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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.

This research paper examines the economic viability of the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, arguing that the region is vulnerable to low prices and a global shift toward low-carbon energy sources.

The study assesses the environmental performance of incorporating bakery byproduct meal, chemically-processed grocery food waste feed, and Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) meal into laying hen diets in the US. Results indicate that while all alternative diets can reduce land use and marine eutrophication by replacing agricultural ingredients like soybean meal, they often introduce trade-offs, particularly increasing global warming potential and water consumption. Bakery meal showed the most modest impacts, whereas BSFL meal caused the highest increases in greenhouse gas emissions. The report concludes that the environmental benefits of waste-to-feed systems are modest and highly dependent on energy use, suggesting that renewable energy is essential to ensure positive outcomes and that preventing food waste remains the top priority.

The report argues that new natural gas developments in Appalachia are high-risk investments due to low domestic prices and the global transition toward low-carbon energy. Analysis of 216 prospective gas fields indicates that average 2020 prices for gas and oil do not support widespread expansion. The authors highlight that deep decarbonization consistent with the Paris Agreement would likely keep gas prices below the $3/Mbtu threshold required for average profitability, potentially rendering new fields and associated petrochemical infrastructure, such as ethane crackers, unprofitable.

The briefing outlines a strategy for the U.S. federal government to support fossil fuel workers facing displacement due to the energy transition and the economic impact of COVID-19. It proposes three immediate federal interventions: employing workers to rehabilitate abandoned coal mines and plug orphan oil and gas wells, expanding funding for existing economic development programs like the POWER Initiative and the EDA ACC program, and utilizing innovative financial mechanisms such as securitization to lower costs for ratepayers and fund community support. For long-term stability, the author advocates for a comprehensive federal energy transition adjustment assistance program modeled after the Department of Labor's Trade Adjustment Assistance, providing retraining, relocation allowances, and wage insurance.

The document details the 'externalities' of fossil fuels—costs not reflected in market prices—across climate, environmental, and health dimensions. It highlights significant U.S. impacts, including $606.9 billion in extreme weather costs (2016-2020) and 350,000 premature deaths in 2018. It also emphasizes the disproportionate burden on communities of color and low-income areas, such as 'Cancer Alley' in Louisiana. Proposed policy solutions include eliminating subsidies, increasing the social cost of carbon, implementing a federal clean electricity standard, and establishing carbon pricing.

The Clean Air Task Force proposes a set of regulatory measures to reduce U.S. oil and gas methane emissions by 65% relative to 2012 levels by 2025. The plan focuses on seven key areas: frequent leak detection and repair (LDAR), replacing gas-driven pneumatic equipment with non-emitting alternatives, controlling storage tank emissions, minimizing well completion emissions, regulating compressors and dehydrators, reducing oil well venting and flaring, and minimizing maintenance venting. The analysis suggests these measures would reduce 2025 emissions by 7.8 million metric tons of methane compared to current policies, equivalent to 680 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent over a 20-year horizon.

The document examines the decline of the U.S. coal industry, driven by cheaper natural gas and renewables, and the resulting workforce crisis. It argues that a successful transition requires more than just shifting to another single industry; it necessitates broad economic diversification. The brief outlines potential employment opportunities in clean energy, energy efficiency, environmental remediation (such as mine reclamation and forest restoration), broadband deployment, and entrepreneurship. It also reviews proposed federal frameworks, such as the National Economic Transition Office, and highlights regional initiatives in Appalachia and the West that support displaced workers through retraining and community-led development.

The document examines the decline of the U.S. coal industry, driven by cheaper alternative energy and rising extraction costs, and the resulting workforce crisis. It evaluates various federal legislative proposals and existing programs aimed at economic diversification, such as the RECLAIM Act and EDA grants. The brief highlights opportunities for transition in renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental restoration, broadband deployment, and entrepreneurship, emphasizing that a 'just transition' requires a holistic, community-driven approach rather than a simple shift from one single industry to another.

