Napa Valley town that once rode out emergencies with diesel gets a clean-power backup
Experts say the tech has potential beyond delivering clean backup power in emergencies.
Environment
scientists as they drive into hailstorms to study the costly weather extreme
Hail causes about $10 billion in damage each year in the U.S.
Most freshwater fish in county contain parasites, study finds
A UC San Diego study finds that more than 90% of freshwater game fish in...
Scientists say a record amount of seaweed hit the Caribbean and nearby areas in May
The brown prickly algae is suffocating shorelines from Puerto Rico to Guyana and beyond.
Schwarzenegger tells environmentalists dismayed by Trump to ‘stop whining’ and get to work
Schwarzenegger has a message for environmentalists who despair at the approach of President Trump’s istration.
Groups head to CA Supreme Court, seeking to upend solar rules
A decision by the California Public Utilities Commission that went into effect in 2023 changed...
The feds yanked millions for their clean-air projects. Now San Diego groups are ‘pivoting and doing what we need to do.’
After the Trump istration moved to revoke their grants, blowing a hole in their budgets,...
The Department of Energy axes $3.7 billion in clean energy project grants
The grants were primarily for programs to capture carbon emissions and store them underground.
Army Corps analysis finds Great Lakes pipeline tunnel would have sweeping environmental impacts
It found construction could result in the permanent loss of wetlands.
Half of world’s population endured extra month of extreme heat due to climate change, experts say
Scientists say 4 billion people experienced at least one extra month of extreme heat because...
Swiss glacier collapse renews focus on risks of climate change as glaciers retreat around the world
How glaciers collapse — from the Alps and Andes to the Himalayas and Antarctica —...
What would happen if the Amazon rainforest dried out? This decades-long experiment has some answers
Understanding how drought can affect the Amazon has implications far beyond the region.
Wrongful death lawsuit says Big Oil contributed to heat wave and woman’s death
The lawsuit says a 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest killed Juliana Leon.
The world’s longest living pygmy hippo in captivity is a California resident
Hannah Shirley, 51, cared for at the Ramona Wildlife Center, broke a world record this...
Looking to keep wildlife out of the ‘emergency room,’ states expand managers’ role
Lawmakers are rethinking the long-standing model for wildlife management.
Oil and gas have boomed in New Mexico. Its schools are contending with pollution’s effects
An analysis found 694 oil and gas wells within a mile of a school in...
Trump’s push to save coal faces a new hurdle: his own trade war
Trump's own tariffs make more exports an iffy proposition for most U.S. coal.
Supreme Court scales back a key environmental law in a ruling that could speed development projects
In their 8-0 decision, the justices endorsed a limited interpretation of a key environmental law.
$14 billion in clean energy projects have been canceled in the US this year, analysis says
Companies are concerned that clean energy projects will be in jeopardy.
Hawaii’s governor signs new hotel tax legislation to help cope with climate change
Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.
Lawsuits aim to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for climate change. Here’s a look at some
A look at climate cases being watched closely.
A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That’s the recipe for Agritopia
The agrihood concept is a different kind of amenity for home buyers.
This runner was bothered by blizzard of disposable cups at races. She invented something better
Billions of disposable cups are used around the world each year.
Get ready for several years of killer heat, top weather forecasters warn
Scientists say to expect more heat deaths, wildfires and nastier hurricanes.
San Diego Community Power finalizes 2 solar+battery projects
One facility in Kern County expects to open next year; another in Nevada eyes a...
The world’s longest living pygmy hippo in captivity is a Ramona resident
Hannah Shirley, 51, cared for at the Ramona Wildlife Center, broke a world record this...
Here’s what a Texas oil executive from DOGE is doing inside the Interior Department
Conflicts of interest concern environmental advocates.
It’s rattlesnake season. What do you do if your dog gets bitten?
Time is of the essence to get antivenom treatment at a veterinary hospital
Urban fires can mean long trips for helicopters to get water. One firefighter had a better idea
Pilots sometimes have to fly a long way for water, and in drought-prone areas.
Trump signs executive orders to boost nuclear power, speed up approvals
The orders take authority away from an independent safety agency.
Louisiana stifles community air monitoring with threat of million-dollar fines, federal lawsuit says
Community groups say the law has a chilling effect on their work.
NOAA predicts ‘above average’ number of storms in hurricane season starting June 1
Experts with NOAA are expecting between 13 and 19 named storms.
Bored with manicured lawns, some homeowners adopt No Mow May all year long
The movement has expanded to “Let It Bloom June” and “Leave the leaves.”
