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☆ SpaceX Starship explosion spread particulate matter for miles
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Of primary concern is the large amount of sand- and ash-like particulate matter and heavier debris kicked up by the launch. Images captured during the test flight show that the SpaceX launch pad also exploded, with concrete chunks from it flying in multiple directions leaving behind a giant crater underneath. That would translate to a one-square-mile debris field, with debris emanating about three-quarters of a mile away from the site, he said, referencing SpaceX environmental site assessment documents that are public record. Health concernsThe impacts of particulate emissions from the SpaceX launch won't be understood until samples are evaluated and the debris field measured comprehensively. Margolis and Cortez both noted that roads had been damaged, with gates and cordons closed immediately following the SpaceX Starship test flight.

CompaniesCompanies Law Firms Conocophillips FollowApril 3 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Monday rejected a bid by environmentalists to temporarily suspend the U.S. government’s approval of ConocoPhillips' (COP.N) multibillion-dollar oil drilling project in Alaska’s Arctic. Gleason said an injunction was inappropriate because the groups wouldn't be irreparably harmed by the construction that ConocoPhillips has scheduled for this month, which includes building roads and a gravel mine. Bridget Psarianos, an attorney challenging the approval, called the planned construction schedule "aggressive" and said the judge's decision is "heartbreaking." The approvals for the project in northern Alaska give ConocoPhillips permission to construct three drill pads, 25.8 miles of gravel roads, an air strip and hundreds of miles of ice roads. The 30-year project would produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day at its peak, according to the company.

Companies Conocophillips FollowWASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The oil industry on Monday cheered the U.S. government's greenlighting of ConocoPhillips' multibillion-dollar oil drilling project in Alaska's Arctic, but court challenges could mire the plans in further delays. President Joe Biden's administration approved a trimmed-down version of the $7 billion Willow project on federal lands in a pristine area on Alaska's north coast. Kristen Monsell, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, another group involved in the previous suits, said Monday's approval for the Willow project is "still inadequate in numerous respects." Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, told reporters the state's lawmakers are prepared to defend the decision against "frivolous" legal challenges. Even if Interior could beat back the oil company's challenge, it would probably only mean another delay for Willow, he said.

☆ Newsom unveils bill to protect California's climate-threatened Joshua tree
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Gavin Newsom this week proposed for the first time a bill that would protect the western Joshua tree, a native desert plant, and prohibit anyone from importing, exporting, selling or removing the species without a state permit. The legislation, called the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, comes after the California Fish and Game Commission failed to act on a petition from 2019 that sought to list the tree as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. A rise in development and climate-related events such as drought and wildfires have threatened the western Joshua tree, an iconic and ecologically critical species located across the state's desert region. Recent studies show that Joshua trees are dying off from hotter and drier conditions, and without state protections could be largely gone from the Joshua Tree National Park by the end of the century. Roughly half of the western Joshua tree's range in California is on private land and most of the habitat is not currently protected from development.

☆ Lithium company Ioneer scores $700 million conditional loan from Energy Department for Nevada plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Pippa Stevens | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Lithium company Ioneer said Friday that it's secured a conditional commitment for a loan of up to $700 million from the Department of Energy as the U.S. seeks to develop new supply chains for materials that are critical to the energy transition. Ioneer is developing the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Esmeralda County, Nevada. When fully operational, the site will produce enough lithium for 400,000 electric vehicles, the company said, while also producing boron. Ioneer's loan from the Department of Energy hinges on several conditions, including that the company receives all of the necessary permits. If approved, the loan, made under the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, will be for Ioneer's on-site lithium processing facility.

☆ 10 of the biggest oil spills in history
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill released 206 million gallons of oilFire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon, off Louisiana US Coast GuardOn April 20, 2010, BP's Deepwater Horizon, a semi-submersible drilling rig, exploded, burned, and subsequently sank in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven people were killed, according to NOAA. The five-month spill leaked approximately 206 million gallons of oil. According to estimates from The Center for Biological Diversity, 82,000 birds, 25,900 marine mammals, and a "vast" number of fish were harmed or killed.

Doug Ducey has agreed to dismantle a makeshift border wall that triggered a lawsuit by the federal government and rankled environmentalists. The agreement comes one week after federal officials filed a lawsuit against Ducey’s administration saying the border project was illegally built on federal land. Protesters spent weeks camping in freezing temperatures along the border wall, and had vowed to stay there until the containers were removed. Karamargin said the assurance from federal officials paved the way for Ducey to agree to remove the shipping containers. The shipping container project cost Arizona at least $82 million, Karamargin said.

☆ Environmentalists sue to stop U.S. oil and gas auction off Alaska coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Industry Insight | Saw Law Firms Move Past The Pandemic Into A More Client-Focused Service Environment | Thomson Reuters Institute | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 21 (Reuters) - Environmental groups sued the Biden administration on Wednesday to block a sale of oil and gas drilling rights off the coast of Alaska that is scheduled for next week. Interior had scrapped the Cook Inlet sale this year before the IRA passed, citing a lack of industry interest. "Cook Inlet is already experiencing severe effects of climate change, and new oil and gas leasing will only magnify those harms," the complaint said. Cook Inlet stretches 180 miles (290 km) from Anchorage to the Gulf of Alaska. Operating oil and gas platforms in the area are all in state waters, but oil production has declined substantially since peaking in the 1970s.

