Energy + Environment
Dairy farmer: Fix ‘broken’ milk pricing system
An Iowa dairy farmer appealed to a U.S. Senate subcommittee Wednesday to help fix a “broken” milk-pricing system she said has worsened conditions in an era of financial uncertainty. Christina Zuiderveen, managing partner of Black Soil Dairy LLC and an industry leader, said the federal milk marketing orders system “promised dairy producers that if their […]
Spire STL Pipeline can keep operating for now despite court ruling on ‘self-dealing’
The embattled Spire STL Pipeline can keep operating for up to 90 days while federal regulators weigh its fate over the coming months. The order, issued Tuesday morning by federal regulators, saves the pipeline from a court order that was expected to shut it down. Spire STL Pipeline is a 65-mile natural gas pipeline running […]
Agriculture section of federal reconciliation bill centers on climate change, enhancing research
WASHINGTON—The U.S. House Agriculture Committee on Monday finished marking up its section of the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. The agriculture portion would provide funding for historically Black land grant colleges and investments in urban agriculture, along with boosting U.S. Department of Agriculture programs to address climate change threats in farming. The $66 billion agriculture measure passed along […]
Missouri’s largest wind farm isn’t running at night for fear of killing endangered animals
Every night for months, turbines at Missouri’s largest wind farm sit idle to avoid killing endangered and threatened bats. And now, as the wind farm’s owner, Ameren Missouri, seeks permission to increase customers’ rates, consumer advocates are sounding the alarm. They argue customers shouldn’t have to pay the full costs of the wind farm on […]
‘Simply unconscionable’: Advocates push Ameren to keep electric bills low during pandemic
Ameren Missouri should not increase its electrical rates for its customers as they struggle to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout, a coalition of environmental, veterans and tenants advocates said Wednesday. The St. Louis-based utility filed with regulators in March seeking a rate increase worth nearly $300 million per year to pay for […]
White House seeks at least $24 billion to aid states struck natural disasters
WASHINGTON — The White House is urging Congress to approve at least $24 billion — and likely more — for disaster relief costs, saying that the aid should be included in a short-term spending bill expected this month. That tally includes $14 billion for recovery costs related to extreme weather events including hurricanes, floods and wildfires during […]
Spire’s St. Louis natural gas pipeline dealt another blow by federal court ruling
The Spire STL Pipeline is running out of options to continue operating its natural gas pipeline near St. Louis after a federal appeals court declined to reconsider a previous decision Tuesday. Following the denial, the natural gas company argued it’s even more urgent that federal energy regulators grant it temporary approval to keep operating the […]
Missouri’s Cori Bush joins with fellow progressives to oppose Minnesota pipeline
Democratic U.S. Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib traveled to Minneapolis last week before embarking on a trip to northern Minnesota in opposition to Enbridge’s Line 3 oil pipeline. The four members of The Squad, as the group of progressive Democrats are known, called on President Joe Biden to revoke a […]
Judge tosses Missouri AG lawsuit targeting ‘social cost of carbon’ emissions
A federal judge found a group of Republican attorneys general lacked the standing to sue President Joe Biden’s administration for taking steps to consider the “social cost of carbon” in federal regulations. The suit, supported by officials in 13 states, was led by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who is running for the U.S. Senate […]
Kansas City suffers from severe urban heat. Research underway may help leaders address it
KANSAS CITY — The strain excessive heat was putting on the streets of Kansas City was obvious during a streak of days earlier this month when peak temperatures stayed above 90 degrees for days in a row. In and around downtown, volunteers with the Salvation Army handed out water bottles just after noon, hoping to […]
Biden administration to restart oil and gas leasing
The Interior Department will make significant steps toward restarting its leasing programs for onshore and offshore oil and gas development in the coming months, the Biden administration said in a court filing Tuesday. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management anticipates holding a sale for offshore leases in October or November, the administration said. The Bureau […]
Environmental justice advocates look to $3.5T federal spending bill for bold action
Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration want to use their massive $3.5 trillion spending plan to help communities that have been devastated by environmental pollution and degradation. For years, activists have been pushing for government recognition of what’s known as environmental justice, the broad movement to provide restitution to communities that have suffered disproportionate harm. […]