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Washington CNN —President Joe Biden is not expected to attend the opening of the global climate summit in Dubai this week, according to a White House schedule of the president’s events. Since taking office, Biden has attended the annual UN climate summit in person in 2021 and 2022. The move has the potential to frustrate climate advocates both at home and abroad, though some activists and small island nations have called into question the effectiveness of the annual international climate summit process. O’Hanlon said Sunrise Movement also has critiques of the international climate summit itself – which is itself embroiled in controversy as it is being hosted by the oil-rich United Arab Emirates this year. A July Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that 57% of Americans disapprove of the way Biden has handled climate policy, including 59% of voters 18-29 years old.

Persons: Joe Biden, John Kerry, Ali Zaidi, Biden, John Kirby, haven’t, Tom Evans, “ It’s, he’s, ” Evans, ”, Greta Thunberg, greenwashing ”, “ Biden, Stevie O’Hanlon, O’Hanlon, ” O’Hanlon, –, Donald Trump, John Podesta, Xi Jinping Organizations: Washington CNN, White, National Security, CNN, Sunrise Movement, Sunrise, United, Washington Post, University of Maryland, Republican, U.S, National Locations: Dubai, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Washington, China

☆ SpaceX Starship: World’s most powerful rocket ready for takeoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —After months of rebuilding and clearing red tape following the April explosion of the Starship system’s first test flight, SpaceX is set for its next attempt. The Starship spacecraft stacked atop the Super Heavy booster is intended to play a key role in the NASA Artemis III moon mission, currently slated for 2025. After its fuel is spent, the Super Heavy will detach from the Starship spacecraft and fall back toward the ocean. “These delays may seem small in the big scheme of things but … delays in each and every test flight adds up. One group of activists sued the FAA in May, alleging regulators had failed to comply with federal environmental law when they greenlit Starship’s April test flight.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, they’re, NASA Artemis, ”, Musk’s, SpaceX’s, NASA’s —, Jim Free, “, ” Musk, William Gerstenmaier —, we’re, ” Gerstenmaier, Jared Margolis Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, Super, NASA, International Astronautical, “, NASA’s, Systems, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Center for Biological Locations: Riding, Boca Chica , Texas, South Texas, Texas, Padre, of Mexico, Hawaii, Baku, Azerbaijian, China

☆ Trump is wooing oil and gas tycoons to financially support his 2024 campaign, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Former President Trump is working to ramp up his support among energy executives, WaPo reported. Support from oil and gas executives would be crucial to his 2024 reelection campaign. Harold Hamm, the billionaire founder and chairman of Continental Resources, for instance, told Trump during a phone conversation earlier this year that he should end his presidential bid, per The Financial Times. "Trump was good on energy, and I think energy policy under Trump would be fine," Eberhart, the DeSantis supporter, told The Post. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe extent of Trump's pitches to energy executives is not a shock to environmental groups, as they battled with the administration over regulations throughout his entire time in the White House.

Persons: Trump, WaPo, —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Harold Hamm, Hamm, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Dan Eberhart, DeSantis, Kenny Troutt, Rick Bowmer, Barack Obama, Biden, bonafides, Tiernan Sittenfeld, Steven Cheung Organizations: Service, The Washington Post, Trump, Continental Resources, Gov, Post, White, Canary LLC, AP, Keystone XL, Wildlife, Green New, League of Conservation Voters, Big Locations: Trump, Florida, South Carolina, Trump's, Lago, Texas, Helper , Utah, Paris, Alaska, United States, ANWR

After Boebert won her last race by just 546 votes, she began revamping her campaign strategy. So-called ballot harvesting, which she's decried as an underhanded Democratic tactic, will be part of her campaign strategy. While campaigning in the district this election, Boebert seems “more empathetic" than her disruptive national profile. At events and debates in the last election, Boebert railed against then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who became a foil for bloated government, a broken system and Democratic demagoguery. After Colorado's largely city dwellers voted to reintroduce wolves to Colorado, Boebert has also proposed legislation to give ranchers greater recourse to defend their flocks.

