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The report finds that while most US states meet the minimum legal requirements for Title V air permitting notices, there are substantial gaps in transparency, accessibility, and the actual influence of public input on final decisions. It highlights that many public notices are written at a college reading level and lack plain language, and that few agencies transparently report how public comments shape permit outcomes. The analysis suggests that states with specific environmental justice or cumulative impacts laws tend to have better engagement practices. It recommends that agencies adopt plain language, provide multilingual resources, and establish clear mechanisms for reporting how community input affects regulatory decisions.

GreenLatinos and a coalition of organizations have called on the American Trucking Associations (ATA) to select a new leader who embraces the transition to electric vehicles and cleaner technology. The group criticizes the ATA for lobbying against California's Advanced Clean Trucks framework and the EPA's 2027 heavy-duty NOx rule, arguing that these actions prolong driver exposure to carcinogenic diesel pollution and harm 'Diesel Death Zones'.

California state legislators are calling on their federal representatives to oppose 13 Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions aimed at overturning state emissions standards. The legislators argue that revoking the Advanced Clean Cars I (ACCI) and Small Off-Road Engines (SORE) programs would increase air pollution, jeopardize public health in frontline communities, and risk billions of dollars in federal highway funding by undermining California's ability to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). They highlight that the state's air quality is already critical, with six of the ten most ozone-polluted cities in the U.S. located in California.

Mighty Earth reports that major US RV manufacturers (Winnebago, Thor, Forest River) source meranti plywood from Mayawana Persada in Borneo, Indonesia. This sourcing is linked to the destruction of 40,000 hectares of carbon-rich peatlands, which have become highly susceptible to wildfires during the 'Godzilla El Niño', resulting in orangutan deaths. The organization is campaigning for the industry to switch to FSC-certified wood or low-footprint composites.

The report identifies a 'planning gap' in deregulated U.S. power markets where short-term wholesale price signals and Clean Electricity Standards (CES) fail to incentivize long-lead time, capital-intensive technologies like nuclear, geothermal, and long-duration energy storage. To address this, the authors propose a 'hybrid market' approach called state-led planning, which consists of three core components: system needs assessments, technology development roadmaps, and state-led procurement. This framework allows states to provide the long-term revenue certainty required by investors while maintaining the operational efficiencies of competitive wholesale markets. The report highlights Illinois's Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act as a primary example of this approach in practice and discusses the role of FERC Order 1920 in improving regional transmission planning.

The report details a pattern of labor violations at Grimmway Farms since its 2021 acquisition by Teays River Investments, including disability discrimination, wage theft, and unsafe working conditions. It highlights a 2023 fatal accident involving Rosa Miriam Sanchez and argues that the private equity business model can exacerbate poor working conditions in the US agricultural sector.

The 2026 State Healthcare Policy Review examines US state efforts to regulate private equity in healthcare, focusing on transparency, approval authority, targeted prohibitions, and the corporate practice of medicine. While several states enacted new disclosure and reporting laws, few expanded the power to block transactions, and many stringent proposals were narrowed or failed. Key developments include Maine's new administrative approval process and Connecticut's ban on hospital sale-leasebacks.

The document asserts that climate change is a systemic financial risk that threatens the global economy and the living conditions of beneficiaries, thereby making climate action an integral part of an asset owner's fiduciary duty. It advocates for a 'systemic approach' that prioritizes long-term stability over short-term gains, urging asset owners to halt capital allocation to fossil fuel expansion, engage aggressively with portfolio companies, influence asset managers, and advocate for ambitious public policies. The report highlights that current risk models often underestimate the potential for catastrophic economic losses, which could reach 50% of global GDP by the end of the century.

In Q2 2026, private equity firms acquired over 70 US companies with at least 500 employees, primarily in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and Manufacturing sectors. The report details specific instances of plant closures, layoffs, and labor disputes following these acquisitions, such as the closure of an MW Components plant in Houston one week after its purchase by Rosebank Industries. It also highlights systemic issues including OSHA violations at SunOpta and child labor scandals at Charlesbank Capital Partners' portfolio company, Hearthside Food Solutions. Additionally, the report notes environmental and regulatory concerns, including wastewater pollutant violations by Inframark in Texas and community resistance to GI Partners' data center projects in California due to power and emission concerns.

The report analyzes four decarbonization pathways for California's cement sector, all incorporating carbon capture and storage (CCS) to address process emissions. Pathways involving limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) and alternative fuels (woody biomass or engineered municipal solid waste) demonstrate the lowest lifetime carbon abatement costs, around $100 per metric ton of CO2. In contrast, full electrification combined with CCS is the most expensive at $479 per metric ton. While all pathways significantly reduce emissions relative to a baseline, the report highlights that energy costs are the primary driver of lifetime expenses. Qualitatively, the transition to these technologies is expected to provide net air quality benefits by reducing SO2 and particulate matter, although amine-based CCS may slightly increase VOC emissions.

