IRA, EU Green Deal, carbon markets
15 stories
AEP Ohio claims its new 'take-or-pay' tariff for data centers is successfully stabilizing the grid and protecting residential ratepayers, but consumer advocates and industry groups remain skeptical. The debate highlights the growing tension between rapid AI-driven infrastructure expansion and the equitable distribution of energy costs.
Ofgem is set to lower the energy price cap by approximately £200 starting in April 2026, providing significant relief to millions of UK households. However, experts warn of a cliff-edge trap as standing charges and the phase-out of legacy meter technologies create new financial risks for consumers.
A wave of public dissent is mounting following the federal revocation of key climate regulations and the controversial nomination of a new National Parks head. Critics warn these moves signal a retreat from environmental leadership and a potential return to the hazardous air quality levels of the 1960s.
Global utility giant Veolia is facing intense scrutiny following a series of wastewater infrastructure failures across New Zealand, prompting calls for stricter oversight of private water management contracts. The disaster has ignited a national debate over the role of multinational corporations in essential public services and the resilience of the country's aging water networks.
Environmental advocacy group Wildsight has filed a lawsuit against the Canadian federal government for failing to protect the critical habitat of endangered caribou in the Columbia Mountains. The legal action seeks to compel federal intervention under the Species at Risk Act following years of population decline and habitat fragmentation.
The Environmental Protection Agency has officially weakened mercury and air toxics standards for coal-fired power plants, reversing years of stringent environmental oversight. This regulatory pivot aims to reduce operational costs for the aging coal fleet but faces immediate backlash from public health advocates and environmental groups.
British Columbia's Ministry of Forests is re-evaluating the FireSmart funding model to move away from reactive, grant-based cycles. The shift aims to provide municipalities with stable, multi-year resources to enhance long-term wildfire resilience and community safety.
Illinois is facing a legislative showdown as the rapid expansion of power-hungry data centers threatens to drive up electricity bills for residents. Lawmakers must now balance the state's ambition to be a premier tech hub with the need to protect consumers and maintain grid reliability.
In a significant move for regulatory continuity, the Trump administration has confirmed it will uphold strict federal mandates requiring the replacement of lead water pipes nationwide within a decade. The decision preserves a cornerstone of public health policy, ensuring that billions in infrastructure funding remain directed toward eliminating lead exposure in American drinking water.
The Trump administration has finalized a significant rollback of federal limits on mercury and other toxic air pollutants from coal-fired power plants. The move reverses stringent Biden-era environmental protections to reduce compliance costs for the fossil fuel industry, sparking a sharp divide between utility operators and public health advocates.
The Portland Water Bureau has reported a significant budget increase for the Bull Run Filtration Plant, citing protracted land use disputes in Multnomah County. The delay threatens the project's 2027 federal compliance deadline and will likely result in further rate hikes for Portland water customers.
A joint study by Edith Cowan University and Owl Friendly Margaret River has revealed a direct link between mass masked owl deaths and rat poison. Liver tests on deceased owls from Perth and the South West indicate high levels of anticoagulant rodenticides, sparking calls for urgent regulatory reform.
Singapore has announced a landmark policy requiring all flights departing from the city-state to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) starting in 2026. To manage the significantly higher costs of bio-based fuels, the government will implement a fixed ticket levy, positioning the regional hub as a leader in green aviation finance.
The U.S. Department of Defense has revised its schedule for remediating PFAS contamination at hundreds of military sites, sparking backlash from affected communities. As 'forever chemicals' continue to leach into local water supplies, the delay highlights the massive technical and financial hurdles facing one of the largest environmental cleanups in history.
Australian lawmakers are intensifying a push to ban 'spliced' Russian oil, closing a regulatory loophole that allows blended Russian crude to bypass sanctions. The move targets 'blood oil' that is mixed in international hubs to obscure its origin before entering the Australian fuel market.