Persons: Lauren Boebert, ”, Boebert, “, Beverly Cuyler, Adam Frisch, MAGA, Donald Trump’s, she's, Dave Williams, Frisch, ” Boebert, she’s, Drew Sexton, it’s, Cody Perkins, Perkins, Dusty Mars, ” Dennis Anderson, Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump, Biden, Seth Masket, Boebert’s, Masket, Pelosi's, —, Joe Biden, Colorado's, you’ve Organizations: Washington , D.C, Colorado Republican Party, Republican, Boebert, Democratic, Center, Politics, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SPRINGS, Colo, Washington ,, Colorado, Archuleta County, Rocky, American, Boebert, Denver, Archuleta

☆ Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Golf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment. Santa Barbara's Ocean Meadows golf course has been returned to its wetland state, which doubles as a flood defense for the city. Rivers and streams are often diverted or altered to make way for a golf course, but conservationists want them to flow freely. In other areas of the country, local councils are repurposing unprofitable municipal golf courses to create more natural spaces. A golf course turned nature reserve, Yalukit Willam can now be enjoyed by the Melbourne residents.

Persons: ”, Guillermo Rodriguez, “, ” California's, Larsen, Rodriguez, TPL, Public Land Rodriguez, Mike Johnson, Frodsham, Michael Owen, “ It’s, Neil Oxley, Boon Organizations: CNN, The Trust, Public, Trust, Public Land, San, Rancho Cañada, Summit Metro Parks, Wildlife, Liverpool, Woodland Trust, Hull, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Hove City Council, Bayside City Council Locations: California, ” California's San Geronimo, San Geronimo , California, San Geronimo, California’s Marin County, Meadows , California, Santa Barbara, Meadows, Santa, Cañada , California, Monterey, Carmel, Ventana, Fort Ord, Rivers, Valley , Ohio, Akron , Ohio, Ohio’s, Cheshire, Liverpool, Erewash Borough, Brighton, Willam, Australia, Melbourne, Elwood, Bayside

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration announced they waived 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow border wall construction on Wednesday, marking the administration’s first use of a sweeping executive power employed often during the Trump presidency. The Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and Endangered Species Act were some of the federal laws waived by DHS to make way for construction that will use funds from a congressional appropriation in 2019 for border wall construction. Starr County Judge Eloy Vera said it will start south of the Falcon Dam and go past Salineño, Texas. “A border wall is a 14th century solution to a 21st century problem. It will not bolster border security in Starr County,” U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar said in a statement.

Persons: —, Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas, Starr, Eloy Vera, ” Eloy Vera, Laiken, Greg Abbott, Biden, Henry Cuellar, “, Dan Stein, ” Organizations: Biden, Department of Homeland Security, U.S . Federal, Patrol, Act, DHS, Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Texas, U.S . Customs, Protection, Democratic, ” U.S, Federation for American Immigration Reform Locations: McALLEN , Texas, South Texas, Starr County , Texas, United States, Zapata, McAllen , Texas, Lower Rio Grande, Starr, Salineño , Texas, U.S, Eagle, “, Starr County, ”

The five-year plan includes proposed sales in the Gulf of Mexico — the nation’s primary offshore source of oil and gas — in 2025, 2027 and 2029. The three lease sales are the minimum number the Democratic administration could legally offer if it wants to continue expanding offshore wind development. The lease program will guard against environmental damage caused by oil and gas drilling and other adverse impacts to coastal communities, Haaland said. “The (oil leasing) program is definitely informed by the IRA and the connection that the IRA makes between offshore oil and gas leasing and renewable energy leasing,” he said Thursday, referring to the Inflation Reduction Act. The Interior Department can’t sell the rights to drill for oil and gas offshore without first publishing a schedule that outlines its plans.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Manchin, Harris, Deb Haaland, ”, Haaland, “, Biden's, Ryan Lance, Willow, Dyani Chapman, Tommy Beaudreau, Interior Department can’t, Rene Santos, Santos, Beth Lowell, Abigail Dillen, Sen, Dan Sullivan, ___ Brown, Becky Bohrer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Biden, Interior Department, Interior Department’s, of Ocean Energy Management, drillers, BP, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Alaska Environment, Interior, P, Gulf, American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, Associated Press Locations: Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Gulf, Mexico, West Virginia, Chevron, Brazil, Guyana, Louisiana, Oceana, Gulf Coast, Billings, Mont, Juneau , Alaska

☆ Biden Said He Would Stop Drilling. Then Reality Hit.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Lisa Friedman | More About Lisa Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Tens of thousands of climate protesters who filled Midtown Manhattan last week directed their anger at President Biden, who has done more to combat climate change than any of his predecessors. But in their view, he has failed in one important way: Mr. Biden has not stopped oil and gas drilling on public lands and in federal waters, as he pledged as a candidate in 2020. Mr. Biden’s promise of “no new drilling, period,” began to dissolve just months after he took office as he confronted a hard reality: The executive may oversee millions of acres of federal property but Congress and the courts can have the final say. “There’s a delicate dance here,” said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. “There’s a gap between what some advocates want the president to do, and what he can actually do, especially given a conservative Supreme Court, a hostile House of Representatives and a divided Senate.”

