Environment

Encore: How one California city cut its water use in half

4:41pm December 20, 2021

by Ezra David Romero/KQED

Despite pleas to conserve water during a historic drought, Californians have not saved much at all this year. But there are exceptions. One city has cut its water use in half.

The Build Back Better legislation included billions to accelerate clean energy like rooftop solar, but with the bill now stalled in Congress, cutting U.S. emissions will be tougher.

What losing Build Back Better means for climate change

10:32am December 20, 2021

by Lauren Sommer

Climate scientists warn that emissions need to fall quickly. Those cuts will be even tougher with the Build Back Better legislation shelved for the foreseeable future.

Wind turbines silhouetted against the sky at dawn near Spearville, Kan. in January. Senator Joe Manchin's rejection of a sweeping spending bill effectively kills President Biden's ambitious climate plan to transform the nation's heavily fossil-fuel powere

Manchin says Build Back Better's climate measures are risky. That's not true

4:37pm December 19, 2021

by Jennifer Ludden

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin had spent months watering down Biden's ambitious climate plans. His final objections to the bill's climate measures are misleading.

Environment

Toxic Yadkin site among those getting cleanup money in infrastructure law

3:57pm December 19, 2021

by Paul Garber

A federal infusion of cash will help speed the cleanup of four contaminated sites in North Carolina, including a Yadkin County location.

Scientist explains how a crumbling glacier could shrink coastlines globally

5:16pm December 18, 2021

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with glaciologist Erin Pettit about her research on the Thwaites Glacier, a bellwether ice shelf that could fail in the next five years and accelerate global sea rise.

At the Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area Superfund site in 2018, water contaminated with arsenic, lead and zinc flows from a pipe out of the Lee Mountain mine and into a holding pond near Rimini, Mont.

Environment

The EPA begins rolling out billions to clean up Superfund sites

3:55pm December 18, 2021

by Deepa Shivaram

Starting with $1 billion, the EPA announced that 23 states and Puerto Rico would be getting money to clean up Superfund sites in a previously unfunded backlog.

Indonesian villagers stand with Mount Semeru in the background on Saturday. Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying it could blow up again after a sudden eruption earlier this month that killed dozens o

Indonesia raises volcano warning to second-highest level

6:37am December 18, 2021

by The Associated Press

Indonesia's geological agency said it sees increasing activity that could trigger an avalanche of lava and searing gas, similar to the Dec. 4 eruption,

A coyote makes its way through the snow on a hillside north of Reno, Nev.

New legal battle over predator killing in Nevada wilderness

2:41am December 17, 2021

by The Associated Press

Conservationists are suing three federal agencies over an environmental review the government says satisfies requirements to resume killing wildlife in federally protected wilderness areas in Nevada.

Environment

NC Zoo's long-planned Asia exhibit gets started under state budget

5:13pm December 16, 2021

by Paul Garber

The North Carolina Zoo can start building its newest exhibit thanks to a boost from the state budget.

After an unprecedented year in natural disasters, cities like Hoboken and New York City, pictured here after Hurricane Ida, say better weather forecast can save lives.

After a year of deadly weather, cities look to private forecasters to save lives

4:28pm December 16, 2021

by Jeffrey Pierre

New York City and Hoboken are the latest localities finalizing a deal with a private weather service, stepping away from something that has largely been the job of the federal government.

Queue Listen Now