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The State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US
As of June 2023, there are 5,982 committed electric school buses across 914 U.S. school districts or private fleet operators. Adoption is heavily driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Rebate Program, which funded 39% of all committed buses. While California leads in total numbers, adoption is becoming more geographically distributed, with 49 states now having commitments. The report finds that adoption is occurring equitably, with a majority of buses located in low-income districts and areas with high air pollution. Type C buses are the most common, making up 62.5% of commitments.
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Document type: Report
PRIVATE PROFITS, PUBLIC RISKS
The report identifies 19 private equity firms investing in 35 oil and gas companies that have received federal drilling permits since 2017. It estimates that U.S. taxpayers could face up to $384 million in cleanup costs for nearly 2,700 wells operated by these private-equity-backed companies across eight states, with Colorado and New Mexico facing the highest liabilities. The authors argue that the private equity business model—characterized by high leverage and quick exits—combined with outdated federal bonding requirements (averaging only $2,122 per well) and bankruptcy laws, allows firms to externalize environmental costs. The document also highlights 'greenwashing' strategies, such as the promotion of 'certified gas,' used to maintain investor support despite ongoing fossil fuel expansion.
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Document type: Report
Climate Solutions Reporting Guide
The guide argues that climate coverage must move beyond focusing solely on the problem to show that the crisis is solvable, emphasizing evidence-based solutions journalism. It outlines a framework for reporting on government policies, business practices, technological mitigation and adaptation, civil society actions, and cultural influences. The document warns reporters to prioritize the political and economic battles over 'techno-fixes' and to highlight the urgency for marginalized communities who suffer disproportionately from climate impacts.
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Document type: Guide
CEQ’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool Needs to Consider How Burdens Add Up
The World Resources Institute analyzes CEJST 1.0, finding that while it identifies more disadvantaged populations than the beta version, it lacks a mechanism to prioritize communities facing multiple overlapping burdens. The analysis reveals that non-white populations are disproportionately exposed to higher cumulative burdens, yet the tool treats all disadvantaged communities as equal for funding purposes. The authors recommend incorporating cumulative burden metrics, adjusting low-income eligibility for severely burdened areas, and establishing a rigorous monitoring framework for the Justice40 Initiative.
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Document type: Research paper
AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE (AMA) Program Description
The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program provides financial aid to agricultural producers in 16 specific US states to manage financial risk through conservation, marketing, and crop diversification. Administered by the NRCS, AMS, and RMA, the program is permanently authorized at $10 million per fiscal year and covers up to 75 percent of the cost for conservation practices like agroforestry and cover crops to mitigate climate change.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US
As of September 2022, there are 13,053 committed electric school buses in the US, spanning 483 school districts across 39 states. California leads adoption, and the largest funding source is California's Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program. While adoption is high in areas with significant air pollution and among communities of color, the highest number of buses are concentrated in districts with the lowest percentages of low-income households.
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Document type: Report
Coal Cost Crossover 3.0
The report finds that 99% of U.S. coal plants are more expensive to operate than to replace with new renewable energy. It highlights that local solar and wind resources, bolstered by IRA tax credits and the ability to reuse existing grid interconnections, offer a cost-effective path for coal retirement. The analysis suggests that the savings from this transition could fund 137 GW of four-hour battery storage to maintain grid reliability. The authors recommend that policymakers update resource plans, improve interconnection processes, and utilize IRA financing to ensure a just economic transition for coal-dependent communities.
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Document type: Report
November warming & Thanksgiving extremes
Analysis of 246 U.S. locations shows that November temperatures have risen in 82% of sites since 1970, with one-third of those locations experiencing a warming of 2.5F or more.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Solutions Series: Cutting Methane Emissions
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with over 80 times the warming power of CO2 over 20 years, though it breaks down in about 12 years. Approximately 60% of methane emissions result from human activity, primarily agriculture (40%), the energy sector (35%), and waste management (20%). The five largest global emitters are China, the U.S., Russia, India, and Brazil. In the U.S., the energy sector's contribution is estimated by the IEA at 54%, significantly higher than the EPA's 38% due to underreported 'ultra-emitting events'. Reduction strategies include repairing leaks in oil and gas production, capturing biogas from waste and agriculture, and using alternative livestock feed. Measurement is shifting from 'bottom-up' inventories to 'top-down' remote sensing via satellites and aircraft to better identify point sources. The Global Methane Pledge, launched at COP26, aims for a 30% reduction in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by 2030, though several top emitters have not yet joined.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List
A 50-state survey by Global Energy Monitor reveals that major U.S. corporations in the tech, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ lobbyists who also represent fossil fuel interests. This creates a paradox where companies with public net-zero pledges provide political cover and credibility to lobbyists promoting continued fossil fuel dependence. The report highlights specific companies—such as Amazon, State Farm, and Bank of America—and notes that weak state disclosure laws and the absence of a national database hinder accountability.