Persons: Biden, Biden’s, ”, Michael Gerrard, “ Organizations: Sabin, Climate, Columbia University, Court Locations: Midtown Manhattan

☆ A 5G-powered wildfire-detection tool is helping first responders contain fires faster
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sarah Sloat | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Pano AI, a wildfire-detection startup, uses ultrahigh definition, 360-degree cameras and an artificial-intelligence platform to scan, identify, and monitor wildfires. Pano AI alerted the state's Department of National Resources, which began a partnership with the startup in March, and provided visual and location data. Pano AI estimated its alert sped up the response time by 20 to 30 minutes. There are over 100 Pano AI systems deployed across the US and Australia. A Pano AI detection image of the Flat Fire in California.

Persons: —, Rogers, Pano AI's, Sonia Kastner, Arvind Satyam, Kastner, Satyam, Hilary Franz Organizations: Service, state's Department of National Resources, Research, 4G Locations: Washington, Mount Rainier, Australia, Canadian, British Columbia, San Francisco, California

☆ Affordable Housing Crisis in US West: Why It's Hard to Build New Homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Kyle Paoletta | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

The solution to keep prices under control seems fairly simple: Just build more housing. For a time, sprawl boosted housing supply and accommodated newcomers to the West: Nearly 60 million more people live in the region now compared with the 1950s. Running out of landWhen the economy crashed in 2008, housing construction screeched to a halt. All this red tape has caused a serious slowdown in much-needed housing construction. Build, build, buildDespite the unique challenges of building in the paradoxically wide-open West, some cities have been able to break through.

Persons: Mike Segrest, Megan Lawson, Kyle Stevens, Carrier Johnson, “, Lawson, Land Management . Nevada Sen, Catherine Cortez Masto, Kyle Roerink, Hillary Schieve, Schieve, Howard Blackson, Kyle Paoletta's Organizations: Forest Service, Southern Ute, Marin Headlands, Bureau, Land Management ., Water Network, Biggest, Biggest Little City, Housing Administration, Harper's Magazine, New York Magazine, Oasis Locations: Colorado, Durango ., it's, Animas, San Juan Mountains, Durango, Las Vegas, Montana, Houston, Minneapolis, Rocky, Phoenix, Denver, Mississippi, San Diego, San Jose , California, Marin County, San Francisco, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Jackson , Wyoming, California, Land Management . Nevada, Vegas, Reno , Nevada, Reno, Cumulatively, Biggest Little, Summit, Washington

☆ Biden Approved a Big Oil Project. Now, He’s Cracking Down on Drilling.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Lisa Friedman | More About Lisa Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Over the past several months, the administration has moved to bar drilling on 1.8 million acres of sagebrush steppe in Wyoming and on more than a million acres of public land in Colorado. It insulated more than 336,400 acres of public land around Chaco Culture National Historical Park from new oil and gas leasing and mining claims for the next two decades. And last month, it said it would remove about six million acres of potentially oil-rich areas from an upcoming federal lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico that is required by law. The Bureau of Land Management also wants to change how it manages the 245 million acres under its control by allowing conservation leases, similar to the way the agency auctions off parcels for drilling and mining. Administration officials said the conservation efforts were not new and many of the drilling restrictions had been underway for months.

Persons: Biden’s Organizations: Chaco Culture, Interior Department, Land Management, Administration Locations: Wyoming, Colorado, Chaco, Gulf of Mexico

