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The briefing outlines the transformational shifts in the US energy landscape as of 2018, highlighting the move toward 100 percent clean energy goals by states and utilities. It identifies six critical areas requiring urgent attention: the revision of grid and resource planning to accommodate new technologies, the reform of utility business models, the integration of beneficial electrification for heating and cooling, the proper valuation of distributed energy resources (DERs), the assurance of equity for low- and moderate-income customers, and the financial management of uneconomic fossil fuel assets, particularly coal.

The report documents a systemic effort by the Trump administration to marginalize scientific expertise in federal policymaking. Key tactics identified include the disbanding of science advisory committees, the suppression of research on climate change and public health, and the creation of a 'culture of fear' that encourages scientist self-censorship. The authors highlight specific failures in the EPA, DOI, and HHS, while providing a roadmap for the 116th Congress to restore scientific integrity through oversight and legislative reform.

The fact sheet highlights the dominance of private equity-owned firms in providing essential services—such as telecommunications, healthcare, and commissary—to the U.S. carceral system. It specifically notes that the scaling up of immigration detention has increased business for these firms, listing several private equity owners and the specific facilities they serve, including ICE processing centers.

The ACLU is urging Endeavour Capital to exit its investment in Aladdin Bail Bonds and Seaview Insurance. The ACLU argues that for-profit bail bonds create cycles of debt that disproportionately affect Black, Latino, and low-income communities. The document highlights Aladdin's financial efforts to oppose reform in California and its attempts to establish commercial bail in Oregon and New Mexico.

The document highlights the prevalence of private equity (PE) ownership in the US correctional services sector, noting that while public attention often focuses on publicly-traded prison operators, PE-owned firms providing communications, healthcare, and commissary services are more ubiquitous. It specifically links the scaling up of immigrant detention under the Trump administration to increased business for these PE-owned providers.

The document argues that while public debate often focuses on publicly-traded prison operators, private equity-owned firms providing services like telecommunications, healthcare, and commissary are more ubiquitous. It lists several PE-owned companies—including Securus, Global Tel Link, and Corizon Health—and notes that the Trump administration's expansion of immigrant detention has increased business for these providers.

Climate Central analyzed temperature data from 244 U.S. cities to determine the increase in days falling within the 61-93°F range suitable for disease transmission by Aedes and Culex mosquitoes. The analysis found that 94% of these cities are experiencing an increase in these 'disease danger days' since 1970, with significant increases noted in California, the Southwest, and some northern cities. While most areas face higher risks, some locations like Phoenix may become too hot for mosquito survival. The report also highlights that warmer temperatures shorten the Extrinsic Incubation Period (EIP) of viruses, potentially increasing the number of infectious mosquitoes and expanding the range of species like Aedes albopictus.

The document argues that the U.S. is unprepared for an accelerating wave of nuclear plant shutdowns. It highlights critical risks including deteriorating spent fuel pools, inadequate dry cask storage, and the potential for long-term environmental contamination. The briefing emphasizes the lack of state and local oversight, the insufficiency of decommissioning funds—estimated by some to be $40 billion short—and the dangers of transporting radioactive waste to consolidated interim storage (CIS) sites. It uses case studies from Zion, Illinois; Rowe, Massachusetts; and San Clemente, California, to illustrate the devastating economic impacts and public health risks associated with decommissioning failures.

The oil and gas industry emits over 8 million tons of methane and toxic pollutants annually, contributing to ozone smog and respiratory issues in rural America. Case studies in Texas, Utah, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Mexico highlight increased rates of asthma, cancer risks, and other respiratory ailments among residents living near facilities. The report advocates for federal standards to reduce methane emissions by half through leak detection, reduced venting, and gas capture.

The document advocates for federal policy changes in the 2018 farm bill to scale up 'good food' procurement, which prioritizes healthy, local, and sustainably produced foods. It highlights the success of the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) and identifies barriers for small farmers, such as lack of infrastructure and food safety certification costs. The brief recommends supporting the Local FARMS Act, the Food and Farm Act, and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act to improve regional food systems, advance racial equity, and protect animal welfare.

