News & Commentary

The Big Muddy River’s Long, Turbulent Relationship with Coal

August 14, 2020 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

As a proposal threatens to dump mining waste into a Mississippi River tributary, an Illinois community reassesses its coal industry ties.

Meet the Sunshine State’s New Clean Energy Darling—Community Solar

August 6, 2020 DispatchOrlandoCourtney Lindwall

As part of the American Cities Climate Challenge, Orlando, Florida’s solar strategies are helping make the clean energy revolution more accessible for all.

Alabama’s Waterways, Wildlife, and Recreation Are Up a Creek with Trump’s “Dirty Water Rule”

June 29, 2020 DispatchAlabamaRobynne Boyd

The rollback jeopardizes the streams that flow into the state’s rivers, lakes, and bays, millions of acres of wetlands across the country, and the drinking water supply.

These Tiny, Treetop-Living, Ewok-Looking Creatures May Be Getting Socially Distanced to Extinction

June 8, 2020 DispatchOregonJason Bittel

Red tree voles spend their whole lives in Oregon’s treetops, but deforestation has cut them off from the rest of their kind.

The Humble Beaver: Troublemaker or Climate Superhero?

May 27, 2020 DispatchMontana, WestAlisa Opar

Beavers create rich habitats and act as buffers against the effects of drought and wildfire—spurring efforts to pinpoint new ways to help us coexist with North America’s largest rodent.

New Water Worries in Climate-Stressed New Mexico

May 13, 2020 DispatchNew Mexico, Santa FeLora Shinn

Federal rollbacks could leave New Mexico’s limited water dirtier by excluding up to 90 percent of the state’s waterways from protection.

Expand the DAPL? Only Illinois Stands in the Way

May 5, 2020 DispatchIllinois, North Dakota, South DakotaSusan Cosier

Environmental advocates are fighting a proposal to double the amount of crude oil flowing through the pipeline.

As Sea Level Rise Threatens Their Ancestral Village, a Louisiana Tribe Fights to Stay Put

April 13, 2020 DispatchLouisianaBarry Yeoman

They survived the BP oil disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and decades of industry spoiling their wetlands. Whatever their future holds, the people of Grand Bayou want to decide it for themselves.

The Mother Who Became a Voice for the Gulf

April 6, 2020 DispatchLouisianaNicole Greenfield

After the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Kindra Arnesen went to the mat to help heal and protect her southeastern Louisiana community and the fishery it relies on. Ten years later, she’s still fighting.

Getting the Lead Out of Yonkers Schools

April 2, 2020 DispatchYonkers, New YorkNicole Greenfield

When New York State pulled back the curtain on its school lead problem, Yonkers stood out as one of the worst performers.

Wilmington’s Battle With GenX, a Dangerous Teflon Chemical

April 2, 2020 DispatchNorth CarolinaJodi Helmer

A toxic chemical discovered in the drinking water system serving communities along North Carolina’s Cape Fear River raised the alarm about contamination from the nearby Chemours chemical plant. Although levels of GenX, used to make nonstick products, have receded, the…

Toledo’s Blooming Algae Crisis

April 2, 2020 DispatchToledoJodi Helmer

A toxic algae outbreak that left Toledo without drinking water for several days in 2014 served as a wakeup call for responsible farming in the region. Efforts have been made to prevent algae blooms in Lake Erie, but a changing…

As the Ocean Encroaches, this Washington State Tribe Is Building Its Next Chapter

March 30, 2020 DispatchWashingtonJodi Helmer

The Quinault Indian Nation is one of several Pacific Northwest tribes planning for relocation, among many other climate adaptation strategies.

Free Bus Service Is the Hot New Thing in Transit

March 3, 2020 DispatchOlympia, WashingtonStarre Vartan

Olympia, Washington, is the latest city to roll out a fare-free bus system, with traffic congestion, equity, and the climate in mind.

Agrivoltaics: Sheep (and Soil Scientists) Juice Up the Solar Farm

February 20, 2020 DispatchGeorgia, North Carolina, EastRobynne Boyd

Solar farmers get a hand from regenerative agriculture experts to feed the soil under their arrays—another powerful tool to help fight climate change.

Toxic “Forever Chemicals” Came Between This Farmer, His Cows, and the Air Force

February 19, 2020 DispatchNew MexicoTim Vanderpool

The PFAS-laden firefighting foam used in training exercises at military bases easily slips into groundwater supplies, tainting everything around it.

Can a New Tax on Uber and Lyft Rides in Chicago Change Commuting Habits?

February 12, 2020 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

A surcharge on trips taken with ride-hailing services could reduce traffic, cut emissions, and help fund much-needed public transit improvements on the South and West Sides of the city.

A Garden Grows in Newark—and a Community Grows Around It

February 7, 2020 DispatchNewarkJeff Turrentine

How an urban farm became an anchor for the city’s South Ward.

Denver Wants to Zoom Past Its Car-Centric Street Design

February 6, 2020 DispatchDenverLucas High

City officials see dedicated bus corridors, scooter-share programs, and protected bike lanes as key to greening their transportation network.

He’s Leading D.C.’s Movement for Climate Action—and He’s a High School Senior

January 30, 2020 DispatchWashington, D.C.Karen L. Smith-Janssen

Jerome Foster II is the 17-year-old helming the Fridays for Future strike in Washington, D.C., the founder of the OneMillionOfUs movement to mobilize young voters, and the voice of a generation demanding climate action now.