The Environmental Protection Agency said that it was canceling $20 billion in grants for climate and clean energy programs that have been frozen for weeks, a move that was labeled illegal by nonprofit groups that were supposed to receive the funds. The money has been caught in an escalating controversy involving the E.P.A., the Justice … Read more
Breakthrough Energy, an umbrella organization funded by Bill Gates that works on a sprawling range of climate issues, announced deep cuts to its operations in an internal memo on Tuesday. Dozens of staff were cut, including Breakthrough Energy’s unit in Europe, its team in the United States working on public policy issues and most of … Read more
The Trump administration intends to eliminate Environmental Protection Agency offices responsible for addressing the disproportionately high levels of pollution facing poor communities, according to a memo from Lee Zeldin, the agency administrator. In the internal memo, viewed by The New York Times, Mr. Zeldin informed agency leaders that he was directing “the reorganization and elimination” … Read more
In a reprise of the first Trump administration, migratory birds are again facing weakened protections under federal law. The issue at hand: Should companies be held responsible if birds are killed accidentally, for example in oil spills or waste pits? The answer has ping-ponged back and forth in recent years under different interpretations of the … Read more
Bill Diller, a photographer living in Huron County, Mich., had never seen a snowy owl quite like this. In January, Mr. Diller’s neighbor told him about a “red-spotted snowy owl” in the area. It’s a part of Michigan known as “the Thumb,” which becomes home to many snowy owls in the winter. People were calling … Read more
A brief spell of sunny winter weather in California will come to an end this week with a series of storms cued up to bring snow and rain to parts of the state over the next few days. After a weak storm kicks off the week with light rain in Southern California, a stronger and … Read more
The U.S. power grid added more capacity from solar energy in 2024 than from any other source in a single year in more than two decades, according to a new industry report released on Tuesday. The data was released a day after the new U.S. energy secretary, Chris Wright, strongly criticized solar and wind energy … Read more
NASA is eliminating its chief scientist and other roles as part of efforts by the Trump administration to pare back staff at the agency’s Washington headquarters. The cuts affect about 20 employees at NASA, including Katherine Calvin, the chief scientist and a climate science expert. The last day of work for Dr. Calvin and the … Read more
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an argument that aimed to restrict states from suing oil companies for financial damage related to climate change. The argument was brought to the high court by 19 Republican attorneys general, representing states including Alabama and West Virginia, who were trying to prevent other states, led by … Read more
Before a packed crowd of oil and gas executives on Monday, Chris Wright, the new U.S. energy secretary, delivered a scathing critique of the Biden administration’s energy policies and efforts to fight climate change and promised a “180 degree pivot.” Mr. Wright, a former fracking executive, has emerged as the most forceful promoter of President … Read more