Interior Department on Wednesday said it would cancel oil and gas leases in a federal wildlife refuge that were bought by an Alaska state development agency in the final days of former President Donald Trump's administration. Environmentalists and an Alaska indigenous group praised the move while a Republican Senator from Alaska slammed it. A Republican-passed tax bill in 2017 opened the area to oil and gas leasing and directed Interior to hold two lease sales by December 2024. The oil and gas industry largely failed to embrace the 2021 lease sale, which generated just $14 million in high bids, mostly from AIDEA. “We commend Secretary Haaland for canceling unlawfully issued oil-and-gas leases in the Arctic Refuge,” Abigail Dillen, president of environmental group Earthjustice, said in a statement.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Joe Biden, Biden, Deb Haaland, AIDEA, “, ” Abigail Dillen, Dan Sullivan, Interior's, Jarrett Renshaw, Nichola Groom, Chizu Nomiyama, David Gregorio, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, Library, Fish, REUTERS, Conocophillips, U.S . Interior Department, Alaska Industrial Development, Export Authority, Wildlife, Democrat, National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska Natives, Trump, ConocoPhillips, United Nations, ALASKA Trump's Interior Department, Republican, Biden, Thomson Locations: Beaufort, Wildlife Service Alaska, U.S, Alaska, United States, ALASKA Trump's, ANWR, Washington, Los Angeles

That is by far the most ever spent on clean energy in a year. Solar and Wind Power Have Taken Off Electricity generation per year, in terawatt hours China 600 TWh 500 Solar Wind U.S. China 400 E.U. It would shred regulations designed to curb greenhouse gases, dismantle nearly every federal clean energy program and boost the production of fossil fuels. 1 2 3 4 5 Even Tulsa, with its strong links to oil and gas, is embracing clean energy. “But we also understand that energy is energy, whether it is generated by wind, steam or whatever it might be.”Around the country, clean energy is taking root in unlikely locales.

Persons: ”, Fatih Birol, Al Gore, Crews, Francis Energy, Dewey, Bartlett Jr, “, J.W, Peters, Mr, Lazard, Gregory Nemet, —, Biden, Tesla, Giovanni Bertolino, Jon Creyts, Steve Uerling’s, Uerling, Cathy Zoi, It’s, Mary Barra, ’, Barra Organizations: Buses, Port, International Energy Agency, India India, Energy, The New York Times, Heritage Foundation, Republican, Ford, University of Tulsa’s School of Petroleum Engineering, “ Oil, Drillers, Navistar, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Francis, Solar Power, U.S . Steel, Gas, University of Wisconsin -, Panasonic, United, European Union, United States ’, General Motors, RMI, Ford Fusion, Tesla, Postal Service, Amazon, Peterbilt, Companies, Francis Energy, BMW Group, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Benz Group Locations: Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Port of Los Angeles, Houston, Europe, United States, America, China, Britain, terawatt, India, U.S, States, Beijing, London, Tokyo, Washington, Oslo, Dubai, Tulsa, Okla, Italian, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Texas, Galveston, In Arkansas, Republican, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Georgia, Korean, Nevada, tailpipes, California, New York, San Francisco, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Steve Uerling’s Tulsa, E.U, G.M

☆ Biden Administration Moves to Raise the Cost of Drilling on Federal Lands
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Coral Davenport | More About Coral Davenport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration on Thursday proposed a rule that would raise the royalties that fossil fuel companies pay to pull oil, gas and coal from public lands for the first time since 1920, while increasing more than tenfold the cost of the bonds that companies must pay before they start drilling. The Interior Department estimated that the new rule, which would also raise various other rates and fees for drilling on public lands, would increase costs for fossil fuel companies by about $1.8 billion between now and 2031. After that, rates could increase again. About half of that money would go to states while a third would be used to fund water projects in the West. Officials at the Interior Department characterize the changes as part of a broader shift as it seeks to address climate change by expanding renewable energy on public land and in federal waters while making it more expensive for private companies to drill there.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Interior Department, West

☆ New Mexico trail clash echoes culture war across US West
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Andrew HayTALPA, N.M., July 7 (Reuters) - Physiotherapist Spencer Bushnell lives less than a mile from farmer Carlos Arguello in Taos, New Mexico. But they are worlds apart on proposals to lace the foothills they love with up to 71 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails. That put the neighbors on the frontline of a culture war raging across the West as multi-generational families, conservationists and sometimes conservatives fight trail systems sought by incomers and recreationist locals. Two bike trail projects have been nixed in as many months on public land in Oregon and Colorado. Across the United States, Americans are moving to places with trees and trails, many working remotely.

