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Earthjustice and partner organizations urge the EPA to reject California's SIP revisions, claiming they create loopholes for oil and gas polluters. The authors argue that RACT must apply to all wells regardless of production volume or oil gravity, and that the EPA failed to conduct a required environmental justice analysis. They contend that current exemptions for heavy oil and low-production wells disproportionately harm frontline communities and that monitoring and reporting frequencies are insufficient to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act.

The report argues that decentralized election administration in the US has created a patchwork of transparency policies that can undermine democratic legitimacy and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. It provides specific recommendations for improving the accessibility and accuracy of voter files, the transparency of ballot processing and tracking, and the implementation of robust ballot curing and risk-limiting audit procedures.

An analysis of 476 weather stations from 1973 to 2023 shows that fire weather seasons are lengthening and intensifying across the contiguous United States, with the most significant increases occurring in the West. While the East has seen more modest increases, both regions are experiencing a notable rise in fire weather days during the spring. The Southwest has seen the most dramatic growth, with some areas experiencing fire weather twice as often as they did 50 years ago.

The Clean Air Task Force testifies in support of Colorado Senate Bill 24-212, stating that the bill helps the state meet its decarbonization goals by providing counties with technical support, model codes, and wildlife best management practices for siting renewable energy infrastructure.

The WWF Blueprint for Credible Action on Plastic Pollution outlines a strategic framework for businesses to move from measuring their plastic impact to investing in systemic circular solutions. It emphasizes the elimination of unnecessary plastics, the shift to sustainable sourcing, and the importance of advocating for a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution.

The document analyzes the emergence of 'equity PIMs'—regulatory tools that provide financial rewards or penalties to utilities based on their performance regarding equity metrics. It identifies seven US jurisdictions using these tools to address energy poverty and the inequitable distribution of clean energy benefits. The report distinguishes between program-based and outcome-based PIMs, discusses the role of reporting metrics and scorecards as precursors to financial incentives, and argues that PIMs must be part of a broader regulatory strategy including cost-control reforms and low-income assistance to be effective.

RMI analysis indicates that Illinois households could save over $2,800 annually by implementing a combination of vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed transit investments. These strategies could reduce pollution by up to 305 million metric tons between 2024 and 2050 and prevent thousands of deaths annually through reduced crash fatalities, improved air quality, and increased physical activity. While Illinois has received federal funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the report notes the state has yet to adopt clean vehicle standards or integrate climate metrics into infrastructure project scoring.

The report asserts that Western US states must collaborate on regional electricity transmission expansion to realize significant economic gains. It highlights that energy export states could see their market access grow from $3 billion to $40 billion per year by 2050 with increased capacity, while states with clean energy standards could reduce costs by over 30% through expansive regional planning.

The document advises journalists to treat climate change as a factual urgency rather than a partisan debate, urging them to proactively question candidates on specific plans for emissions reduction and infrastructure resilience. It highlights a disconnect between political discourse and public sentiment, noting that 62% of registered US voters prefer candidates who support climate action. The guide also provides a framework for debunking common climate myths and suggests local reporting angles such as the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, green job programs, and climate-driven insurance rate increases.

The report analyzes the US Department of Energy's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, which provides low-cost loans to repurpose energy infrastructure. It demonstrates that using EIR to refinance remaining coal plant balances and fund new clean energy assets can significantly reduce costs for ratepayers. Case studies of Alliant in Iowa and Ameren in Missouri show potential net present value (NPV) savings of $124 million and $413 million, respectively, compared to traditional utility financing. The report emphasizes the urgency for utilities to apply before the September 2026 approval deadline.

The document argues that next-generation geothermal technologies, particularly superhot rock (SHR) energy, could provide cost-competitive 24/7 renewable electricity but are currently hindered by permitting bottlenecks, high capital costs, and research silos. It recommends expanding permitting capacity at the Department of the Interior, providing targeted financial incentives, establishing a public-private research agenda for 400°C+ conditions, and creating a new superhot field testing site to complement the existing FORGE site in Utah. Additionally, it calls for a dedicated program area within the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) to focus on high-temperature innovation and the improvement of shared data resources like the Geothermal Data Repository.

The guide outlines how to leverage the $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, specifically the $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants. It recommends two high-impact strategies to improve EPA scoring metrics: e-bike programs and targeted EV incentives for 'superusers'—high-mileage drivers who often have lower incomes. The author argues these approaches offer clear equity advantages, straightforward emissions calculations, and address gaps in existing federal legislation.