Warning signs posted after shark spotted near Torrey Pines beach
A swimmer was bumped by a shark believed to be at least 7 feet long
On ‘World Bee Day,’ the bees did not seem bothered. They should be
Bees and other pollinators have been on the decline for years.
Python-killer mystery: What animal was fierce enough to take down this massive snake?
Biologists tracking a big python found it dead, chewed up and buried. They launched into...
First US utility seeks permit for a small nuclear reactor
The Tennessee Valley Authority submitted a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission...
These surreal trees survived for centuries. Scientists worry for their future
Dragon’s blood tree have long captured imaginations.
Trump budget would cut ocean data and leave boaters, anglers and forecasters scrambling for info
The IOOS system launched about 20 years ago.
Orphaned bear cub gets second chance at Ramona rehab site
The cub is believed to be 3 or 4 months old, the youngest ever taken...
Endurance swimmer is attempting first-ever swim around Martha’s Vineyard ahead of ‘Jaws’ anniversary
No one has ever swum around the island of Martha’s Vineyard before.
What the EPA’s partial rollback of the ‘forever chemical’ drinking water rule means
Here are some of the essential things to know about PFAS chemicals and what the...
Decomposed remains of 55-foot whale found on La Jolla beach
The whale's extremely decomposed body was found near the La Jolla Shores parking lot
EPA announces rollback for some Biden-era limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
The Environmental Protection Agency says it will roll back limits on several types of so-called...
House Republicans target clean energy tax credits and pollution rules in budget proposal
Environmental groups warned the proposals would pave the way for more oil and gas industry...
15 states sue over Trump’s move to fast-track oil and gas projects via his ‘energy emergency’ order
The order urges oil and gas expansion through eminent domain and the Defense Production Act.
Record-breaking amounts of seaweed drifting toward Florida, experts say
The stinky sargassum is currently traveling across the Atlantic and Caribbean.
Energy Star, efficiency program that has steered consumer choice, targeted in cuts
The EPA launched Energy Star with the goal of tackling environmental protection and economic growth.
Deadly April rainfall in US South and Midwest was intensified by climate change, scientists say
Heavier, more persistent rainfall is expected because the warming atmosphere holds more moisture.
California and other states sue Trump istration over wind energy
The lawsuit seeks to overturn an executive order aimed at blocking the development of wind...
Less farmland is going for organic crops as costs and other issues take root
America’s certified organic acreage fell almost 11% between 2019 and 2021.
House Republicans push to sell thousands of acres of public lands in the West
The plan would sell thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah
California’s power grid looks steady heading into summer but risks remain
Hot weather and potential wildfires could cause problems, but additional resources provide some cushion.
States sue Trump istration for blocking the development of wind energy
Trump's order said there were legal deficiencies in the permitting process.
1,000 protesters march in San Diego to deride Trump’s view on climate change
Their concerns include the president's attempts to prevent California from phasing out combustion-powered cars by...
‘People are frustrated’: State e-bike grant applying process bungled yet again
State officials haven't said why the enrollment program keeps crashing but say they're trying to...
Scientific societies say they’ll do national climate assessment after Trump dismissed report authors
A report required by law is suddenly in question and being reassessed by Trump.
‘Just bodies of animals everywhere’: Toxic algae bloom taking a toll on marine life
More than 70 dolphins have died on San Diego County beaches since March
Justice Department sues Hawaii, Michigan, Vermont and New York over state climate actions
The suits raise concern over states’ abilities to retain the power to take climate action.
As wildfires intensify, utilities want liability protections. But then who pays?
Utilities face soaring insurance s due to the claims they face if they spark fires.
Hawaii plans to increase hotel tax to help it cope with climate change
Officials estimate the increase would generate $100 million in new revenue annually.
Climate change is making coffee more expensive. Tariffs likely will too
President Trump's current 10% tariffs cover most coffee-producing countries and are expected to drive up...
Air Pollution Control District still has purifiers for those affected by cross-border sewage odors
The district has received more than 4,000 applications and has distributed about 2,500 air purifiers
Decision looming for Trump istration on first PFAS drinking water limits
The EPA has said PFAS increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
At school, these kids garden, compost and learn to save energy. The state just took notice.
Bella Mente Montessori Academy in Vista was one of just five K-12 institutions statewide given...
Environmental groups fear Trump’s order to speed deep-sea mining will harm ecosystems
They say it ignores an ongoing process to adopt international rules for the practice.
Seaport San Diego developer asks state lawmakers to expedite environmental review process
SB 675 would require the Coastal Commission to review the mega project proposed for San...
