Environment
Peruvian farmer loses landmark climate case against German energy giant
A Peruvian farmer has lost a decade-long legal climate case against Germany energy giant RWE. Saúl Luciano Lliuya claimed the company's emissions had contributed to glacial melt threatening his Andean hometown.
Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in the U.S., is surprisingly young
Hells Canyon is the deepest river canyon in the United States. Now scientists have solved the mystery of when it formed.
Swimmer circumnavigates Martha’s Vineyard ahead of ‘Jaws’ 50th anniversary
Lewis Pugh wants to change public perceptions and encourage protections for sharks — which he said the film maligned as "villains, as cold-blooded killers."
Insurance costs are soaring around Tornado Alley. Hail is the big problem.
While tornadoes can obliterate communities, hailstorms cause damage across much larger areas.
Electric grills are a climate-friendly option to fossil fuel grills
Grilling usually involves burning fossil fuel. But some manufacturers are offering electric grills and citing climate change and convenience as reasons to switch.
Congress moves to loosen toxic air pollution rules
The House and Senate both voted to loosen regulations on air pollutants like dioxin and mercury, which are associated with higher cancer risk.
Forecasters predict above-average hurricane season again
Forecasters expect 13 to 19 storms to form in the Atlantic between June 1 and the end of November. At least 6 of those are forecast to be full-blown hurricanes.
Community groups say Louisiana is trying to stop them from monitoring air pollution
For community groups to allege violations of environmental rules, a state law says groups have to use federally-approved testing equipment, and it sets restrictions for analyzing and sharing the data.
Scientists want to track the world’s biodiversity using DNA in the air
Scientists have found a way to sample DNA out of the air on a large scale — making it possible to one day track the health and well being of all kinds of species around the world.
Alabama Power threatened with lawsuit for contaminating groundwater with coal ash
Nine years after the Gadsden Steam Plant stopped burning coal, its unlined coal ash pond is still polluting Alabama groundwater, records show.
Where does your weather forecast come from?
Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.
Bessemer residents want answers about a four-million-square-foot data center coming to their backyards
Residents in and around Bessemer are furious over Project Marvel, a plan to build a 4.5-million-square-foot data processing facility on 700 acres of wooded land. Public officials have been sworn to silence.
Scientists have figured out why flamingos are such weird eaters
Flamingos look silly when they eat, but new research suggests they're actually being smart.
Need help switching appliances from gas to electric? A ‘coach’ can help
Government incentives for climate-friendly upgrades are confusing to navigate, and it can be hard to find businesses that sell them. So a new industry is emerging to help: the decarbonization coach.
Trump aims to fast track Alabama coal build-out, citing US need. Nearly all the coal is bound for export
A Trump effort to streamline the project would benefit the overseas steelmaking industry while putting Alabamians and the environment at risk.
2 men convicted of cutting down beloved Sycamore Gap tree in ‘mindless’ destruction
Prosecutors say that as news of the crime spread, the two men exchanged messages relishing the outrage and sadness they caused. The tree in northern England was believed to be about 200 years old.
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
An Environmental Protection Agency plan to eliminate its Energy Star offices would end a decades-old program that gave consumers a choice to buy environmentally friendly electronics and save money on bills, consumer and environmental groups said.
Humans still haven’t seen 99.999% of the deep seafloor
Human eyes have only seen a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of the areas of the world that are covered by deep water. Scientists want to change how they explore these regions.
Most Americans use federal science information on a weekly basis, a new poll finds
Most Americans frequently use federal science information. But few are concerned that cuts to federal science spending could affect their access to such information, a new poll finds.
States sue Trump administration for blocking the development of wind energy
Attorneys general from 17 states and D.C. are challenging an executive order Trump signed on his first day in office pausing approvals, permits and loans for all wind energy projects.
For Homewood’s spotted salamanders, a win and a warning
A grassroots effort successfully pushed back on a development in that would have destroyed a critical salamander habitat. Still, amphibians face constant risks.
The Trump administration says it will cut EPA staffing to Reagan-era levels
EPA announced plans to reorganize the agency, moving science-focused staff into different roles and reducing the overall number of employees.
Private eye accused of hacking American climate activists loses U.K. extradition fight
The Justice Department has charged Amit Forlit with conspiracy to commit computer hacking, among other crimes.
The U.S. takes a step towards allowing mining on the ocean floor, a fragile ecosystem
President Trump signed an order Thursday aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the ocean floor. Scientists and environmental groups say it could harm a fragile ecosystem.
Air pollution still plagues nearly half of Americans. That does a number on our health
Despite improvements in air quality in past decades, 156 million Americans still breathe in too much soot or ozone, says the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.
Environmental groups say Trump administration violated their free-speech rights
A lawsuit alleges the Trump administration violated the free-speech rights of nonprofits and municipalities that have had federal funding for climate and environmental projects frozen or cancelled.
Birmingham ranked 4th worst in Southeast for ozone pollution, new ALA report says
The American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air" report shows air quality has worsened in some Gulf South metro areas.
Meet the artists behind the UN’s second annual nature sounds mixtape
30 artists release songs with nature sounds to generate royalties for nature conservation in second annual United Nations Earth Day mixtape
Need Earth Day optimism? Here are some environmental do-gooders in your backyard
At a time when communities feel fractured, here's a look at online communities taking a pragmatic approach to changing the world for the better.
Alabama to honor wastewater sanitation projects despite losing federal backing
The Alabama Department of Public Health says it will honor its wastewater contracts for Lowndes County in spite of the Department of Justice’s recent decision to cancel its two-year-old agreement with the state supporting septic system improvements in the region.
How neighborhoods in New Orleans are addressing urban flooding
Urban flooding has long plagued Treme, a historically Black neighborhood in New Orleans. Residents are getting creative to find solutions to the issue.
Destroying endangered species’ habitat wouldn’t count as ‘harm’ under proposed Trump rule
The Trump administration is reinterpreting a key word in the Endangered Species Act that could have big consequences for the habitats of species at risk.