In 2024, WRI supported over 150 U.S. cities and counties in accelerating clean energy deployment and helped over 60 cities claim more than $12 million in tax credits via the Inflation Reduction Act's elective pay mechanism. The organization advanced next-generation geothermal technologies, launched a database of 50 community benefits frameworks for transmission projects, and supported the deployment of electric school buses (ESBs) through initiatives like the RVXDS project in California. WRI also focused on reforming power markets and grids, providing technical assistance to the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and researching interregional transmission procurement.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated $12.1 billion to advance carbon management technologies in the United States. Two years into implementation, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have launched several key programs. The Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program has selected nine FEED study projects and three demonstration projects, including the Baytown, Project Tundra, and Sutter projects. The Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Program has awarded funding to projects across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Wyoming, to develop large-scale sequestration and transport infrastructure. Additionally, the EPA has allotted $48 million to 25 state and Tribal recipients to support the regulation of UIC Class VI wells. In the realm of carbon removal, the Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs Program has selected two commercial-scale hubs in Texas and Louisiana for award negotiations. The document notes that while progress is underway, agencies have until 2026 to allocate remaining funds, and future success depends on shared transport networks and community engagement.

An analysis of 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey data reveals that extremely low-income US households—those earning less than 30% of the state median income—face a disproportionately high average energy burden of 14%, exceeding the 10% threshold for energy poverty. The report highlights that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could save American families approximately $38 billion on electricity bills through technology upgrades and rebates. It identifies successful state-level interventions, such as California's percentage of income payment plans (PIPPs) and Colorado's low-income community solar programs, as models for alleviating energy poverty. The analysis further notes that extremely low-income households in southern states experience the highest energy burdens, often correlating with higher income inequality and diversity indices. The document concludes that states can simultaneously pursue decarbonization and energy affordability, citing Colorado and Washington as examples of states integrating specific energy affordability policies into their climate targets.

The briefing outlines how state energy offices can maximize the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act by enabling the 'stacking' of federal, state, and utility incentives for whole-home retrofits. It identifies key barriers to this process—such as a lack of public guidance, inconsistent program requirements, and excessive application processes—and suggests solutions like standardized eligibility and consolidated applications. Additionally, it encourages states to use flexible funding sources to cover gaps not fully addressed by the IRA, specifically health and safety repairs, cold climate heat pumps, and electrical upgrades.

The report identifies significant barriers to 'stacking' (combining) multiple financial incentives for US residential energy retrofits, including complex application processes, inconsistent performance standards, and funding gaps for health and safety repairs. It analyzes the interaction between Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits and rebates, noting that while clean energy retrofits can be more affordable than fossil fuel alternatives after incentives, low-income households often lack the 'tax appetite' to benefit from tax credits. RMI recommends that state program administrators prioritize funding for pre-electrification upgrades, consolidate application processes, and increase allocations for underserved communities and multi-family housing.

On July 7, 2023, the United States destroyed the last of its declared chemical weapons stockpile, marking the elimination of 100 percent of the world's declared chemical weapons. The process was overseen by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and faced delays due to technical challenges and local opposition to incineration methods at sites like the Pueblo Chemical Depot and Blue Grass Army Depot. Despite this milestone, the report highlights ongoing noncompliance by Burma, Iran, Russia, and Syria, and the use of Novichok nerve agents. It argues that the U.S. must retain its scientific and technical countering-WMD expertise to assist in treaty verification and respond to future contingencies, especially as other nonproliferation frameworks, such as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, face increasing fragility.

GreenLatinos identified 308 projects totaling over $3 billion in investments from 23 programs across five federal agencies in California, Colorado, Florida, New York, and Texas. The analysis finds that IIJA funds are reaching Latine communities at the state level, with specific instances of investment at city, county, and regional-ecosystem levels. Additionally, some Latine-led and Latine-serving universities, community groups, and nonprofits have received funding to build capacity for environmental stewardship and addressing environmental injustices, although these investments are smaller in ratio compared to general infrastructure investments.

The document warns that loosening the 'three pillars' of 45V rules—additionality, deliverability, and hourly matching—will lead to higher consumer electricity costs. It explains that because electrolyzers are massive electricity users, expanding their use without corresponding new clean generation forces markets to use more expensive generators. The author draws parallels to cryptocurrency mining in Texas and New York, where increased demand raised wholesale prices. Citing studies from Princeton University's ZERO Lab and TU Berlin, the briefing suggests that failing to enforce these rules could result in double-digit percentage increases in electricity prices, with specific projections of 8% in California and 10% in Colorado.