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The World Resources Institute (WRI) asserts that new voter suppression laws in 17 U.S. states undermine democracy and hinder environmental justice. The text links the disenfranchisement of Black and Latino voters to a lack of representation in decisions regarding climate change and pollution, noting that these communities are more likely to live near polluting facilities and express higher levels of alarm regarding the climate crisis.

The document analyzes the dual potential of autonomous vehicles (AVs) to serve as a climate solution or an environmental liability. While AVs could reduce emissions through electrification, platooning, and shared transit, the proliferation of single-occupancy AVs risks increasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and urban sprawl. The brief emphasizes that achieving climate goals requires integrating AVs into multimodal, electric urban systems that prioritize mass transit, biking, and walking over private vehicle use.

The report estimates that retiring four nuclear plants in Illinois would lead to 1,200 to 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages over ten years. Retiring two plants (Byron and Dresden) would result in 500 to 1,100 premature deaths and $4.4 to $10 billion in damages over the same period. These impacts are driven by increased PM2.5 emissions from fossil fuel plants used to offset the loss of zero-emission generation.

The report analyzes the trend of farmland consolidation—the shift toward larger, fewer farms—and its role in hollowing out rural communities. It finds that consolidation creates significant barriers for new farmers, particularly in the Midwest, and has disproportionately harmed Black farmers through a combination of market pressures and systemic racism. The author argues that reversing this trend is essential for rural revitalization and social equity, recommending national initiatives for land transition and the redress of historical land theft from BIPOC farmers.

The document argues that U.S. nuclear policy is currently operating in an "information vacuum," with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) often prioritizing licensee cost-savings over public safety and environmental data. It highlights systemic risks in "fast-track" decommissioning, the vulnerability of thin-walled spent fuel canisters to corrosion and failure, and the lack of scientific evidence supporting 80-year license extensions for aging plants. The authors further caution against the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) and the establishment of consolidated interim storage facilities (CISFs) without comprehensive risk and cost analyses. The briefing concludes with ten recommendations to policymakers, including mandating ASME N3 standards for waste containers, requiring "hot cells" for repackaging damaged fuel, and reforming NRC oversight to reduce regulatory capture.

The briefing discusses the application of securitization in US states to mitigate the financial and social risks of coal plant retirements. By replacing high-cost utility capital with low-interest bonds, states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and New Mexico have reduced ratepayer costs and provided funding for clean energy and community transition. The document highlights Colorado's legislation as a model for integrating consumer protections, worker assistance, and renewable energy reinvestment.

The document examines how autonomous vehicles (AVs) could either reduce or increase greenhouse gas emissions depending on whether they are deployed as shared, electric mass transit or as private, single-occupancy vehicles. While AVs offer potential efficiency gains through 'platooning' and reduced vehicle weight, they risk increasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and urban sprawl. The brief highlights the necessity of integrating AVs into multimodal urban systems and reviews current testing and regulatory efforts in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

The report argues that most non-light-water reactors (NLWRs) do not provide significant enough improvements over light-water reactors (LWRs) to justify their associated safety, security, and proliferation risks. It specifically evaluates sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), and molten salt reactors (MSRs), finding that claims regarding 'burning' nuclear waste are oversimplified and that the timelines for commercialization are often unrealistic. The author recommends that the US Department of Energy (DOE) prioritize improving existing LWR technology over pursuing immature NLWR designs.

The author argues that Donald Trump pursued a 'herd immunity' approach to Covid-19 not for epidemiological reasons, but to frame public health measures as Democratic-led attacks on the working class and small business owners. By dismissing scientific expertise and associating mask-wearing with weakness, Trump leveraged the pandemic as a campaign tool to solidify support among his base, particularly the less-educated petite bourgeoisie, by presenting a choice between public health and employment.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project tracked numerous health care acquisitions in December 2020, noting a trend of consolidation in the dental services industry and raising concerns over the track record of specific firms like H.I.G. Capital.

