Environmental Politics

A recent Gallup public opinion Poll suggests Americans are less concerned about the environment than they have been in two decades. Does that mean environmental journalism has failed?

Republicans, who have as a political party denied the overwhelming consensus science on climate change, may face political consequences in future elections.

"Despite a surge in oil tank car blasts, Obama stops short of strict regulatory action demanded by trackside residents".

"Even U.S. EPA's fiercest foes on Capitol Hill sometimes come calling for favors." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, an implacable enemy of EPA's regulatory efforts, asks EPA to smile upon cleanup grants for his state. He is not alone.

"NOAA has slashed by more than two-thirds the budget for a National Weather Service program that has led to groundbreaking improvements in hurricane forecasts and that is on the brink of more.  James Franklin, a manager at the National Hurricane Center, made this revelation in a presentation at the National Hurricane Conference in Austin, Texas last week."

"Utilities in the U.S. Northeast stand to lose as much as half of residential sales by 2030 as customers install solar and battery-storage systems and generate their own power, according to a report by the Rocky Mountain Institute."

"Discussing climate change is out of bounds for workers at a state agency in Wisconsin. So is any work related to climate change — even responding to e-mails about the topic. A vote on Tuesday by Wisconsin’s Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, a three-member panel overseeing an agency that benefits schools and communities in the state, enacted the staff ban on climate change."

"Chesapeake Energy paid undisclosed fees to the lead author, whose study was based on water samples provided by the company."

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday sent to the White House its controversial regulation to redefine the extent of its authority over water pollution control."

"A new statistical model grinds national poll data about climate change as finely as any pepper mill, and it can predict the public's climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy preferences right down to the level of each state, county and congressional district, its authors say."