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The 2026 US National Grasslands Survey reveals that while 71% of Americans are likely to support grassland conservation, grasslands are perceived as the seventh most threatened ecosystem. The report segments the population into five groups—Passionates, Leisures, Environmentalists, Materialists, and Indifferents—and finds that providing information significantly increases the perceived importance of grasslands, moving them from the fourth to the first most important ecosystem among respondents.

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 report argues that New England's transmission costs are the highest in the U.S., driven by a lack of cohesive planning and a reliance on expensive private capital. It proposes replacing private equity and debt with low-cost, tax-exempt public financing, which could save ratepayers up to $8.3 billion on new transmission and $1.1 billion on asset condition projects. The authors suggest several implementation pathways, including integrating public financing into ISO New England's Longer-Term Transmission Planning (LTTP) process or creating new state transmission authorities.

An analysis of the winter 2024–2025 season indicates that offshore wind projects could significantly lower the risk of power outages in New England by offsetting high electricity demand during cold spells. A 1,500 MW fleet would have reduced the risk of energy shortfalls by 55%, while a 3,500 MW fleet would have reduced it by 79%. Such a transition to local renewable resources would decrease reliance on volatile imported LNG and lower wholesale electricity prices, potentially saving consumers $400 million.

The brief contends that the Wind Directive lacks a reasoned basis and ignores the public health, climate, and economic benefits of wind power. It argues that existing permitting frameworks already sufficiently protect wildlife and that the sudden ban on wind permits contradicts the administration's own goals of increasing domestic energy production and its simultaneous efforts to expedite fossil-fuel projects.

The report finds that private equity-backed fossil fuel infrastructure in the U.S. causes between $11.3 and $15.1 billion in annual human health damages, resulting in nearly 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits each year. A small group of firms, specifically ArcLight, Energy Capital Partners (ECP), and Quantum Capital, are responsible for approximately 20% of these impacts. The General J.M. Gavin coal plant in Ohio is identified as the single most harmful facility, causing an estimated $1.7 billion in annual health impacts. Regional analysis highlights a disproportionate burden in the Mid-Atlantic/New England area, where people are three times more likely to die from this pollution than in the rest of the U.S., and in Texas, which ranks first in asthma onset and symptoms due to its large population and proximity to the Permian Basin.

The report finds that private equity-backed fossil fuel facilities in the U.S. cause between $11.3 and $15.1 billion in annual human health damages, resulting in nearly 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits per year. A small group of firms, specifically ArcLight, Energy Capital Partners, and Quantum Capital, are responsible for approximately 20% of these impacts. The General J.M. Gavin coal plant in Ohio is identified as the single most harmful facility, accounting for roughly 19% of all health impacts in the study. Regional analysis highlights disproportionate burdens in the Mid-Atlantic/New England area and the Permian Basin, with Texas ranking first in asthma onset and symptoms due to its large population and proximity to extraction sites.

The brief argues that the 'Wind Directive'—which suspends all federal wind permitting—violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by deviating from established review processes without a reasoned explanation. Amici assert that wind power is a cost-effective, critical energy source with significant public health and climate benefits. They further argue that the directive's claims regarding wind energy's impact on whales and birds are scientifically unsupported, citing findings from NOAA and the GAO. Finally, the brief highlights a contradiction in federal policy, where the administration fast-tracks fossil fuel projects while blocking wind energy, despite the latter's superior economic and environmental profile.

The Center for Climate and Security (CCS) has submitted comments on the Zero Order Draft of the First National Nature Assessment (NNA1), prepared by the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). CCS supports the draft's inclusion of anthropogenic ecosystems, biotic eruptions, and the link between global nature loss and U.S. security. However, CCS recommends that the NNA1 expand its analysis to include unprotected, privately owned nature as a source of hazard aversion and incorporate benefit-cost analyses comparing nature-based solutions with synthetic alternatives. Additionally, CCS urges the inclusion of maladaptation risks to human and national security, citing examples from São Tomé and Príncipe and Vanuatu where climate finance projects failed to account for social inequalities and power dynamics.

