We’re in a race against time to solve climate change. Can the good news catch up to the bad?
This week, the EPA took some hits, but the U.S. Military seems determined to march onward with clean energy initiatives.
The Bad News
PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS EPA FUNDING
Donald Trump’s proposed budget, released Monday, cuts the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by nearly a quarter. In order to meet these new budget requirements, it seems federal efforts to fight climate change will be the first to go, as Pruitt has promised to not cut funds distributed to states. However, a final budget must be approved by Congress, and some are optimistic that the final cuts will be less deep. Read More
EPA BACKS DOWN ON METHANE DISCLOSURE
Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency withdrew an Obama-era request that asked oil and natural gas producers to report on their methane emissions. Newly confirmed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said the move reduced burdens on businesses. The information about emissions would have been used to help develop further methane regulations, while existing regulations are already under attack from Congress. Read More and Act
UTAH ENDS SUBSIDY FOR CLEANER CARS
The Utah state legislature voted to end a subsidy for energy-efficient vehicles this week. The measure failed by just one vote. Read More
WEIRD WARM WEATHER HITS ANTARCTICA
As much of North America continued to see unseasonably warm temperatures this week, a new record high was announced for a different continent. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the record high temperature for Antarctica is now 63.5ºF, breaking the previous record of 59ºF. The new high happened on March 24, 2015 and the data point was recorded at the Argentine Research Base Esperanza. Read More
The Good News
WIND FARMS MAKE UP A QUARTER OF MAINE’S POWER GENERATION
According to newly released data, one-fourth of Maine’s electricity now comes from wind power. Two large wind farms came online at the end of 2016. Read More
COAL USE DOWN, SOLAR PANELS UP IN CHINA
In 2016, coal consumption was down for another year in a row, a hopeful sign that coal use in China already has peaked. Meanwhile, solar capacity grew 81.6 percent. China now has double the total installed solar capacity of the U.S. Read More
U.S. MILITARY DETERMINED TO STAY ON TRACK WITH CLEAN ENERGY
Although President Trump has promised the growth of fossil fuels in the U.S., military officials say they will continue to improve energy efficiency and move ahead with green energy projects. Reducing military reliance on fossil fuels can help protect troops and contractors, as fuel delivery convoys are particularly vulnerable to enemy attacks. Read More and See the YEARS Story
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