After a two-week standoff between protesters and construction crews building a border wall made of shipping containers, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Arizona, accusing it of trespassing on federal land. "Arizona has unlawfully and without authority failed to remove the shipping containers from lands owned by the United States or over which the United States holds easements, thereby damaging the United States," the complaint reads. In August, Ducey issued an executive order directing the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to fill gaps in the existing border wall in Yuma County using shipping containers. Important waterways are being damaged or altered by the placement of shipping containers on land that serves as important habitats and crossings, including for endangered species, he said. "Under the Clean Water Act, they have created a dam with those shipping containers and it just looks like a junkyard now."

MEXICO CITY, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in a U.S. federal court on Wednesday, pressuring the U.S. government to sanction Mexico for failing to protect the critically endangered vaquita, the world's smallest porpoise, according to court documents. The lawsuit seeks to pressure the U.S. government to sanction Mexico under a fisheries law called the "Pelly Amendment" to the Fishermen's Protective Act, which authorizes the U.S. President to embargo imports of wildlife products, including fish, from another country. The vaquita porpoise, found in Mexico's upper Gulf of California, has over the last five years seen its population devastated to the point that it is now considered in "serious danger of extinction." The other organizations that joined the lawsuit are the Animal Welfare Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In mid-November, CITES - an international convention to protect endangered species - told Mexico it must protect the vaquita or face sanctions early next year.

The Detroit automaker's average estimated real-world fuel economy and its carbon emissions ranked the second-worst in the industry for the 2021 model-year, according to the EPA. Both automakers decreased their fuel economy and increased C02 emissions since the 2016 model-year, according to the EPA, as did Hyundai Motor , Mazda and Volkswagen . The 2021 average vehicle fuel economy was at an all-time high of 25.4 miles per gallon, unchanged from the year prior. Its average fuel economy, which is measures in terms of miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent, or mpge, was 123.9 miles. Just 4% of 2021 vehicles were electric, plug-in hybrids or fuel cell vehicles, though the EPA projects that figure will rise to 8% in 2022.

☆ Border barrier of shipping containers snakes across Arizona wilderness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Liliana Salgado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz., Dec 8 (Reuters) - A long, thin line stretches across the dusty Arizona landscape. It is a border barrier - but not the customary wall or fence. This is made up entirely of shipping containers stacked on top of each other. Border communities had been overwhelmed, he argued, saying the double-stacked containers would reach 22 feet (6.7 m) high. What we're here to do is enjoy our public lands in a strategic way that hinders the placement of further shipping containers," said Eamon Harrity, wildlife project manager at Sky Island Alliance.

☆ Endangered status sought for manatees as hundreds starve
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Manatees that are dying by the hundreds mainly from pollution-caused starvation in Florida should once again be listed as an endangered species, environmental groups said Monday in a petition seeking the change. Fish and Wildlife Service contends it was an error to take manatees off the endangered list in 2017, leaving the slow-moving marine mammals listed only as threatened. Under the Endangered Species Act, a species is considered endangered if it is “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” A threatened species is one that may become endangered in the foreseeable future. “Re-designating manatees as endangered will be a critical first step in righting a terrible wrong,” Rose said. The Fish and Wildlife Service has 90 days to determine whether restoring the manatee to endangered status is warranted and, if so, 12 months from the date of the petition to complete a review of the manatee’s status.

☆ Analysis: COP27 loss and damage fund heralds 'new dawn for climate justice'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Megan Rowling | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Yeb Saño, head of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the fund's approval "marks a new dawn for climate justice." While the loss and damage fund would not be enough to deal with growing climate losses, "it is a much-needed political signal to rebuild broken trust" between rich and poor nations, he said in a video statement. Their opposition was rooted in fears of being held financially liable for the impacts of their historically high greenhouse gas emissions. FOSSIL FUELS MISSINGPolitical figures had urged countries at COP27 to set aside geopolitical fights in order to keep climate action on track. Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, global climate and energy lead for environmental group WWF, who presided over COP20 in Peru, said leaders had missed the chance in Egypt to speed up the rapid and deep emissions cuts essential to limit climate damage.

☆ How to have a low-waste, climate friendly Thanksgiving feast
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Susan Puckett | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Less is moreA classic Thanksgiving plate, featuring turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and gravy. His Thanksgiving preparations start with a trip to a local farmers market, where he can thank the growers personally for his bounty. Leftover idea: Here’s how Acheson turns leftovers into a turkey avocado sandwich as memorable as the feast. Divide and conquerMeal prep is essential to make sure your Thanksgiving dinner tastes great and minimizes waste, says Lisa Bryan. Bryan understands that executing a chaos-free Thanksgiving dinner takes practice.

