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The report details the expansion of solar energy in the U.S., focusing on rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, large-scale PV, and concentrating solar power (CSP). It highlights significant cost reductions, the role of state and federal incentives, and the environmental benefits of transitioning from fossil fuels to solar, while addressing grid integration challenges and land-use impacts.

The report argues that rising temperatures and drier conditions in the American West, combined with a trend of building homes in wildfire-prone areas, have led to longer fire seasons and soaring suppression costs. It highlights a misalignment of incentives where federal taxpayers bear the brunt of firefighting costs while local zoning allows risky development. The document details the broad economic impacts of wildfires—extending far beyond direct suppression to include public health crises, infrastructure damage, and tourism losses—and recommends a shift toward resilience, stricter building codes, and carbon emission reductions.

The document argues that climate change is creating hotter, drier conditions in the American West, leading to more frequent and severe wildfires. This risk is compounded by increased residential and commercial development in fire-prone areas and federal policies that prioritize immediate fire suppression over proactive forest management. The report details the escalating economic costs of suppression and the broader impacts on infrastructure, public health, and water supplies, while recommending zoning reforms, fireproofing, and carbon emission reductions to build resilience.

The document argues that climate change is creating warmer, drier conditions in the western United States, leading to longer fire seasons and more frequent large wildfires. This environmental shift, combined with increased development in fire-prone areas and a federal management bias toward fire suppression over proactive risk reduction, has caused firefighting costs to exceed $1 billion annually since 2000. The report highlights significant secondary costs, including infrastructure damage, public health crises from smoke, and watershed rehabilitation. It recommends stricter zoning laws, carbon emission reductions, and a shift in funding toward long-term forest health and community resilience.

The report highlights the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate-driven events. It details how sea level rise and storm surges threaten coastal sites like the Statue of Liberty and Jamestown, while increased heat and drought drive destructive wildfires in the West, affecting sites like Mesa Verde. The authors argue that climate resilience must become a national priority, requiring both resource allocation for site protection and a reduction in carbon emissions to mitigate future risks.

The report examines the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate change, highlighting risks such as sea level rise in coastal cities and increased wildfire activity in the Southwest. It argues for urgent national priority in climate resilience and carbon emission reduction to protect cultural heritage.

The U.S. electricity grid is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with the average annual cost of severe weather rising from $20 billion in the 1980s to $85 billion in the 2010s. Aging infrastructure, graded D+ by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2013, is susceptible to sea level rise, wildfires, droughts, and heat waves. The report highlights that thermal power plants are particularly at risk due to their heavy reliance on water for cooling, which can lead to production cutbacks or shutdowns when water is too warm or scarce. To improve resilience, the document recommends 'hardening' measures, such as sea walls and burying power lines, alongside the adoption of distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce overall demand and carbon emissions.

The report details a September 2013 briefing on America’s Power Plan (APP), focusing on the transition to a high-renewables future in the U.S. Midwest. It examines the need for new utility business models to handle decarbonization and distributed energy resources (DERs), highlights Minnesota's legislative progress on solar and renewable standards, and discusses Xcel Energy's experience integrating variable wind power. Key recommendations include adopting performance-based regulation, streamlining 'soft costs' for solar PV, and integrating distribution planning into state resource processes.

The document serves as a guide for citizens and officials to navigate the complexities of unconventional oil and gas development. It outlines the technical process of fracking, identifies critical environmental and social risks—including water contamination, air pollution, and infrastructure strain—and provides a framework for assessing the reliability of scientific information. Additionally, it lists key stakeholders and potential regulatory responses at the federal, state, and local levels, while highlighting case studies of community-led actions in the United States.

The document highlights a trend of increasingly destructive wildfires in the U.S., driven by climate change and a lack of funding for hazardous fuel reduction. It notes that forests are shifting from carbon sinks to emitters and that the U.S. Forest Service faces significant budget cuts despite rising fire risks. The author proposes that developing markets for woody biomass and bioenergy could provide a sustainable funding mechanism for forest restoration and wildfire prevention.

