Resilience
States and localities are having to adjust to a changing climate, establishing new policies, rules and guidelines relating to energy, land use and water rights, as well as responding to emergencies triggered by more intense storms, floods and wildfires.
Last year’s Lahaina wildfire killed 102 people and forced thousands to flee. But more than 90 percent of 1,478 residential lots have been cleared of fire-related debris and a historic settlement will resolve 450 lawsuits.
From buckling roads to twisted rails, it’s under a lot of stress. Engineers have some ideas for minimizing the problems.
Michigan’s Homeowners’ Energy Policy Act will take effect in October and will prevent HOAs from blocking the installation of a wide range of energy-efficient measures at their homes. Residents of mobile home communities might be next.
Mark Twain famous aphorism, “History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” reminds us that while exact circumstances may be unique, patterns do in fact repeat. That is true meteorologically this year as the U.S. navigates through another summer of extreme weather.
At the current pace of development, the number of public electric vehicle chargers across the nation will outnumber gas stations in about eight years. Many even expect charger momentum to increase, shortening the predicted timeline.
On Monday, July 15, Chicago issued 16 tornado warnings, the most sent on a single day since 2004. In an average year, the state only experiences 50 tornadoes annually. But as the air becomes more humid, tornadoes will become more common.
The water was being siphoned at the top of an old coal ash pond for reuse at the Boswell Energy Center in Cohasset, Minn., but escaped after an underground pipe broke. Experts say the risk is low to local drinking water.
Heavy rains on Tuesday threatened failure of the 89-year-old Nashville, Mo., City Reservoir Dam, forcing about 200 people to evacuate their homes. More rain is expected across the region.
The state’s power grid maintained service throughout a nearly three-weeklong record-setting heat wave. Officials are crediting investments in clean energy, particularly in 10,000 megawatts of battery storage.
Regardless of the continuing partisan debates about climate change, Republican-led states are benefiting economically from clean energy investments.
No rainmaker, aqueduct or prayer can save the Ogallala Aquifer from depletion. The battle over its decline pits good policy against powerful agricultural and political interests.
The state has joined with other Northeastern states in an effort to plan and develop regional transmission infrastructure.
Before making landfall, Hurricane Beryl had already made history as the fastest-growing hurricane to form this early in the season. But experts recommend treating Beryl as the new normal for this upcoming hurricane season.
In the Cuyama Valley, north of Santa Barbara, water continues to be heavily pumped to irrigate thousands of acres of farmland. A plan to prevent over-pumping has sparked a legal battle.
Homeowners are being squeezed out of affordable coverage. Sustainable intergovernmental partnerships with the insurance industry offer a solution. And there may be a role for state and local pension funds.
A recently-expanded law covers more than 12,000 miles of road that account for 60 percent of all miles driven in the state. As part of its climate strategy, Minnesota hopes to reduce driving 20 percent by 2050.
Construction of nuclear plants is often only feasible thanks to public subsidies that mitigate risk. Then that risk gets shifted back onto government.
Insurance companies have a safety valve that can spare them some of the costs of disaster relief — but it comes at the expense of their customers.
States are spending about $20 billion of the flexible funding from the American Rescue Plan Act on water infrastructure. Demand is expected to grow in coming years.
The industry’s troubles are complicated but it’s far from dead. Some policy changes may help it find firmer footing.
The state Department of Environmental Protection announced that it is 91 percent of the way toward meeting its carbon neutrality target by 2045. But the state still has a way to go before reaching its other climate goals.
Sixteen states and D.C. have signed on to California’s latest unworkable mandate for zero-emission vehicles. Virginia is the first of those to abandon California’s regulations. That’s a win for the state, its workers and its businesses.
Storms that have devastated mountain communities and other inland regions are a reminder to prepare. New development in areas that were once thought unlikely to flood may be more susceptible as the climate heats up.
A new commission appointed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills will explore ways to make state infrastructure more resilient to climate change.
A new order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeks to prod longer-term planning to address growing power demands and the transition to renewables.
Some conservatives want Washington to stay out of disaster zones, leaving the job to states and localities, along with private insurance. This won't fly politically or practically.
Florida and Alabama have made it a crime to produce or sell meat grown in a lab, and a U.S. senator has joined what he calls the “pro-bio slop caucus.” Instead, they should be celebrating good old American innovation.
Other local governments and regions can learn from a range of strategies such as zoning changes, encouraging EVs and making freight systems more efficient.
A big slice of Inflation Reduction Act funding comes with a mandate to help underserved communities. Cincinnati is already delivering on the promise.
It will be one of the most noticeable ways climate change threatens human health in the years to come. It could cause as many as 27,800 U.S. deaths per year by 2050.
To help ensure the passage of nearly 2 billion birds from around 400 different species, the National Audubon Society is asking state residents to dim their nighttime lights as a part of the biannual “Lights Out, Texas!” campaign.
