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Wildfires in the western United States are increasing in size and severity due to climate change and historical fire suppression, posing significant risks to water resources. High-severity fires destroy vegetation and alter soil chemistry, leading to increased streamflow, flooding, and the contamination of drinking water with sediments, toxins, and carcinogens. The document advocates for a combination of emissions reductions, active forest management—including prescribed and Indigenous cultural burns—and investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure to mitigate these threats.

The guide outlines five primary methods to combat disinformation: avoiding engagement with false content to prevent algorithmic amplification, 'inoculating' others by warning them of disinformation patterns, amplifying credible sources using techniques like the 'truth sandwich', reporting violating content to social media platforms, and building trust through one-on-one conversations.

The guide defines disinformation as lies spread for financial or political gain and outlines the "Four D's of Oppression"—division, distraction, delays, and demoralization—used by bad actors to block progress on issues like climate change. It advises against repeating or quoting disinformation to avoid the "illusory truth effect" and instead recommends building "values-driven narratives" that are accurate, aspirational, and actionable. The document emphasizes relational organizing, prioritizing empathy over expertise, and holding platforms and creators of disinformation accountable.

The Biden administration's new emissions standards for model years 2023–2026 improve upon the previous SAFE rule, with fleet average emissions reductions rising up to 10 percent by model year 2026. While these rules are projected to reduce global warming emissions by 440 million metric tons and drive electric vehicle (EV) deployment to 14 percent by 2026, the Union of Concerned Scientists argues they are insufficient. The document highlights critical loopholes, such as the 'SUV Loophole' and 'off-cycle' credits, and asserts that all new vehicle sales must be electric by 2035 to prevent the worst impacts of global warming.

The document highlights the role of boreal forests in storing two-thirds of global forest carbon and the threat posed by intensifying wildfires. It argues that current fire management in Alaska does not account for carbon emissions and is underfunded relative to its contribution to US fire emissions. Research suggests that increasing spending on fire suppression could cost-effectively reduce fire size and CO2 emissions, costing approximately $12.63 per ton of CO2 averted.

The document outlines the technical framework for analyzing a transition to 100% renewable energy in U.S. Climate Alliance states. It describes the use of the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and Distributed Generation Market Demand (dGen) models to simulate various policy scenarios, including a '100% RES scenario' and a 'Clean Electricity Standard scenario'. The methodology includes specific retirement schedules for coal plants in Michigan and Minnesota, as well as a collaboration with Greenlink Analytics to model socioeconomic impacts, including public health benefits, macroeconomic shifts in employment and GDP, and changes to household energy burdens.

The document argues that Massachusetts can meet 100 percent of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035 through an aggressive build-out of wind, solar, and battery storage. This transition is projected to generate $1.7 billion in public health savings and $6.8 billion in net labor income by 2040. The analysis emphasizes the need for a just transition that prioritizes overburdened communities, provides support for fossil fuel workers, and ensures equitable access to clean energy technologies.

The document argues that Michigan can meet all electricity needs with wind, solar, and batteries by 2035, leading to significant public health savings, job growth, and emissions reductions, provided the transition is managed equitably.

The document argues that Minnesota can meet its electricity needs with 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, leading to significant public health savings, job growth, and emissions reductions, provided the transition is managed equitably.

The report finds that USCA states can meet 100% of their electricity consumption with renewables by 2035, even with increased demand from electrification. This transition would significantly reduce air pollution, prevent 6,000 to 13,000 premature deaths, and lower average household energy burdens from 3.7% to 3.0% by 2040. While the transition creates substantial net jobs in renewable installation, the authors argue that proactive equity policies are necessary to ensure benefits reach marginalized communities and fossil fuel workers.

The document is a formal statement signed by 271 experts supporting the US EPA's 2016 Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) risk value for ethylene oxide. The signatories argue that the IRIS value represents the best available science and was developed through a transparent, peer-reviewed process. They specifically oppose the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) alternative risk value, claiming it underestimates cancer risk by 2000-fold, ignores evidence linking ethylene oxide to breast cancer in women, and lacks transparency. Additionally, the authors call for the EPA to consider cumulative health risks and environmental justice for marginalized communities living near industrial polluters.

