Energy & Environment
The latest updates on energy and environment news, analysis and opinion covering energy policy and its impact on resources and climate.
Senate Democrats block bill to protect electricity consumers from data center-fueled rate hikes
Senate Republicans on Thursday tried to quickly clear a House-passed bill responding to voter concerns about data centers driving up electricity prices, but were blocked by Democrats.
Trump praises hunters at White House dinner, rescinds Biden’s ‘absurd’ restrictions
President Trump on Thursday rolled back Biden-era restrictions on hunting and fishing at a White House Rose Garden dinner that was attended by more than 100 hunters and outdoor industry executives.
Fossilized mastodon tooth from Ice Age discovered in California creek
The fossilized tooth of a Pacific mastodon, an extinct Ice Age species related to woolly mammoths, was recently found in a California creek.
India’s 30% oil lifeline through Strait of Hormuz hangs over BRICS summit as Iran war continues
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived at the annual BRICS summit in the Indian capital of New Delhi on Friday in a tense atmosphere as his country’s war with the U.S. shifts into a new phase and Tehran’s allies in Yemen threaten to expand their attacks on Saudi Arabia, another summit attendee.
Oil prices rise as Iran targets vessels in Strait of Hormuz; Houthis seize critical Yemeni port
Oil prices climbed Thursday after Iranian forces said they targeted two U.S. vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized a key port city on Yemen’s western coast.
Tropical Storm Norbert forms in the Pacific Ocean and isn’t threatening land
Tropical Storm Norbert formed Thursday in the Pacific Ocean and wasn’t threatening land, forecasters said.
Oil and gas prices surge as GOP convenes for midterm convention to tout ‘affordability’ solutions
Diesel fuel prices hit a record high Wednesday while gas prices jumped another 7 cents in a single day, and the stock market headed for another sell-off because crude oil prices rose above $100 per barrel again.
Brent crude hits $100 a barrel as Iran war escalates
Brent crude, the major trading classification and global price benchmark for light, sweet crude oil, reached more than $100 a barrel Wednesday.
Forest Service to close 23 research facilities in 15 states
The U.S. Forest Service is cutting 23 facilities across 15 states, saving $8.8 million in annual lease payments and $8 million in deferred maintenance costs.
National Guard troops head home after weeks of firefighting in Washington state
National Guard troops are returning home after spending more than six weeks battling fires that ravaged more than 300,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of houses and buildings in Washington.
Sen. Alan Armstrong warns that permitting logjam puts America’s future at risk
Plans for energy projects and other infrastructure are now stuck in a “permitting paralysis” that threatens the U.S. economy and national security, according to Sen. Alan Armstrong.
Australia to pull researchers from remote island before elephant seals die en masse from bird flu
Australian officials, citing “psychosocial risks,” said they will evacuate the Macquarie Island research station this fall so people there don’t witness bird flu ravaging the elephant seal population come springtime.
Rescuers in Nepal pull 2 people alive from the debris 10 days after devastating floods
Rescuers in Nepal pulled out a Chinese man and a woman in separate operations Saturday, 10 days after devastating floods hit the country, as teams continued searching for thousands of missing people.
Trump Team works to convert anti-data center voters for midterm elections
President Trump and his allies are going on the offensive in the public-relations battle over data centers that have become a top target for voters angry about high prices.
Trump team to fast-track Alaska oil drilling approvals
The Trump administration is seeking to speed up approval times for oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve after nine companies bought tracts there this year and want to move forward with their investments.
House lawmakers dive into one of the problems with data centers: Water
Republicans and Democrats agree data centers should not stick ordinary ratepayers with their big water bills, but agreeing on how to do it is another matter.
Rescuers pull 2 trapped workers from a hydropower tunnel 9 days after Nepal floods
Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a tunnel at a hydropower plant Friday, raising hopes of reaching dozens of others believed to be trapped nine days after deadly floods swept away villages and submerged the Himalayan region in mud and debris.
Diesel hits record $5.85 a gallon as Iran war disrupts fuel supply
Diesel hit a new record price in the U.S. on Friday, soaring to an average of $5.85 a gallon for the first time ever as the six-month war with Iran disrupts the world’s flow of fuel.
Vance says AI companies must send power back to grid to address consumers’ concerns
Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday that opposition to data centers stems from fears that the facilities powering the artificial-intelligence boom will overload the grid and raise electric bills.
Portions of National Mall closed until January for turf, tree restoration
Parts of the National Mall were closed Tuesday and will remain closed through Jan. 24 so the National Park Service can restore turf and foliage.