The report analyzes four technology pathways for decarbonizing California's cement industry—CCS only, electrification with CCS, blended cement (LC3) with CCS, and blended cement with alternative fuels and CCS. It finds that while significant reductions are possible, reaching net-zero will require higher capture rates, grid decarbonization, and additional carbon removal. To bridge cost and regulatory gaps, the authors recommend establishing a State Revolving Loan Fund, implementing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and creating statewide Best Available Control Technology (BACT) guidelines for CCS projects.

The report argues that while next-generation geothermal has vast potential to provide clean firm power, its growth is hindered by a 'missing middle' financing gap, subsurface uncertainty, and outdated regulatory frameworks. It proposes five deployment levers: characterizing subsurface resources through data digitization and mapping, governing through streamlined permitting and clarified property rights, financing via procurement standards and convertible loans, connecting through improved transmission planning and workforce development, and innovating through sustained R&D and testbeds.

Climate change accounted for 27% of the rate of heat-related emergency room visits in the U.S. during 2018-2025. August 2026 was the warmest August on record globally, with record warmth affecting 13.2% of global land and ocean areas. In the U.S., Summer 2026 was the warmest on record for the contiguous region, and August 2026 was the warmest August for average, maximum, and minimum temperatures since 1895. Drought affected at least 81% of the contiguous U.S. as of September 8, 2026, and nearly 8.3 million acres burned year-to-date, driven by increased 'fire weather' days. Attribution analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates human-caused climate change drove summertime warming trends in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities. Additionally, a strong El Niño event is projected to peak around February 2027, with global temperature anomalies potentially reaching 1.7C above pre-industrial levels.

The report details how private equity firms control at least 160 childcare centers in Michigan and profit from the outsourcing of K-12 services, particularly special education staffing. It highlights specific firms like Partners Group (KinderCare) and Leonard Green & Partners (Stepping Stones Group), noting a trend of market consolidation and cost-cutting. The document also warns that a new federal school voucher program, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill', may further divert public funds to private equity-owned providers of transportation and before-and-after school care.

Research by the Union of Concerned Scientists and University of California, Merced, indicates that emissions from the 'Carbon Majors'—the 122 largest industrial carbon producers—are responsible for approximately half of the climate-driven reductions in snowpack and streamflow, and increases in irrigation demand across the western United States. The analysis highlights specific 'hot spots' in California and the Pacific Northwest, noting that these emissions contributed to a 15% reduction in April snowpack and a 6.1% decrease in warm season streamflow. In California's Central Valley, 10% of observed groundwater loss is attributed to these companies. The document argues that the fossil fuel industry should be held financially accountable for these damages, as local governments and vulnerable communities currently bear the economic costs of adaptation and infrastructure failure.

A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists and UC Merced finds that human-caused climate change has significantly reduced snowpack and streamflow while increasing irrigation demand in the western US. Approximately half of these impacts are attributed to the emissions of 'Carbon Majors'—the 122 largest industrial CO2 emitters. The report highlights severe consequences in agricultural regions like California's Central Valley, where Carbon Majors' emissions are linked to 10% of groundwater loss, and argues for the financial accountability of these companies for climate-driven water damages.

The document analyzes the growth of Compassus, a for-profit home-based care provider jointly owned by TowerBrook Capital Partners and Ascension Health, as a model for private equity expansion into nonprofit healthcare. It details joint ventures with systems including Providence, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and OhioHealth, highlighting the strategic shift toward home-based care. The text specifically examines the Providence partnership, noting that while Providence sought to reduce operating losses and manage services outside its 'core focus', the move faced opposition from nursing associations over concerns regarding patient care quality, workforce benefits, and access for underserved populations.

The document explains that biofuels are intended to reduce, rather than replace, fossil fuel use, particularly in hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and shipping. It distinguishes between three generations of biofuels: first-generation (food-based), second-generation (waste-based), and third-generation (algae-based). While they can reduce emissions if produced sustainably, first-generation fuels can increase deforestation and biodiversity loss. The guide highlights regional production patterns in the Americas, noting Brazil's leadership in sugarcane ethanol and Colombia's role in palm oil biodiesel.

Climate Central's analysis of 239 major U.S. cities from 1970 to 2025 found that 95% of these cities experienced an increase in 'mosquito disease days'—days with temperatures suitable for West Nile virus transmission. On average, these cities saw an increase of 18 days per year. The largest increases occurred in the Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest regions, with San Francisco, CA, seeing the highest increase of 52 days. The report also notes that while West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., warming is expanding the risk and range of other viruses like dengue and Zika, particularly along the Gulf Coast and into the Ohio Valley and Upper Midwest by 2050.

Between January and May 15, 2026, over 100 companies backed by asset management firms and venture capital notified labor departments of layoffs, resulting in nearly 13,000 job losses. The report highlights how private equity models—characterized by leveraged buyouts, dividend recapitalizations, and market consolidation—contribute to plant closures and bankruptcies. Specific examples include Walgreens, where Sycamore Partners added $13.3 billion in debt, and Albertsons, where Cerberus Capital Management received a $1 billion dividend payout despite ongoing layoffs. The report also notes a high concentration of layoffs in the manufacturing sector (34%) and discusses state-level legislative efforts in New Jersey, Maine, California, and Michigan to mandate severance pay and extend notice periods.