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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.

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 is a formal statement by a coalition of state attorneys general and local officials opposing federal legislation that would shield fossil fuel companies from state-level lawsuits regarding climate deception and consumer protection violations.

The document outlines the health hazards of fossil-fuel power plants, including air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter, and the broader impacts of climate change. It highlights the economic burden on the healthcare system, specifically in New Brunswick, and calls for a transition to renewable energy to avoid additional strain on public health and budgets.

Climate Central analyzed data from 476 weather stations to track fire weather trends in the contiguous U.S. between 1973 and 2025. The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days, particularly in the western U.S., where conditions are intensifying in spring and summer. While the eastern U.S. has seen smaller increases, some areas in the Southeast and Northeast are experiencing more frequent fire weather. The report highlights that climate change is driving these trends through warming temperatures and decreasing relative humidity, which prime landscapes for wildfires to ignite and spread.

The report argues that substituting tax-exempt public debt for investor-owned utility (IOU) equity and taxable debt can significantly lower transmission costs for ratepayers in New England. It identifies two primary paths: strengthening existing quasi-public entities or creating a new purpose-built transmission authority. The author emphasizes that any such vehicle must have a clear statutory mandate for FERC-jurisdictional transmission, non-recourse revenue-bond authority, the ability to form public-private partnerships, and governance structures that ensure state accountability and risk control.

The brief supports the reversal of a district court decision that dismissed claims against the EPA for failing to regulate PFAS in sewage sludge. It asserts that PFAS are highly toxic 'forever chemicals' commonly found in sewage sludge used as fertilizer, which contaminates soil, water, and food chains. The authors argue that local governments in Pennsylvania and New York face significant technical, fiscal, and legal hurdles—including state preemption and 'Right to Farm' laws—that prevent them from protecting residents. Legally, the brief contends that CWA Section 405(d)(2)(C) requires the EPA to not only review but also promulgate regulations for newly identified toxic pollutants at least every two years.

The document details how climate change disrupts U.S. transportation systems through acute events like hurricanes and chronic stressors like sea level rise. It highlights significant projected costs for asphalt maintenance and railroad delays, the vulnerability of coastal highways and bridges, and the necessity of proactive adaptation, such as using heat-resistant materials and nature-based solutions, to mitigate economic losses.

Connecticut is experiencing accelerating climate risks, including more frequent extreme precipitation, rising sea levels, and increasing temperatures. The report details specific historical damages, such as a $300 million storm in August 2024 and $21 million in agricultural losses in July 2023. It projects significant future costs, including $5.3 billion for seawalls by 2040 and a 400% increase in days over 90 in Connecticut by 2050. The document provides comprehensive lists of potential adaptation costs across infrastructure, public health, and individual expenses to mitigate these hazards.

The 2025 State Healthcare Policy Review tracks a national trend of state-level efforts to regulate private equity in healthcare. It categorizes legislative approaches into transparency and reporting, approval and enforcement authority, targeted prohibitions, and Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) enforcement. The report details laws passed in states like Massachusetts, California, Indiana, Oregon, New Mexico, Washington, and Maine, while also tracking pending and failed legislation in other states.

The document argues that fusion energy is transitioning from laboratory research to commercial viability, with many U.S. startups projecting grid connection by the first half of the 2030s. It outlines how states can create competitive advantages by implementing specific regulatory reforms, such as becoming an NRC Agreement State to manage radiological licensing, and by adopting legislative tools like explicitly defining fusion as a clean energy source in state statutes. The brief also suggests financial mechanisms including state-level investment tax credits, the creation of dedicated fusion energy funds, and the repurposing of retired fossil fuel sites—termed "fusion brightfields"—to leverage existing grid infrastructure. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of developing specialized workforces and innovation hubs around universities and national laboratories to support the industry's growth.

The policy brief examines the misalignment between legacy gas utility energy efficiency programs and current state climate goals in the United States. It highlights how traditional cost-effectiveness tests often prioritize short-term gas appliance rebates over high-impact weatherization and electrification. Using examples from states like New York and Massachusetts, the document proposes six strategic reforms to redirect ratepayer funding toward long-term decarbonization and building efficiency.

The policy brief argues that while performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs) can drive regulatory outcomes and affordability, they require intentional evaluation to ensure benefits outweigh costs. RMI recommends that PUCs implement recurring and transparent evaluations via web-based dashboards, assess PIMs as a holistic portfolio rather than in silos, create informal stakeholder dialogue spaces to reduce administrative burdens, and utilize existing design guidelines to standardize retrospective evaluations.

The document examines how climate change is creating a home insurance crisis in the U.S., characterized by skyrocketing premiums and widespread policy non-renewals. It asserts that 'Big Oil' companies, who knew about the risks of fossil fuels as early as 1954, are responsible for these conditions. The report highlights specific state-level crises in Florida, California, and Hawaiʻi, and advocates for policy solutions—such as subrogation and legislative surcharges—to shift the financial burden from policyholders to the fossil fuel industry.

Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating globally, with many markets passing critical tipping points. In the United States, the total cost of ownership for light-duty EVs is now lower than for gas-powered cars, despite a projected reduction in savings after September 30, 2025, due to the removal of the federal tax credit. Electric medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) trucks are trending toward cost parity with diesel, with some segments expected to reach it by 2028. Furthermore, advancements in battery recycling could potentially eliminate the need for additional mining by 2040 as minerals enter a circular supply chain.

The document details the expansion of private equity ownership in Michigan's housing market, specifically across manufactured home communities, apartment complexes, and student housing. It highlights a pattern of aggressive rent increases, hidden fees, and poor maintenance, while noting that state and university funds have invested billions into the firms responsible. For example, Blackstone increased average rents at its five Michigan student housing properties by 26% over three years, and Yes! Communities owns 64 parks with approximately 20,900 lots in the state.

The report evaluates the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) as an economic development tool. Using the Energy Policy Simulator, Energy Innovation estimates that the fund's $24 billion in financial assistance will generate 36,000 to 41,000 annual jobs, $21.3 to $23.9 billion in wages (2025-2031), and $52 billion in consumer energy savings over 20 years. The GGRF operates through national-scale 'Green Banks' via the National Clean Investment Fund and local-level initiatives like the Solar For All and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator programs to mobilize private capital and support disadvantaged communities.

The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days across much of the contiguous U.S., with the western U.S. experiencing far more frequent fire weather than the east. While the western U.S. has seen strong increases, particularly in the Southwest during spring and summer, parts of the eastern U.S. have also seen impactful increases, especially in the Southeast and Northeast. The study emphasizes that while human activity causes 87% of wildfires, fire weather primes the landscape for these fires to ignite and spread.

The U.S. public EV charging network grew more than six-fold between 2016 and 2025, reaching nearly 196,000 ports. While California leads in total numbers and northeastern states lead in density, significant coverage gaps remain in the southern, central, and plains regions. To support a projected 33 million EVs by 2030, the U.S. may need 1 million additional public chargers, including 170,000 DC fast chargers.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) urges the Connecticut General Assembly to pass HB 6873, arguing that private equity's business model—characterized by high debt and profit extraction—threatens healthcare stability. PESP cites the 2025 bankruptcy of Prospect Medical Holdings, which owns three Connecticut hospitals, as a primary example of how private equity ownership can lead to financial distress and diminished care quality. The testimony highlights that in 2024, 21% of healthcare bankruptcies involved private equity-owned companies. PESP supports HB 6873 because it would expand the 'notice of material change' statute to include joint ventures and sale-leaseback transactions, preventing firms from evading antitrust scrutiny or stripping assets through real estate deals.