Author: Breanne Deppisch

The Biden administration issued a 20-year ban on oil and gas drilling on Friday on federal lands around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a major announcement that comes after years of lobbying from local Native American tribes and conservationist groups. The plan, announced Friday by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, bans all new drilling on public…

State Farm said this month it will stop insuring new homes in California, joining a growing list of insurers that have reduced operations in the Golden State in response to rising wildfire exposure and a challenging reinsurance market. State Farm, which cited historic increases in construction costs, “rapidly growing” catastrophe risks, and reinsurance market challenges…

Millions of drivers in the United States are slated to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, but the expected spike in demand isn’t expected to send gasoline prices anywhere near last year’s record highs. Roughly 37 million people are expected to drive this holiday weekend, with road trips up 6% from the same point…

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday it had summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Sweden, and Denmark to protest what it described as a “complete lack of results” over the investigations into the ruptured Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. The twin Nord Stream natural gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany were hit by four…

German police on Wednesday launched a wide-ranging national raid targeting climate activists with the group Last Generation on suspicions of forming or supporting a criminal organization. Authorities searched at least 15 properties, seized assets, and arrested seven people as part of a sprawling investigation into the financing of the group, according to a statement from…

Top Department of Energy officials refused to testify Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee’s hearing on efforts to regulate gas stoves, prompting sharp criticism from senior Republicans on the committee. The panel had invited two DOE officials to testify: Alejandro Moreno, the acting assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and…

Texas Republican House lawmakers voted Monday to approve legislation boosting coal and natural gas power to increase grid reliability, legislation critics argue will hurt the state’s leading renewable energy sector and drive up consumer costs. SB 7, which cleared the House on Monday evening in a 119-21 vote, is aimed at paying incumbent generators on…

The Biden administration reached consensus Monday on a historic Colorado River Basin conservation deal after securing agreement from California, Arizona, and Nevada. The agreement with the three states, which together make up the river’s Lower Basin, is slated to last through the end of 2026, the Interior Department said in a statement on Monday. It…

Electric vehicles must spend a while on the road before they reduce carbon emissions relative to gas-powered cars, an environmental consideration looming over President Joe Biden‘s push to electrify the vehicle fleet. That’s because producing an electric vehicle — and manufacturing the battery, in particular — yields a significantly larger carbon footprint compared to producing…

The city of Palo Alto, California, said this week that celebrity chef Jose Andres could use gas stoves in his new restaurant, exempting him from the controversial new ban on natural gas hookups in new construction that takes effect this year. City officials described the settlement with Andres as a “one-off,” saying that his exemption…