Production

Energy & the Law

Freeeport-McMoRan Oil and Gas, LLC and Ovintiv USA Inc. v. 1776 Energy Partners LLC presented a recurring question faced by Texas oil and gas producers: When can proceeds of production be withheld by the operator without liability for interest? Ovintiv and its predecessor operator, Freeport-McMoRan, represented by Gray Reed partners Jim Ormiston and David Leonard , suspended proceeds it was contractually obligated to pay to non-operator 1776 in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of Sectio

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Fresh, May 30, 2023: $30 Million EPA Grant Program Targets Pollution in Disadvantaged Communities

Circle of Blue

May 30, 2023 Fresh is a biweekly newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today. Sign up for Fresh: A Great Lakes Policy Briefing , straight to your inbox, every other Tuesday. — Christian Thorsberg, Interim Fresh Editor This Week’s Watersheds The Great Lakes ice season ended with the fourth-lowest average ice cover in half a century.

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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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Canada Is Finally Strengthening Its Toxics Law: Four Key Updates You Should Know

Enviromental Defense

After years of advocating for stronger toxics laws, we are celebrating the passage of Bill S-5 – the Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act in the House of the Commons. The bill is the first major update to Canada’s cornerstone environmental law, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) , since 1999, and it includes some new tools to better protect us and the environment from harmful substances.

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Debt Ceiling Agreement Includes Mountain Valley Pipeline, Environment Rules Concessions

Environment + Energy Leader

The compromise would also curtail certain environmental reviews.

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Humans evolved to walk with an extra spring in our step

Frontiers

by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Scientists have discovered that the recoil created by the flexible arch of human feet helps position our legs in the optimal posture for moving forward in bipedal walking. Understanding how our joints help modern humans walk upright could help us track the evolution of bipedalism and improve care for patients with foot problems.

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A wolf-dog hybrid has been confirmed in India for the first time

New Scientist

A strange canine was spotted in a pack of wolves near Pune in western India, but it stood out for its lighter coat and dog-like facial features.

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Affordable Housing Is Infrastructure

NRDC

We need to invest in our housing stock to protect residents from displacement and help them fight and prepare for the climate crisis.

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Georgia Power Nuclear Reactor Reaches 100% Energy Output

Environment + Energy Leader

The company is constructing two units, which it says are the first in the U.S. in nearly 30 years.

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Climate Change Is Exacerbating Inflation Worldwide

Scientific American

Rising temperatures could increase global inflation by as much as 1 percent every year until 2035

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Frontiers responds to the European Council’s conclusions on open science publishing

Frontiers

On 23 May 2023, the European Council adopted conclusions that called for transparent, equitable, and open access to scholarly publications. It argued for immediate and unrestricted access to published science that benefits from public funding. The Council has reached an ethically sound conclusion – that paywalls around publicly funded scientific research should be taken down.

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Tuesday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 5.30.23

PA Environment Daily

Are You Telling Your Story? House holds Regular Session June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22 -- Committee Schedule Senate holds Regular Session June 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 -- Committee Schedule TODAY’s Calendar Of Events WEDNESDAY 1:30: PA Recycling Markets Center Webinar Environmental Justice Issues For Recycling Facilities , 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

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Accenture Bolsters Sustainability Services with Green Domus Acquisition

Environment + Energy Leader

Together, they will enable customized plans to lower carbon emissions, focusing on reducing costs while creating long-lasting solutions for decarbonization.