Persons: Spencer Bushnell, Andrew Hay TALPA, Carlos Arguello, Arguello, Bushnell, Carl Colonius, Darryl Maestas, Hispanos, Emily Matheu, Michael Lujan, Andrew Hay, Donna Bryson, Alistair Bell Organizations: . Forest Service, REUTERS, Division, U.S ., USFS, mamas, Thomson Locations: Taos , New Mexico, U.S, Oregon, Colorado, The Taos, Taos, Bend , Oregon, United States, South Korea, Afghanistan, Oakland , California, California

☆ 5 National Park Destinations That Aren’t Parks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Lauren Sloss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Many of the 63 national parks across the United States have seen an explosion of visitor numbers both during and after the pandemic, which often has led to booked campsites, clogged trails and timed entry requirements in an attempt to limit crowds. The big-name national parks however are just one category of public lands under the purview of the National Park Service. And the designation does not necessarily imply a superiority of scenery and activities — many of the lesser-known national historic sites, monuments, recreation areas and seashores also provide excellent spots to explore the varied natural beauty and attractions of the United States, but without the big ticket crowds. “Regardless of formal designation, each of the 424 sites in the National Park System offer visitors a variety of opportunities for inspiration, relaxation, recreation and education,” said Kathy Kupper, a public affairs specialist with the N.P.S. Here are five suggestions for less crowded alternatives to national parks in this busy summer season.

Persons: ”, Kathy Kupper Organizations: National Park Service Locations: United States

☆ James G. Watt, Interior Secretary Under Reagan, Dies at 85
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Robert D. Mcfadden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

James G. Watt, who as President Ronald Reagan’s first Interior secretary tilted environmental policies sharply toward commercial exploitation, touching off a national debate over the development or preservation of America’s public lands and resources, died on May 27 in Arizona. His son, Eric Watt, confirmed his death in a text message but declined to cite a cause. After taking office in 1981, Mr. Watt was asked at a hearing of the House Interior Committee if he favored preserving wilderness areas for future generations. “I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns,” he said. Mr. Watt, a born-again Christian and a lifelong Republican, saw himself as a servant of God and prayed with colleagues at work.

Persons: James G, Watt, Ronald Reagan’s, Eric Watt, Reagan, Critics, Lord, ”, God Organizations: Republican Locations: Arizona, Denver, “

☆ Replanting the Amazon could slow global warming. Here’s why it’s hard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +24 min

Milton da Costa Junior nosed his pickup through a remote stretch of the western Brazilian Amazon to check on his babies. Local authorities said the September 2021 incident, which Da Costa outlined in a police report that was reviewed by Reuters, is being investigated. Out of dozens of reforestation initiatives in the country, Rioterra and The Black Jaguar Foundation, a Brazilian-European group, are among the largest. Illegal invaders destroy in hours what it takes Rioterra or Black Jaguar a year to plant. In all, Black Jaguar has signed contracts with 26 farms and planted 326 hectares (806 acres) to date.

Persons: Milton da Costa, Da Costa, Carlos Nobre, Alexis Bastos, Rioterra, ”, Nobre, “, Bastos, Jamari, Dejesus Aparecido Ramos, it’s, ” Bastos, Jair Bolsonaro, Germany –, Bolsonaro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Black, Ben Valks, Valks, Leandro Silveira, Silveira, São, ” Valks, aren’t, Cristina Banks, Leite, Marcos Mariani, Araguaia, Mariani, Tânia Irres, ” Irres, Regina Molke, I’ll, Clovis, Black Jaguar, Aquaverde, Renato Franklin, “ Ben, ” Franklin, L’Oreal, da Costa, ” Da Costa, da, Spring, Clare Trainor, Catherine Tai, Lais Morais, Ilan Rubens, Lucy Ha, John Emerson, Marla Dickerson Organizations: Milton da Costa Junior, Toyota, Reuters, Black Jaguar Foundation, National Institute for Space Research, Rioterra, Cultural, Environmental Studies, Petrobras, “, Amazon Fund, Environment Ministry, United, United Arab Emirates, São Paulo, Global, Farmers, Brazil’s Central Bank, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, Imperial College London, Santana, Bolsonaro, United Nations, Space Agency, Copernicus, Sentinel Locations: Machadinho, Rondônia, Brazil, Germany, Brazilian, European, Manhattan, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Bastos, Porto Velho, droves, Rio, Black, Itapuã, Oeste, Norway, United Arab, Pará, Caixa, “, Costa, Syria, Paris, Santana, Araguaia’s, Clovis, Regina, United States, South, Geneva, Rio Preto, da Costa

☆ I dropped out of college to live out of my car. My lifestyle has taught me more than college ever could.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Robert French | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Since then, I've built far more skills and become far more independent than I could've in college. So I dropped out and decided to live out of my car instead. It became clear to me that college was not preparing me to be an independent adultFor me, college was basically summer camp. There are national grasslands, national forests, and huge tracts of unused scrubland managed by various federal agencies. I've gained a lot from being voluntarily homelessDon't get me wrong; it's lousy to live out of your car for many reasons.