☆ Climate justice gets harder as world population passes 8 billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Gloria Dickie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

These are also among the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, and most in need of climate finance. "A SIGN OF HUMAN SUCCESS"Globally, the 8 billion population milestone represents 1 billion people added to the planet in just the last 11 years. Even while the global population reaches ever-new highs, demographers note that the growth rate has fallen steadily to less than 1% per year. "A big part of this story is that this era of rapid population growth that the world has known for centuries is coming to an end," Wilmoth said. Rapid population growth combined with climate change is likely to cause mass migration and conflict in coming decades, experts said.

☆ Grizzlies could roam wildest reaches of Washington state again, but first a mountain of red tape
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Threatened grizzly bears could roam again in the wildest reaches of Washington state. The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday they have restarted the on-again, off-again process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. Grizzlies haven’t been spotted with certainty in the North Cascades since 1996, the National Park Service said in a news release. People killed them,” said Jason Ransom, who leads the wildlife program at North Cascades National Park. The National Park Service has scheduled several virtual meetings to discuss the proposal.

☆ COP27-US targets methane in 'relentless' emissions focus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It would also force methane emissions reductions from flaring equipment and create a system to detect leaks from "super-emitter" sites quickly so operators can repair them faster and local community residents are aware. The EPA said the stronger rules would reduce methane from the oil and gas industry by 87% below 2005 levels and would help the United States to meet its commitment under the Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions economy-wide by 30% this decade. OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY LOBBYINGThe oil and gas industry had urged the agency to exclude hundreds of thousands of low-producing wells on the grounds frequent monitoring would be inefficient and costly. It dovetailed with a U.N. announcement on Friday that it will launch a global public database of methane leaks detected by space satellites to encourage companies and governments to plug them. The EPA will take public input on the methane rule until Feb. 13, 2023 and plans to finalize it by the end of that year.

☆ Emperor penguins are now a threatened species due to climate change, U.S. officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Endangered Species Act. Fish and Wildlife Service said emperor penguins should be protected under the law since the birds build colonies and raise their young on the Antarctic ice threatened by climate change. The agency’s review followed a 2011 petition by the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity to list the bird under the Endangered Species Act. Tuesday’s designation was described as a warning that emperor penguins need “urgent climate action” in order to survive by Shaye Wolf, the climate science director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The 1973 Endangered Species Act is credited with bringing several animals back from the brink of extinction, including grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray whales and others.

☆ Emperor penguins now a threatened species due to climate change, U.S. says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Clark Mindock | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Endangered Species Act. Fish and Wildlife Service said emperor penguins should be protected under the law since the birds build colonies and raise their young on the Antarctic ice threatened by climate change. The agency's review followed a 2011 petition by the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity to list the bird under the Endangered Species Act. Tuesday's designation was described as a warning that emperor penguins need “urgent climate action” in order to survive by Shaye Wolf, the climate science director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The 1973 Endangered Species Act is credited with bringing several animals back from the brink of extinction, including grizzly bears, bald eagles, gray whales and others.

☆ Endangered species protections kick in too late, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The study suggests that the Endangered Species Act, a bedrock tool of conservation, has become bogged down by delays and inaction that are hampering its mission. Decisions on whether species should be listed are supposed to take two years, according to Noah Greenwald, the endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Species are slipping through the cracks.”The new study builds upon research that began decades ago in a study that analyzed species listed from 1985 through 1992. Although few species have fully recovered and been delisted, it’s important to remember that the Endangered Species Act has been instrumental in preventing extinction, Greenwald said. “99% of species protected under the Endangered Species Act still survive, which is highly significant,” he said.

Share this -Link copiedFloridians are livestreaming Hurricane Ian on TikTok Floridians are giving TikTok users a front-row seat to Hurricane Ian. Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday. Share this -Link copiedIan expected to strengthen until making landfall, officials say Hurricane Ian is still forecast to strengthen until the hurricane makes landfall in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said.

Storm surge map, they didn’t have a color for 12 to 15 feet," he said about the historic levels of storm surge expected near where Ian is expected to make landfall. Share this -Link copiedA view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station A view of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station, on Monday. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday.

Share this -Link copiedView of Hurricane Ian from International Space Station View of Hurricane Ian from the International Space Station. Share this -Link copiedIan on track to make landfall in Florida as 'catastrophic' Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian is strengthening as it nears Florida's west coast, officials said. “We are extremely concerned about the potential impacts Hurricane Ian may have on phosphate facilities around the state,” Whitlock added. Share this -Link copiedIan strengthens into Category 4 storm Hurricane Ian has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it advances upon Florida's west coast. Share this -Link copiedSatellite images show Hurricane Ian approaching Florida Hurricane Ian over the Gulf of Mexico early on Wednesday morning.

☆ Millennials and Gen Z want to stop a climate catastrophe. But first they have to get elected.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, told young climate activists in 2019, "You didn't vote for me." AP Photo/Gemunu AmarasingheBut most policy debates aren't genuinely existential in the way climate change is. "Younger Democrats tend to have a much more friendly relationship and response to the party's activist class than older Democrats do." Fossil-fuel interests have played a central role in stymieing progress on climate change for decades. Nearly a decade later, Trump ran for and won the presidency — with Gingrich's early and staunch support — while calling climate change a "hoax."

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