The Union of Concerned Scientists advocates for Maryland to adopt the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule to mitigate health impacts from diesel exhaust and ensure an equitable transition to electric vehicles.

The Union of Concerned Scientists and EV Noire argue that Clean Fuel Standards (CFS) can provide critical financial support for transportation electrification by setting declining carbon intensity standards for fuels. Using examples from California and Oregon, the briefing emphasizes that while CFS are technology-neutral, they can enable broader goals like zero-emission bus fleets and equitable EV access if paired with strong oversight, public engagement, and safeguards against harmful fuel pathways.

The Union of Concerned Scientists used the HOMER Grid model to analyze microgrid configurations for Parker Village, a planned eight-acre development in Highland Park, Michigan. The analysis focused on a grid-separated (islanded) system powered by solar photovoltaic panels and battery storage to maximize community independence. Findings indicate that while a grid-separated microgrid is feasible, it requires significant solar and battery capacity and necessitates fossil fuel backup (natural gas or diesel) to meet winter peak demand. Alternatively, a grid-connected backup option reduces initial investment costs and battery requirements but maintains a dependency on the utility for approximately 2% of annual power demand. The study emphasizes that increasing building energy efficiency could reduce the necessary scale of energy resources and minimize reliance on fossil fuel backups.

The document describes the use of HOMER Grid software to analyze solar and battery storage configurations for the Parker Village neighborhood in Highland Park, Michigan. It outlines financial assumptions, building stock electricity demand based on full electrification and heat pump use, and technology costs for solar PV, Tesla Powerpack storage, and backup generators. The analysis results in several recommended system configurations combining 1.1 MW of solar PV with varying levels of storage and backup options (diesel, natural gas, or grid connection) to ensure resilience and reliability.

Heavy-duty vehicles, defined as those weighing over 10,000 pounds, contribute disproportionately to global warming and local air pollution. Despite making up only 10% of vehicles on the road, they generate over 25% of transportation sector emissions. Diesel engines emit nitrogen oxides (NOx), ground-level ozone, and particulate matter (PM), which cause respiratory and heart diseases and increase cancer risks. These pollutants disproportionately affect low-income BIPOC communities located near highways. The document argues that switching to electric heavy-duty vehicles can eliminate tailpipe emissions and reduce operating costs, while emphasizing the need for stricter emissions limits on remaining diesel trucks due to their long operational lifespans.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluates the first year of the Biden administration's efforts to restore scientific integrity and address environmental and health crises. The report assesses progress in rehiring government scientists, rolling back previous administration initiatives that harmed the environment and climate, and identifies urgent areas requiring further action across nine specific issue areas.

The document argues that adopting California's ACT and HDO rules would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in Connecticut, leading to substantial health savings and economic benefits by 2050.

The report analyzes the transition of California's medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (M/HDV) fleet to zero-emission vehicles under various policy scenarios. It finds that accelerating the 100 percent ZEV sales mandate from 2040 to 2036 would increase cumulative net societal benefits by $9.9 billion by 2050, primarily through reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved public health. While ZEVs currently have higher purchase costs, the analysis projects they will reach lifetime cost parity with combustion vehicles by 2030, with average vehicles purchased in 2040 saving owners over $47,000. However, the report notes that out-of-state combination trucks will remain a significant emission source, accounting for 75 percent of M/HDV GHG emissions by 2050 under the most aggressive scenario.

The analysis finds that adopting a Federal Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and NOx Omnibus policy would significantly reduce greenhouse gas and NOx emissions, create over 63,000 net jobs by 2035, and generate $487.7 billion in cumulative net societal benefits by 2050. It highlights that the EPA's baseline underestimates ZEV adoption, thereby overestimating the relative impact of NOx standards. The report projects that average Class 4-8 ZEVs will reach total cost of ownership parity with internal combustion engines by model year 2030, with significant lifetime savings by 2040.