Highland Park could be 100% powered by local clean energy resources through a combination of rooftop solar (30%), distributed solar (33%), community solar (6%), and energy efficiency (25%), alongside a Community Water and Energy Resource Center. An analysis suggests that installing nearly 44 MW of solar in Highland Park would save approximately $23 million. Achieving this requires the State of Michigan to eliminate solar restrictions and improve compensation, while the City of Highland Park must enact solar ordinances and develop local energy businesses.

GreenLatinos supports the nominations of Pete Buttigieg (DOT) and Jennifer Granholm (DOE), citing Granholm's history of promoting electric vehicles and renewable energy in Michigan and Buttigieg's infrastructure plans. The organization advocates for a federal transition away from fossil fuels and gasoline vehicles toward net-zero electricity and equitable, sustainable infrastructure.

The report analyzes rural transportation in four Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, finding that while rural households face barriers like lower incomes and limited charging infrastructure, they stand to gain the most financially from electric vehicle (EV) adoption due to higher mileage and less efficient existing fleets. It proposes a comprehensive strategy including EV incentives, expanded public transit, active transportation planning, and broadband expansion to reduce the need for travel.

The report outlines 30 federal policy recommendations to improve coastal resilience in the United States, emphasizing community-led planning, nature-based solutions, and equitable financing. It argues that federal policies must shift from relying on past climate data to anticipating future conditions, particularly for infrastructure and land use. Key priorities include integrating climate justice, supporting tribal sovereignty in adaptation planning, and reforming benefit-cost analysis tools to better value social and environmental outcomes. The document also advocates for the creation of a national 'green bank' and a federal climate heritage coordination office to manage the intersection of cultural preservation and climate change.

A survey of 800 registered Michigan voters indicates a majority oppose spending $1.5 trillion to replace the U.S. nuclear arsenal and nearly $100 billion to replace land-based nuclear missiles. Voters expressed a preference for federal spending on cleaning up polluted drinking water, expanding health care, increasing job opportunities, and improving infrastructure. The data shows that women, voters of color, college-educated voters, and those in suburbs near cities are most likely to oppose the nuclear overhaul, with nearly 60% of Black voters in opposition.

The report examines the growth of private equity (PE) in the behavioral health sector, specifically focusing on autism, eating disorders, and addiction treatment. It argues that PE's demand for outsized returns in an underfunded sector creates risks such as inadequate staffing, reliance on unlicensed personnel, and the potential for patient abuse. The document provides detailed case studies of Sequel Youth and Family Services and Community Intervention Services to illustrate these risks, including allegations of fraud, neglect, and systemic abuse across multiple US states.

Earthjustice has developed the Better Lead Policy toolkit to shift the approach to lead poisoning from reacting to blood tests to proactive primary prevention. The toolkit includes a Policy Generator for rental inspection programs, a Cheat Sheet for program elements, and a Deep Dive section featuring examples from over two dozen communities. The document highlights the disproportionate impact of lead poisoning on Black and Latinx children and cites the success of prevention programs in Rochester, New York, and Cleveland.

Based on 2018 and 2019 survey data, the study finds that 64% of Americans believe global warming affects U.S. weather. Risk perceptions are heavily influenced by local geography, with residents in the West fearing droughts and wildfires, those in the Midwest fearing flooding, and those in the East and Southeast fearing hurricanes. While 56% of Americans view extreme weather as a high or moderate risk to their community over the next decade, the specific concerns vary by state, often reflecting local experiences with 'Billion Dollar Disaster Events'.

The author highlights several 2020 court rulings that overturned Trump Administration environmental rollbacks, emphasizing that the U.S. EPA and Bureau of Land Management must prioritize science and public health over industry costs. The text argues these legal wins are critical for protecting marginalized communities, particularly Black and brown people and Tribal lands, from pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

The document highlights the intersection of public health disparities and voting access in Michigan, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates urgent reforms to the state's election processes. It specifically calls for scaling up vote-by-mail (VBM) capacity, improving ballot verification and correction procedures, and establishing early in-person voting centers to protect voters' health and ensure representation, particularly for marginalized communities of color who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.