The guide explains that the carbon-reduction impact of renewable energy projects varies by location because different projects displace different types of power plants. It argues that relying on proximity to operations as a proxy for quality may limit environmental benefits, suggesting instead that buyers target the most carbon-intensive areas to maximize avoided emissions.

A coalition of NGOs issued a statement following a U.S. District Court ruling that granted a preliminary injunction against the delay of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) methane waste rule. The court found that the BLM failed to follow legal requirements for agency rulemaking, relying on "opinions untethered to evidence" rather than reasoned analysis. The statement highlights that the 2016 rule requires oil and gas companies to reduce methane venting and flaring and perform leak detection and repair on federal public lands. The NGOs argue that allowing methane waste results in significant financial losses for taxpayers, public health risks from toxic pollutants like benzene, and increased climate emissions due to methane's potency as a greenhouse gas.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that New Mexico should strengthen its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 80 percent by 2040 to ensure a cost-effective transition from coal to clean energy. Modeling shows that renewables are the most economically favorable choice, offering significant capital investment, job growth, and public health benefits without substantially increasing consumer electricity costs. The report warns against utility plans to overinvest in natural gas, which could lead to stranded assets and higher climate risks.

The document outlines the technical framework for analyzing New Mexico's energy transition, comparing a 'business-as-usual' baseline against a strengthened renewable portfolio standard (RPS). It specifies the cost, performance, and retirement assumptions for various power generation technologies and the economic parameters used to estimate job creation and local revenue from wind, solar, and transmission projects.

The Institute for Policy Integrity argues that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acted irrationally by staying the Waste Prevention Rule—which aimed to stop oil and gas companies from wasting natural gas on public lands—without considering the forgone benefits of the rule. The brief contends that the BLM's justification relied solely on cost savings, ignoring the benefits it had previously used to justify the rule's enactment, and calls for the stay to be vacated.

The document argues that federal light-duty vehicle standards set by the EPA and NHTSA in 2012 provide significant financial and environmental advantages to New Mexico. By 2030, the average New Mexico household is projected to be $2,700 richer due to gas savings. To date, the state has saved $210 million, and the standards are expected to create 2,000 new jobs in the state. Environmentally, the standards eliminate global warming emissions in New Mexico nearly equivalent to those generated by providing electricity to Albuquerque.

The Clean Air Task Force opposes the repeal of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Methane Waste Rule via the Congressional Review Act. The organization argues that the rule saves up to 41 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually, increasing royalties for states and tax revenue for the federal government. Furthermore, it claims the rule supports small businesses specializing in waste mitigation technology, such as infrared cameras, and notes that a majority of voters in Western states oppose the rollback.

The document highlights that although Arizona has limited oil and gas activity, pollution from neighboring states—particularly from federal and tribal lands in the San Juan basin of New Mexico—contributes to ozone smog that causes thousands of childhood asthma attacks and restricted activity for adults across the state.

The document details the health impacts of oil and gas air pollution in Colorado, noting that over 380,000 people in six counties face cancer risks exceeding EPA levels of concern. It highlights that more than 32,000 children annually suffer asthma attacks due to industry-related ozone, with significant concentrations in the Denver area and Northern Front Range. While Colorado has implemented regulations, the report argues that federal standards are essential because state measures cannot control pollution drifting from Utah and New Mexico or emissions on tribal lands.

The report details how the US oil and gas industry emits methane, toxic air pollutants (such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde), and ozone precursors that cause cancer and respiratory illnesses. It provides state-specific data for Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, highlighting that ozone pollution travels across state borders, affecting residents even in states with little to no local industry activity. The document emphasizes the vulnerability of children and low-income communities and argues for the necessity of strong federal standards from the EPA and the Bureau of Land Management to protect public health.