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Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in northwestern Alaska

The Biden Administration Protects Millions of Acres of Arctic Alaska

April 19, 2024 Latest NewsAlaskaJenny Shalant

The new Special Areas Rule in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska could boost biodiversity and empower Indigenous Peoples to defend the lands they’ve relied on for generations.

Two adults and a child walk along a sandy shoreline

“Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home

April 10, 2024 ExplainerUnited StatesMolly M. Ginty, Courtney Lindwall

These toxic chemicals are so common in consumer products and manufacturing that they’re everywhere—including inside our bodies.

A river with green trees on either side, with yellow hills in the background

In Planning for Climate Change, Native Americans Draw on the Past

March 11, 2024 ExplainerUnited States, CanadaTim Vanderpool

Across North America, Indigenous tribes and nations are consulting their traditional ecological knowledge to help prepare for a warming world.

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The Electric Car Revolution Shouldn’t Leave Anyone Behind

May 27, 2021 DispatchUnited States, Missouri, St. LouisSusan Cosier

A new program in St. Louis, Missouri, is bringing EVs and charging stations to low-income neighborhoods—and turning senior and disabled residents into early adopters, one ride at a time.

A Hopeful Vision for the Future of Columbus and Some of Its Most Historic Neighborhoods

October 21, 2020 DispatchColumbusNicole Greenfield

Elijah Carter, a 31-year-old retail professional who recently bought and made energy-efficient upgrades to his first home, discusses the importance of energy efficiency education in cities like his native Columbus, Ohio.

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…

How Cincinnati Is Punching Above Its Weight in the Climate Fight

October 24, 2019 DispatchCincinnatiSarah Stankorb

For years this midsize city has been a leader in cutting carbon pollution. Now it’s raising its game with solar, energy efficiency, and electric cars.

The Ohio River Defines the Borders of Five States—But Its Pollution Doesn’t Stop at State Lines

August 21, 2019 DispatchPennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, IllinoisSusan Cosier

In a move that could open the door to industrial waste and interstate squabbles, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is making its water quality standards voluntary.

Columbus Makes Its Historically Disadvantaged Neighborhoods a Key to Its Climate Future

July 9, 2019 DispatchColumbus, OhioSarah Stankorb

Self-driving shuttles and energy audits are helping to keep this Ohio boomtown booming (without the carbon bust).

Ohio Gains Ground on a Hidden Hazard: More Than a Century’s Worth of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

March 26, 2019 DispatchOhioAustyn Gaffney

Forgotten, derelict, and often leaky, these so-called orphan wells could number in the thousands.

Ohio Communities Are Becoming a Dumping Ground for the Fracking Industry

December 3, 2018 DispatchOhioAustyn Gaffney

Earthquakes, spills, and groundwater contamination—wastewater wells come with many risks and few rewards for Trumbull County residents.

The Forecast for Jobs in Appalachian Ohio Looks Sunny and Bright

July 25, 2018 DispatchOhioAustyn Gaffney

A 400-megawatt solar farm could make this region a hub for clean power and big companies looking to cut carbon.

Following Spills, Ohio Wants to Reroute the Rover Pipeline but Lacks the Muscle

February 26, 2018 DispatchOhioSusan Cosier

High-profile disasters on the controversial pipeline prompted the feds to temporarily halt construction, but the state demands a more permanent solution.

Can the Great Lakes Become Fishable, Drinkable, and Swimmable Again?

January 29, 2018 DispatchMidwest, Canada, Ohio, IllinoisSusan Cosier

A joint United States–Canada report maps out the way to clean up the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem

Life on the Mississippi, Now

January 5, 2016 DispatchMissouri, Illinois, MidwestBarry Yeoman

We've spent billions of dollars on dikes, locks, and levees in a vain attempt to subdue what Mark Twain called "that lawless stream." Is it time to let the river have its way?