Persons: I've, —, irresponsibly, Mount Elbert —, Lady Hercules, It's Organizations: Service, AmeriCorps, Rockies Locations: Steamboat Springs , Colorado, Rocky, Vail, Mount, Midwest, buttes, Nebraska, Wyoming, Pennsylvania

☆ Biden Interior advances renewable energy transmission projects in Nevada
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management this week said it has advanced two transmission projects proposed by public utility NV Energy that would facilitate more renewable energy development and delivery in Nevada. Once completed, the projects will connect eight gigawatts of clean energy to the Western power grid. The plans would bolster the Biden administration's goal to deploy 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on public lands and waters by 2025 and achieve a carbon-free power sector by 2035. The announcement comes as Congress debates federal energy permitting overhauls, with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., introducing a measure earlier this month to speed permitting of both fossil fuel and renewable energy projects. Transmission projects involve expanding high-voltage lines that transport renewable energy to populated areas and will play a critical role in accelerating the clean energy transition while meeting growing power demand.

☆ Youth climate activists plan to protest the biggest social event for Washington's political-media class
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Saturday, the group plans to blockade the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC. So the White House Correspondents' Association dinner is an appropriate target, Salamon said. The White House did not return requests for comment. Haught acknowledged she had little political choice because GOP candidates have shown paltry interest in prioritizing climate action. "If you're putting your body on the line and risking a record of arrest, that shows you're serious," Haught said.

☆ Montana Republicans are appealing to anti-California sentiment to pass a slew of bipartisan pro-housing policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Montana Republicans are aligned behind zoning reform and other pro-housing policies. And everybody in Montana is asking this question of, you know, how can we keep Montana feeling like Montana?" Preventing a 'California-style housing crisis'Montana's ultra-conservative GOP governor, Greg Gianforte, recently called the housing crisis "probably the number one issue faced by working Montanans." Conservative supporters of pro-housing policies in the state have successfully tied anti-California sentiment to anti-sprawl and pro-housing policies. "The fear is that in 25 years, we're going to have a California-style housing crisis," Cotton said.

☆ US gives final nod to huge power line from Wyoming to Nevada
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 11 (Reuters) - U.S. officials on Tuesday gave final approval for a company owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz to begin building a massive transmission line that will deliver wind energy from blustery Wyoming to power-hungry California. The "notice to proceed" from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management allows TransWest Express LLC to break ground on its $3 billion line after more than 15 years of development. A separate Anschutz firm owns the 600-turbine Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind farm in Wyoming, which is being built, that will send power through TransWest Express. TransWest Express construction will start later this year and the first stage will be completed in 2027, the company said. The line will run from south central Wyoming, through Colorado, Utah and Nevada to a substation outside of Las Vegas.

☆ Biden Interior proposes leasing public lands for conservation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration this week proposed a new rule that would allow the Interior Department to lease public lands for conservation, a process similar to how the agency delivers leases for oil and gas development and mining projects. The Interior on Thursday said establishing conservation leases would help states and companies offset the environmental impact of their development plans. Issuing conservation leases would generate revenue and make landscapes more resilient to climate change, Interior officials said. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in a statement said the country's public lands are under mounting pressure amid unprecedented climate-related disasters like wildfires and drought. "We appreciate the meaningful conservation measures in this new rule that have the promise to advance biodiversity, climate resilience and equity on our public lands," O'Shea said.

☆ Biden creates two new national monuments in Nevada and Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at Harry Reid International Airport, for a visit to a reception for the Democratic National Committee in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., March 14, 2023. REUTERS/Leah MillisWASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden created two new national monuments, in Nevada and Texas, on Tuesday and launched an effort to consider expanding protections for all waters around remote Pacific islands southwest of Hawaii. The other new national monument is Castner Range in El Paso, Texas. Biden directed Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to consider initiating a new marine sanctuary designation for all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands. The designation would expand on the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument established by President George W. Bush in 2009 and expanded by President Barack Obama in 2014.

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