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Document type: Report
Fossil Fumes (2022 update)
The analysis finds that 236 counties in 21 US states face cancer risks exceeding the EPA's one-in-a-million threshold due to oil and gas pollution, affecting nearly 14 million people. The report identifies benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde as the primary drivers of this risk, accounting for 96% of the estimated cancer risk. It highlights that the population living in high-risk counties increased from 9 million in 2016 to 14 million in 2022, primarily due to industry growth. The report argues that implementing proven methane-reduction technologies, such as leak detection and repair and the replacement of gas-driven pneumatic equipment, would also significantly reduce toxic hazardous air pollution.
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Document type: Report
Helpful info on today's West Virginia v. EPA Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court ruled to restrict the federal government's power to limit greenhouse gas emissions in West Virginia v. EPA, a case initiated by coal companies and Republican-led states. The briefing urges journalists to focus on the global climate consequences of this decision rather than political conflicts and provides a list of legal and public health experts for commentary.
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Document type: Briefing
Testimony Before the United States House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
The document outlines a pathway to reduce U.S. oil and gas methane emissions by 65% using mature technologies and standards already employed in states like Colorado and New Mexico. It advocates for strengthening EPA regulations to include frequent leak detection and repair (LDAR) and a total ban on routine flaring. Additionally, it supports the Build Back Better Act's Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) as a complementary financial incentive. The author asserts that these measures would save society $13 billion annually by 2025, prevent millions of tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from entering the atmosphere, and create approximately 220,000 total jobs without negatively impacting drilling activity.
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Document type: Statement
What makes for a good clean hydrogen hub?
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) outlines four primary criteria for successful clean hydrogen hubs: minimizing greenhouse gas intensity across the production value chain, prioritizing hard-to-abate end-use sectors, committing to environmental justice and community engagement, and delivering immediate local environmental benefits. These recommendations are directed at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) following the authorization of $8 billion under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to establish at least four regional hubs.
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Document type: Policy brief
Communities in Flux
The report documents the physical, mental, and community-level impacts of fracking in Northeastern British Columbia through interviews and surveys. Residents report chronic stress and sleep disruption caused by constant noise, light, and odours, alongside acute symptoms like sore throats and headaches following emissions. Long-term health concerns raised include multiple chemical sensitivities, year-round allergies, respiratory issues, and elevated cancer rates in young people. The document also highlights community degradation, including the loss of social networks as residents move away, food insecurity for Indigenous peoples due to contaminated traditional foods, and public safety risks from transient workers. The authors recommend a moratorium on new natural gas wells in Canada and the implementation of the precautionary principle to protect residents.
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Document type: Report
Climate looms large over Biden’s first State of the Union—will the coverage say so?
The author urges journalists to ensure climate change remains a central part of the coverage for President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address. While acknowledging Biden's achievements—such as rejoining the Paris Agreement and signing a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill—the text highlights contradictions, including the continued approval of oil and gas permits and the failure of the Build Back Better bill. The author contends that the press should challenge overly optimistic narratives and hold both the administration and political obstructionists accountable, noting that the West's reliance on fossil fuels complicates the response to the crisis in Ukraine.
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Document type: Statement
SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE
Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that operating coal mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane per year, exceeding IEA estimates for oil and gas. The analysis identifies China, specifically Shanxi province, as the primary source of these emissions. GEM warns that proposed mine projects could add another 11.3 million tonnes annually, effectively locking in emissions equivalent to the coal-based CO2 emissions of the United States. To meet Net Zero 2030 targets, the report argues for a faster coal phase-out and the cancellation of new projects, as current mitigation measures are often insufficient or circumvented.
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Document type: Report
Climate, Environmental, and Health Impacts of Fossil Fuels
The document outlines the externalities of fossil fuels, noting that they accounted for 74% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. It highlights severe health consequences, including 350,000 premature deaths in the U.S. in 2018, and emphasizes that these impacts disproportionately affect low-income communities and communities of color, specifically citing high cancer risks in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley."
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Document type: Fact sheet
The EU’s Methane Regulation Must Include Supply Chain Emissions and the Petrochemical Sector
The briefing highlights a growing trade in natural gas liquids (NGLs), specifically ethane and propane, from US fracking basins to European petrochemical plants. It contends that because several European countries have banned fracking, the reliance on US imports creates a loophole where emissions are outsourced. The author urges the European Commission to ensure the EU Methane Regulation covers the entire supply chain and includes petrochemical feedstocks to avoid undermining emissions reductions and health policies.
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Document type: Briefing
The Transatlantic Petrochemical Trade is Undermining Europe’s Climate & Plastics Policies
The document examines the growth of the transatlantic trade in natural gas liquids (NGLs), specifically ethane and propane, from the US to Europe. It contends that this trade allows European plastics producers to bypass domestic fracking bans and climate regulations, effectively offshoring the high greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction and transport. The author calls for the EU to expand its Methane Regulation, Emissions Trading System (ETS), and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover the full petrochemical supply chain and imports.
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Document type: Policy brief