Environment

New Gas And Chemical Facilities Crowd Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'

6:02am March 10, 2020

by Tegan Wendland

An industrial corridor in Louisiana is expanding again, fueled by the boom in natural gas. Residents worried about air pollution have launched new efforts to stop the factories.

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Australia's Extreme Heat

3:54pm March 09, 2020

by Nathan Rott

Australia's devastating wildfires grabbed global attention, but far more residents were grappling with deadly, extreme heat. The country is getting hotter, and many communities are not prepared.

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Australia Is Beginning To Recover From Massive Wildfires

5:03pm March 05, 2020

by Nathan Rott

Australia's land and people are slowly starting to recover from the country's unprecedented bushfires. But given the devastation, it's not clear when or if communities will return to normal.

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Environment

New Research Center Will Focus On PFAS Toxicity And Exposure

4:00pm March 05, 2020

by Keri Brown

North Carolina State University has a new center to study the effects of PFAS chemicals on the environment and human health.

February satellite readings in the troposphere (the lower atmosphere) of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant primarily from burning fossil fuels, show a dramatic decline compared to early January when power plants were operating at normal levels.

Why China's Air Has Been Cleaner During The Coronavirus Outbreak

6:42pm March 04, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Air pollution levels have dropped dramatically as power plants and factories have slowed down — potentially saving lives. But the public health benefits aren't so simple to calculate.

Pam Frank, CEO of ChargEVC, drives a bright Orange Chevrolet Bolt because she wants others to notice its an electric car.

States Take The Wheel Promoting Electric Vehicles

5:19pm March 04, 2020

by Jeff Brady

There are nearly 1.5 million electric vehicles in the U.S. today. E.V. boosters want more government incentives to increase that. With little federal movement states like New Jersey are taking action.

A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, New South Wales, Australia, on Jan. 25. Wildfires destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed more nearly 11 million hectares since the summer fires began.

All Bushfires Extinguished In Australia's Hardest-Hit New South Wales, Officials Say

5:31pm March 02, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

It's the first time since July that the state has been fire-free. "That's more than 240 days of fire activity" across the country's most populous state, New South Wales Rural Fire Service said.

A flooded road leading to the Arkema chemical plant near Houston, Texas in August 2017. Multiple employees including the plant manager are facing criminal charges for allegedly failing to adequately prepare for flooding that caused massive chemical fires

Texas Criminal Trial Highlights Climate Liability For Factories In Floodplains

4:58pm March 02, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

A criminal case in Houston alleges that employees at a chemical company should have prepared for the record flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

Maine Among Several States Looking To Shift Recycling Costs Back To Manufacturers

11:56am March 01, 2020

Disposing of waste is complicated, and cities often bear the brunt of the cost. NPR's Leila Fadel talks with the sustainability coordinator for Portland about a proposal to change that.

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Low Snowpack In California Mountains May Mean More Wildfires This Summer

4:23pm February 27, 2020

by Peter Arcuni

The snowpack in California is dangerously low. The state gets most of its water from snow melt that begins high in the Sierra Nevada. Low snowpack means a drier summer and potentially more wildfires.