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The document details a 'multifront assault' by the Trump administration to roll back the 2015 EPA regulations on coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation. It describes how six specific proposals aim to delay the closure of leaking pits, weaken wastewater standards, and eliminate financial requirements for cleanups. The briefing highlights the dangers of coal ash—including carcinogens like arsenic and hexavalent chromium—and cites historical disasters and contamination sites to illustrate the necessity of the safeguards being targeted.

The report documents widespread groundwater and surface water contamination in Virginia caused by coal ash ponds and landfills, highlighting critical failures in state regulatory oversight. It identifies specific high-risk 'significant hazard' dams and contaminated sites across the Commonwealth, noting that 76% of these facilities are located in low-income communities or communities of color. The authors argue that current Virginia regulations are inadequate—failing to mandate liners or consistent groundwater monitoring—and urge the state to adopt the more stringent 2014 EPA coal ash rule while opposing H.R. 1734, a federal bill that would weaken those protections.

Virginia generates approximately 2.4 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 18th in the U.S. The state's infrastructure includes 30 ponds at 11 plants, 13 of which are unlined and have an average age of 47 years, exceeding their 40-year projected lifespan. Eight ponds are classified as "significant hazard," with two rated in "poor" condition by the EPA, including sites at the Chesapeake Energy Center and Clinch River Power Plant. Contamination has led to two federal Superfund sites and significant ecological damage, such as a 1967 collapse at the Clinch River Plant that killed 217,000 fish. The document argues that Virginia's regulations are deficient, as they do not mandate composite liners, groundwater monitoring, or state inspections for all ash landfills and ponds.

The report details how coal ash, particularly fly ash, contains toxic metals and radioactive materials that pose severe health risks when inhaled as fugitive dust. It highlights the lack of federal regulations for dust control at landfills and ponds, noting that state-level requirements are often inadequate. The document provides case studies of impacted communities, including the Moapa River Indian Reservation and Uniontown, Alabama, and calls for a transition to renewable energy and the establishment of enforceable federal standards to mitigate these hazards.

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 outlines the economic and environmental benefits of adopting energy efficiency policies in Virginia, asserting that such measures can help the state meet 85% of its carbon pollution reduction goals under the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. It highlights that specific interventions—including private sector energy service contracts, national model building codes, and 100 MWs of new combined heat and power—could avoid over 7 million tons of CO2 and save Virginians $1.8 billion by 2030.

The document details the distribution of Recovery Act funds for high-speed rail awards across the West, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions of the United States. The West region received the highest allocation at $2,942,000,000, followed by the Midwest at $2,599,600,000, the Southeast at $1,870,000,000, and the Northeast at $485,000,000. Key projects include the California High-Speed Rail, the Tampa-Orlando Phase 1 HSR, and various track, signal, and station upgrades across multiple state corridors to increase train speeds and reliability.

The document consists of a collection of 45 figures mapping the FSEIS routes for nuclear waste transport through nearly every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.

The document provides a set of policy recommendations aimed at the 117th Congress to improve coastal resilience in the United States. It emphasizes the integration of climate justice, the use of nature-based solutions, and the necessity of basing federal decision-making on future climate projections rather than historical data. The recommendations are supported by regional models, such as Louisiana's LA SAFE initiative and living shoreline projects in North Carolina, highlighting the need for community-centered planning and updated benefit-cost analysis tools.

Energy Innovation uses the California Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) to propose a 'Deeper Decarbonization Scenario' for California. This pathway prioritizes mature technologies—such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and electric appliances—to achieve emissions reductions of 47 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, compared to the state's current Draft Scoping Plan which relies on uncertain carbon dioxide removal. The proposed scenario includes a 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales standard for cars and light-duty trucks by 2030, 100 percent electrification of new appliances by 2030, and a carbon neutral electricity system by 2035. These actions are estimated to add $28 billion to the state's economy and create nearly 170,000 new jobs by 2030, while preventing over 1,300 deaths and 26,600 asthma attacks annually by 2030.

Analysis shows that the weighted average cost of coal power in the U.S. rose from $36/MWh in 2021 to $46/MWh in 2024, a 28 percent increase that outpaced inflation. This rise is attributed to higher fuel, operations, and maintenance costs, as well as declining capacity factors. Despite these economics, some U.S. federal policies and state regulators have extended the lives of expensive plants, such as Plant Bowen in Georgia and the Hunter and Huntington plants in Utah, potentially increasing the financial burden on electricity consumers.

The document addresses the recent surge in U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicles. It warns that utilities are defaulting to new gas plants, which risks creating stranded assets and conflicting with climate goals. The authors propose a portfolio of alternatives, including aggressive energy efficiency, the reuse of fossil fuel interconnection sites for renewables, demand response with large customers, and grid-enhancing technologies to improve existing transmission infrastructure.

This community guide, produced by Natural Justice in June 2025, provides instructions for Interested and Affected parties to appeal a May 2025 environmental authorisation granted to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd. This authorisation allows Tetra4 to expand its gas production activities in the Free State by integrating Exploration Rights 32 and 94 into its existing Production Right.

A community guide published by Natural Justice in January 2026 regarding Motuoane Energy (Pty) Ltd's application to convert a portion of its existing Exploration Right (ER315) into a Production Right (PR) for helium and methane gas extraction in the Free State province of South Africa.

The report argues that Apollo Global Management's private equity model—characterized by high leverage and cost-cutting—has harmed patients and workers across its 220 hospitals. It documents specific instances of service cuts, poor quality ratings, and regulatory failures, while questioning the anti-competitive nature of the Lifepoint-ScionHealth spinoff.

The author posits that a new industrial revolution is emerging, driven by the need to use nature more productively. By applying 'natural capitalism'—which values nature and people—and integrative design, developers can create high-performance, low-impact human settlements that are more profitable and desirable than traditional developments. Examples such as Village Homes in California and the city of Curitiba, Brazil, demonstrate that reducing resource depletion and pollution can lead to superior financial and social outcomes, including lower crime and higher market value.

The text presents 'green development' as a superior paradigm for real estate, demonstrating through case studies that integrating passive design, high-efficiency technology, and human-centric planning reduces costs and increases financial returns. It highlights the economic benefits of improved labor productivity due to better indoor environments and argues that current market incentives for architects and developers are 'perverse' because they reward inefficiency. The document details specific technical innovations in lighting, insulation, and appliances, while advocating for 'New Urbanism' to reduce infrastructure costs and restore community vitality.

The document details the relationship between rising global temperatures and the formation of ground-level ozone, which is created when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with heat and sunlight. It highlights that without strong climate policies, respiratory issues such as asthma attacks could increase by 11.8 million annual incidences by 2050. The text emphasizes the disproportionate impact on children, the elderly, and Latino populations in the U.S., noting that nearly half of the U.S. population lives in areas with unhealthy ozone levels.

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 report examines the ecological and economic importance of southern US forests, noting they provide 18% of global pulpwood despite covering only 2% of world forest area. It details a historical net decline of 40% in forest extent since European settlement and projects that suburban development will convert 19 million acres of forest between 2020 and 2040. The document highlights that 87% of these forests are privately owned, making the implementation of market-based incentives—such as carbon sequestration payments and conservation easements—critical for future sustainability, though current adoption of these measures remains mixed.