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 Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional program designed to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector by limiting total emissions and requiring fuel distributors to pay into a fund. This fund could generate an estimated $68 billion over ten years for participating states, including Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. The document highlights that rural residents, who drive more than 13,000 miles annually—over 20% above the regional average—stand to save up to twice as much per capita as urban residents by switching to electric vehicles (EVs). To support this transition, the author suggests higher purchase incentives for low- and moderate-income drivers, expanded rural charging infrastructure, and the growth of vanpools and paratransit services. Additionally, the document emphasizes the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, citing the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene in Vermont as a precedent for the increasing intensity of storms in the region.

The report alleges that Leonard Green & Partners extracted at least $658 million in fees and dividends from Prospect Medical Holdings while failing to meet capital investment commitments to safety net hospitals. It highlights a $457 million debt-financed dividend in 2018 that may have rendered the company technically insolvent. In Rhode Island, Prospect is accused of misleading regulators by counting operating losses and forgiven management fees as capital expenditures to secure tax breaks. The document also notes similar failures in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and questions the $10 million valuation of Leonard Green's majority stake sale to company management.

Members of Congress allege that Leonard Green & Partners destabilized Prospect Medical Holdings by extracting $658 million in fees and dividends, often funded by debt. The letter claims this financial strategy, combined with failures to meet capital commitments and pension obligations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, left the hospital system vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors demand the return of these funds to ensure continuity of patient care.

The report details how Leonard Green & Partners acquired Prospect Medical Holdings in 2010 and subsequently extracted between $570 million and $658 million in fees and dividends. This occurred despite a dramatic decline in EBITDA from $142 million in 2015 to $17 million in 2018 and the accumulation of $260 million in unfunded pension liabilities. The document highlights systemic failures, including the complete closure of the Nix Health system in Texas, 'immediate jeopardy' patient conditions in Connecticut, and legal disputes over pensions in Rhode Island and community funding in Pennsylvania. It concludes by urging the Pennsylvania Attorney General to block a change in ownership until Leonard Green returns the extracted funds to support hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project alleges that Leonard Green & Partners extracted $570 million to $658 million in fees and dividends from Prospect Medical Holdings while the hospital chain suffered from declining financial performance, poor quality ratings, and underfunded pensions. The document details systemic failures across hospitals in Texas, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, including the total closure of the Nix Health System in Texas and lawsuits from pensioners in Rhode Island. It highlights a $457 million dividend paid in 2018 that contradicted assurances given to Rhode Island regulators. The author contends that Leonard Green is attempting to exit its majority stake for a fraction of its acquisition cost, leaving behind a legacy of financial and operational distress in safety net hospitals.

The brief supports the Bag Waste Act's ban on plastic carryout bags but challenges specific DEC regulations that exempt 'reusable bags' made of plastic thicker than 10 mils. Amici argue this contradicts the legislative intent to ban 'any plastic carryout bags' and is arbitrary and capricious based on evidence that thickness thresholds fail to reduce plastic waste. The brief also rejects claims that the COVID-19 pandemic justifies invalidating the Act.

Since 2010, Leonard Green & Partners and other owners collected $658 million in dividends and fees from Prospect Medical Holdings, despite the company facing severe operating challenges, underfunded pensions, and low quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A significant $457 million debt-financed dividend paid in 2018 contradicted previous assurances given to Rhode Island regulators that no further distributions were planned. During the same period, Prospect's EBITDA fell from $142 million in 2015 to $17 million in 2018, and its pension fund funded ratio dropped from 68.3% in 2016 to 60.7% in 2018.

The document highlights the economic importance of the beer industry and the risks posed by climate change to barley, hops, and water supplies. It details adaptation efforts, such as the development of drought-resistant crops and water preservation partnerships, alongside operational sustainability measures like using recycled glass and clean energy.

The report details how American Securities' ownership of Global Tel Link (GTL) has led to predatory pricing and fee harvesting in the US correctional telecommunications market. It highlights the financial burden on low-income families, the recording of privileged attorney-client calls, and a bribery scandal in Mississippi. The document also examines GTL's expansion into digital tablets and video calling, arguing that these services often replace in-person visits and create new revenue streams from a captive market. Finally, it notes a growing trend of municipalities moving toward free correctional calls and increased legislative scrutiny of private equity's role in prison services.

The document outlines the technical approaches used to estimate children's exposure to chlorpyrifos and PFAS, the process for tracking children's product recalls, and the use of EPA Regulatory Impact Analyses to quantify the health benefits lost when air pollution standards were weakened or repealed.