The document contends that the U.S. power grid is already transitioning away from coal toward renewables, storage, and flexible natural gas due to market forces, and that the EPA's Rule aligns with these trends. It argues that modern resources like battery storage and flexible gas plants provide better operational reliability than aging coal plants. The brief asserts that the Rule provides sufficient time for resource procurement and includes flexibility mechanisms to protect the grid during periods of stress.

The document explains how climate change—specifically warmer winters, hotter summers, and altered precipitation—is expanding the range and survival of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis in New England and Lyme disease in the Northwest, while noting that over 8 billion people could be at risk of malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century if emissions continue to rise. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, social determinants of health, and to consult vector biologists.

The document explains how climate change—specifically hotter summers, milder winters, and altered rainfall—is expanding the geographic range and longevity of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as the rise of Lyme disease in the Northeast and eastern equine encephalitis in New England, while noting a global risk where over eight billion people could be susceptible to malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, consider social determinants of health, and consult vector biologists.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has driven significant clean energy investment and job growth in the US, particularly in Republican-led areas, despite political efforts to repeal it and general public unfamiliarity with the law's specific provisions.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) recommends that Maine's offshore wind procurement process prioritize larger nameplate capacities to maximize grid reliability. Based on an analysis of winter seasons from 2000 to 2022, UCS found that offshore wind fleets of 1500 MW, 4000 MW, and 8000 MW could substantially reduce the number of days the New England grid faces elevated energy shortfall risk. The document argues that offshore wind is an ideal solution for winter reliability because its output typically increases during cold snaps, unlike fossil fuel supplies which are subject to global market volatility and import constraints.

The report finds that there are enough projected tax credit-qualifying Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) to meet the stated electrolytic hydrogen production goals across the seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs. However, it identifies the lack of developed markets and data infrastructure for accessing these EACs as a critical challenge. The analysis suggests that while the physical availability of clean power is sufficient, the primary bottlenecks for the green hydrogen economy are traditional deployment issues such as siting, permitting, and interconnection.

The report analyzes the impact of a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) on interconnection costs for onshore wind and solar projects in the U.S. It finds that this credit could reduce overall project costs by 3% for solar and 1.7% for wind. More significantly, the analysis suggests the ITC could have bridged the cost gap for 22 GW of withdrawn projects and 15 GW of active projects across five regions, potentially bringing a total of 26-37 GW of capacity to fruition.

New England's energy transition requires a massive shift from fossil fuel reliance to a decarbonized grid, with peak electricity demand projected to double to 55 GW by 2050. The report argues for a 'clean energy portfolio approach' combining solar, offshore wind, energy storage, and interregional transmission to ensure reliability and affordability. It highlights significant sociopolitical barriers, including community opposition and outdated permitting processes, and recommends comprehensive state-level reforms and proactive community engagement to accelerate deployment.

The report details the environmental and economic risks Maine faces due to climate change, including sea level rise, extreme precipitation, drought, and rising temperatures. It quantifies risks such as the potential inundation of 3,700 homes and the threat to a $600 million fishing industry, while providing comprehensive lists of necessary infrastructure and policy adaptations to mitigate these costs.

The report asserts that the EPA's proposed rules for coal and gas power plants are technically feasible and will not threaten resource adequacy or operational reliability. It synthesizes six industry-standard studies showing that the U.S. grid can remain stable even if all unabated coal is retired by 2035. The authors argue that reliability risks are institutional rather than technical, stemming from slow interconnection processes and inadequate transmission planning. To manage the transition, the report recommends adopting 'connect-and-manage' interconnection processes, deploying grid-enhancing technologies, and proactively planning transmission for coal retirements.

The Center for Climate and Security (CCS) submitted recommendations for the First National Nature Assessment (NNA1), which is scheduled for completion in 2026. CCS advocates for expanding the assessment's geographic scope to include ecosystems near US installations abroad and broadening the analysis of nature-based solutions, food and water security, and human migration. Specifically, CCS suggests including unprotected nature and anthropogenic ecosystems in hazard aversion analysis, conducting benefit-cost comparisons between nature-based and synthetic solutions, and examining the impact of international ecological changes on US supply chains.