Green energy ers pushed for faster permitting. Trump is doing it, but not for solar or wind
Proponents argue that the slow, inefficient permitting process hinders the transition to clean sources of...
The world’s biggest companies have caused $28 trillion in climate damage, a new study estimates
The study aims to make it easier to hold major polluters financially able.
$50 million prize funded by Musk foundation goes to carbon-removal company that helps Indian farmers
A company that spreads crushed rock on farmers’ fields to draw climate-warming carbon dioxide won...
84% of the world’s coral reefs hit by worst bleaching event on record
Last year was the warmest on record, and much of that heat is going into...
‘Mexico needs to fulfill its part:’ New head of EPA vows to pressure Mexico to hasten end to sewage crisis
Lee Zeldin toured a wastewater treatment plant at the border, met with Navy SEALs and...
Your clothes are shedding bits of plastic. Here’s what people are doing about it this Earth Day
Plastic is everywhere — and yet some people may be surprised at how much they...
Trump istration replaces commissioner overseeing management of sewage crisis
Maria-Elena Giner was credited with addressing aging infrastructure and getting more funding
15 years after Deepwater Horizon oil spill, lawsuits stall and restoration is incomplete
The effects of the largest oil spill in U.S. history are still being felt.
Message of hope rises from San Diego’s EarthFest — despite the din of jets ing overhead
Thousands of people turned out in Balboa Park, where a young festival blended good food...
Man sentenced for illegally trafficking baby spider monkeys across U.S.-Mexico border
Sarmad Ghaled Dafar coordinated the smuggling at least six baby monkeys through Calexico
As demand for AI rises, so do power thirsty data centers
Large data centers are where nearly all artificial intelligence systems and computing happens today.
Proposed rule change on endangered species triggers alarm for environmentalists
At issue is the longstanding definition of “harm.”
The EPA can’t end grants from $20 billion Biden-era fund for climate-friendly projects, a judge says
A federal judge says some nonprofits awarded billions to finance clean energy and climate-friendly projects...
Wind and solar power opponents make headway in state legislatures
In Texas and other states, some Republicans have soured on renewable energy.
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park will cut summer evening hours
Safari Park will open an hour earlier but lose two hours compared to last summer's...
Trump istration takes aim at California’s cap and trade program
Newsom and other Golden State officials vow to keep the greenhouse reduction tool in place.
Schools lined up for help getting cleaner school buses. Then came the EPA freeze
The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan .
Major nations agree on first-ever global fee on greenhouse gases with plan that targets shipping
Many of the largest shipping nations decided to impose the first global tax on greenhouse...
This federal rule helped clear air over America’s most beloved parks. Trump’s EPA wants to kill it
The regional haze rule is among the environmental regulations in danger of being rolled back.
Trump’s new energy order puts states’ climate laws in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice
Trump has declared a “national energy emergency," which could target state climate change laws.
Trump reverses Biden rule restricting water usage for showerheads and other home appliances
Trump has long complained about rules limiting water flow for showerheads.
Fact Focus: Trump misrepresents facts about coal as he signs executive orders to boost its use
His claim that coal is cheap to use for power is false.
Keystone oil pipeline shutdown could quickly lead to higher gasoline prices
It wasn’t clear what caused the rupture of the underground pipeline Tuesday morning.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s executive director heading to Houston Zoo
Lisa Peterson has served as the senior vice president and executive director of Safari Park...
Storms tore up two of America’s most iconic trails. Federal cuts have disrupted repairs
Wildfires and more intense storms have been taking a toll on the legendary trails.
Here’s what to know about nations considering the 1st global tax on emissions for shipping
The measures are more than climate aspirations – they will become mandatory for ships operating...
S.D. County issues warning on locally harvested shellfish
According to the county, the warnings don’t apply to shellfish sold at stores from approved...
Chevron ordered to pay more than $740 million to restore Louisiana coast in landmark trial
Jurors found the energy giant violated Louisiana regulations governing coastal resources.
Historic ocean liner off Florida’s Gulf Coast will soon be the world’s largest artificial reef
The SS United States shattered the trans-Atlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952.
Climate disasters are on the rise. These states want to make oil companies pay
Lawmakers say the increasing cost of climate disasters is more than state budgets can bear.
When heavy rainfall threatens flooding, you can protect yourself. Here’s how
Experts say disaster preparation and good planning can help protect lives and property.
Mission Bay leaders pump the brakes on city effort to develop long-toxic shoreline
'People are walking around with knowledge there is toxic waste somewhere under the ground in...
Wayward emu found in Vista yard reunited with owners
It's not clear who owns the 3-year-old bird, which rescuers have nicknamed Claudius