A group of environmental and scientific organizations argues against the EPA's proposal to include Arundo donax (giant reed) as an approved advanced biofuel feedstock. They cite the species' status as a high-risk invasive weed that threatens native vegetation and endangered species, noting that the high cost of eradication makes the ecological and economic risks outweigh the benefits of its cultivation under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The document examines the role of fiscal incentives in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), arguing that tax exemptions cannot compensate for a weak investment climate. It critiques the use of blanket tax holidays, which can lead to tax avoidance and minimal domestic economic embedding. Instead, the author proposes a framework of 'timely, targeted and temporary' incentives, advocating for performance-based measures such as tax credits, accelerated depreciation, and green bonds. The paper suggests that governments should gradually move toward a uniform low corporate tax rate to create a level playing field for domestic and foreign investors while ensuring that incentives are administered through transparent tax codes rather than discretionary sector ministries.

The research paper evaluates four types of cost limits—alternative compliance payments, contract price caps, retail rate/revenue impact caps, and renewable energy fund caps—across several U.S. states. It finds that while cost limits can insure against unacceptably high costs, they often create market uncertainty, may act as price floors rather than ceilings, and can conflict with renewable energy targets if not aligned with expected costs. For California, the author recommends avoiding public contract-level benchmarks, ensuring the limit is consistent with expected RPS costs, and implementing a simple, clearly defined mechanism with a predictable review process.

A coalition of environmental organizations argues that the EPA's proposed rules for the oil and gas industry are insufficient. They demand the direct regulation of methane, the inclusion of existing sources, the elimination of exemptions for certain wells, and the regulation of hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter. The coalition also calls for more stringent toxic air pollutant limits and a more comprehensive health risk assessment for vulnerable populations.

The document is a citizen petition submitted to the EPA requesting the promulgation of rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address the lack of public and regulatory information regarding chemicals used in oil and gas exploration and production (E&P Chemicals). The petitioners argue that current regulatory gaps—including the 'Halliburton Loophole' and inadequate Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)—allow the industry to conceal toxic fluids that pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment. The petition cites evidence of groundwater contamination, air quality degradation, and animal fatalities across several U.S. states. It specifically requests that the EPA mandate toxicity testing under TSCA section 4, require detailed reporting of chemical identities and volumes under section 8(a), call in records of adverse reactions under section 8(c), and require the submission of all existing health and safety studies under section 8(d).

The report examines the 'water-energy nexus' in the western United States, specifically the eleven states of the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC). It models eight scenarios from 2008 to 2100, varying by carbon emission goals, water conservation mandates, and energy efficiency levels. The primary finding is that while power plants require water, their total consumption is small compared to agricultural and urban use, making the water-energy nexus a secondary concern in the region's broader water crisis. The analysis suggests that carbon pricing (around $70 per ton) is a more likely driver for shifting energy strategies than water pricing, as water prices would need to exceed $4,000 to $7,000 per acre-foot to make water-conserving energy scenarios the least-cost option.

The U.S. Southwest is currently relying on unsustainable groundwater extraction to meet water demands. Climate change is projected to exacerbate this crisis by increasing agricultural water needs and shifting snowmelt timing, leading to significant water shortfalls. The report finds that without adaptation, the region faces a cumulative water shortfall of up to 2,253 million acre feet over the next century under a severe climate scenario (A2). While desalination and imports are deemed non-viable due to cost and availability, planned reductions in urban and agricultural water use—particularly the elimination of low-value crops—could bring water use to sustainable levels. The economic cost of inaction is estimated between $2.3 trillion and $5 trillion over the next century.

The California Water Supply and Demand Model (CWSD) assesses how climate change affects water availability and usage in California, focusing on the energy, urban, and agricultural sectors. The model evaluates scenarios with no adaptation, slow adaptation, and fast adaptation across different climate projections (B1 and A2). Key findings indicate that without adaptation, agricultural water demand will rise due to higher temperatures, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. While slow adaptation may only marginally reduce use, fast adaptation—driven by higher water prices and technological efficiency—could significantly decrease demand. The report also extends its agricultural analysis to other Western U.S. states, noting a general increase in water demand by 2100.

The document presents data on the freshwater requirements of U.S. power plants, highlighting that coal and nuclear power are the primary consumers of freshwater for cooling. It details the distribution of cooling systems across the U.S. and identifies specific watersheds where power plant water use significantly impacts the Water Stress Index (WaSSI).

The document provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear power, detailing the process of fission and the operation of pressurized and boiling water reactors. It examines the uranium fuel cycle, noting that the U.S. relies heavily on imports from countries like Russia and Canada. The text also addresses the challenges of radioactive waste storage, specifically mentioning Yucca Mountain, and analyzes the economic decline of the U.S. nuclear industry following the 1970s due to cost overruns, declining energy demand, and public opposition.