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The Heartland Hydrogen Hub is projected to create 3,880 direct jobs, including 3,067 in construction and 703 permanent positions. The initiative involves two major projects and is led by the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) as the prime contractor, with industry sponsors including Atlas Agro North America Corp. and Xcel Energy Services Inc.

Since the 2018 45Q reform, 84 carbon management projects have been announced in the U.S., with a significant surge in 2021. The majority of these projects are industrial-sector initiatives utilizing saline storage, though regional infrastructure in the Midwest is enabling ethanol projects. The power sector accounts for 23% of projects, primarily natural gas and coal plants, while only one large-scale Direct Air Capture plant is planned.

The report finds that Native American communities are more likely to live within a half-mile of oil and gas facilities than the general population of their encompassing states, leading to disproportionate exposure to methane, volatile organic compounds, and toxic air pollutants. This impact is exacerbated by high poverty rates and lack of health insurance, which limit housing options and access to medical care for conditions like asthma. Specifically, the analysis highlights the Navajo Nation, the Northern Ute (Uintah-Ouray), and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation as areas of significant risk.

The report examines the environmental and health risks associated with dumping coal combustion waste (CCW), or coal ash, into active and abandoned coal mines across the United States. It argues that this practice, often labeled as 'beneficial use' or 'recycling' to bypass regulations, allows toxic metals to leach into groundwater and surface water. The document highlights the failure of the U.S. EPA and the Office of Surface Mining to implement necessary safeguards, noting that minefilling is driven by economic incentives, reducing disposal costs by 89 to 95 percent compared to engineered landfills. It specifically identifies the increased risks from Fluidized Bed Combustion (FBC) plants and provides case studies of contamination in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The report concludes by urging the EPA to adopt the National Academies of Sciences' recommendations for mandatory testing, site characterization, and long-term monitoring.

The document details the prevalence of coal ash disposal sites in North Dakota, noting that the state ranks 14th in the US for coal ash generation with over 3 million tons produced annually. It identifies six specific power stations with documented groundwater contamination involving toxins such as arsenic, lead, and selenium. The text argues that North Dakota's regulatory program is deficient because it lacks requirements for universal groundwater monitoring, composite liners, and financial assurances for cleanup.

The report details how coal ash, the second-largest industrial waste stream in the U.S., contains toxic heavy metals that leach into groundwater and surface water or become airborne as fugitive dust. It highlights the inadequacy of current state-level regulations and the failure of unlined disposal ponds, citing numerous 'damage cases' where communities have suffered from contaminated drinking water and ecological collapse. The authors advocate for a transition away from wet storage and unencapsulated reuse, calling for federal standards to protect susceptible populations, particularly children and low-income communities.

The document provides a detailed schedule of federal coal lease readjustment dates from 2021 to 2025, identifying the specific lease numbers, the states where the leases are located, and the companies holding those leases. The list covers operations across several Western U.S. states, including Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Washington, and Oklahoma.

The document outlines the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency in North Dakota, asserting that such measures can reduce carbon pollution, save residents money, and improve public health. It specifically highlights the potential for North Dakota to meet over 20% of its carbon reduction goals under the EPA's Clean Power Plan through popular efficiency policies.

The report details how private equity firms Roark Capital and Silver Lake Management profit from projects in Atlanta that threaten the South River Forest. It highlights the role of the Atlanta Police Foundation in facilitating 'Cop City' and the use of Motorola Solutions' surveillance technology. The document also connects these local events to global trends of private equity investment in extractive industries and the subsequent suppression of environmental activists.

The document argues that the Sentinel ICBM program is prohibitively expensive, increases the risk of nuclear war due to high-alert postures, and is unnecessary given the existing submarine-launched ballistic missile capability.

The report provides a state-by-state breakdown of progress toward 2020 Clean Power Plan benchmarks, noting that some states have exceeded 500% of their goals while others show 0% progress. It highlights the role of energy efficiency, renewable energy standards, and regional initiatives in achieving these targets.

The Great Plains region has experienced increasing average temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, with winter temperatures in northern states rising by more than 6°F over the last 30 years. Climate change is projected to exacerbate the depletion of the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer, particularly in the southern region where unsustainable water use and extreme heat are already prevalent. Agriculture and livestock are highly vulnerable; rising temperatures are expected to shift crop zones, increase pest prevalence, and reduce livestock yields, with a projected 10% decline in cow/calf and dairy operations under higher emissions scenarios. Ecosystems, specifically prairie potholes and playa lakes, face threats from altered evaporation and recharge rates, which impacts migratory birds and aquifer replenishment. The document also highlights the vulnerability of 65 Native American tribes on rural lands facing water quantity and quality issues.

The document distinguishes between climate change mitigation, which focuses on avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent extreme warming, and climate change adaptation, which involves adjusting behaviors and systems to protect people and the environment from existing and future climate impacts. It emphasizes that while mitigation takes decades to affect temperatures, adaptation is required immediately for changes already occurring. Key mitigation strategies include transitioning to renewable energy and stopping deforestation to reach net-zero emissions, while adaptation involves diversifying crops, strengthening infrastructure, and managing natural resources. The text asserts that both approaches are equally important and time-sensitive.

A WWF study finds that post-harvest losses for corn and soy in the US are significantly higher than industry expectations, with corn losses averaging 4.7% and soy 4.5%. These losses result in billions of dollars in economic waste and millions of tons of GHG emissions. The report identifies equipment sophistication and operator experience as primary drivers of loss and argues that reducing these losses can alleviate pressure to convert natural habitats into cropland.