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Showing 1,466 results

Brian Gumm | April 22, 2021

Connect the Dots Season Five Begins with Discussion on Energy Justice

In 2020, the world banded together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in 2021, the world continues to change, and we seem to be progressing forward. In turn, the spotlight shifts to another great calamity: climate change. The environmental crisis has made headlines with the Biden administration making climate mitigation and renewable energy top priorities. Scientists and engineers are hard at work creating energy systems that run efficiently, withstand various constraints, and won’t pollute the air. However, as this episode of CPR's Connect the Dots podcast explains, it's also important to look at how we implement these new innovations in a way that’s equitable and purposeful to all.

Darya Minovi | April 20, 2021

The Promise of Environmental Justice Screening Tools in Maryland and Beyond

Since President Joe Biden assumed office, environmental justice has been at the front and center of his administration. One key initiative: developing better mapping tools to identify communities that may bear a disproportionate burden of toxic pollution and climate change impacts. Biden’s environmental justice (EJ) plan emphasizes the value of these tools and the need to improve them.

Alina Gonzalez, Allison Stevens | April 14, 2021

Advocates, Scholars of Color Call for Bold Action to End Environmental Racism

Scholars and advocates of color last week hailed the Biden administration’s efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities reap the benefits of federal climate investments — but added that the administration must be held accountable for following through on it.

Katlyn Schmitt | April 13, 2021

Maryland Adopts Law to Ensure Safe Drinking Water for Tenants

At midnight on April 13, Maryland’s 2021 legislative session closed out with the passage of House Bill 1069 that will provide meaningful drinking water protections for tenants who rely on well water.

Sarah Krakoff | April 6, 2021

Equity and Justice Should Begin at Home

A citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, Deborah Haaland is the first Native American woman to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Haaland will oversee the federal agencies that manage nearly 480 million acres of federal public lands, while the head of the U.S. Forest Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) manages the remaining 190 million acres. Haaland and her colleague, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, have a tall double-order ahead. In his flurry of first-day executive orders, President Joe Biden announced the entwined goals of addressing racial, economic, and other forms of injustice, as well as tackling the country’s most serious environmental challenges.

Daniel Farber | April 5, 2021

Appeals Court Nixes New York City Climate Lawsuit

Last Friday, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important decision in a lawsuit against the oil industry. New York City had sued oil companies for harms relating to climate change. The appeals court ordered the case dismissed, on the ground that any harm relating to fossil fuels is exclusively regulated by the Clean Air Act. The ruling is a setback for the plaintiffs in similar cases, though how much of a setback remains to be seen.

Maxine A Burkett, Minor Sinclair | March 31, 2021

Women’s History Month Q&A with Maxine Burkett

To commemorate Women’s History Month, we’re interviewing women at the Center for Progressive Reform about how they’re building a more just America. This week, we're speaking with Member Scholar Maxine Burkett.

Daniel Farber | March 30, 2021

Biden’s Dilemma: Limiting Carbon from Existing Power Plants

Coal- and gas-fired power plants are a major source of U.S. carbon emissions. The Obama administration devised a perfectly sensible, moderate policy to cut those emissions. The Trump administration replaced it with a ridiculous token policy. The D.C. Circuit appeals court tossed that out. Now what?

Laurie Ristino, Maggie Dewane | March 26, 2021

Women’s History Month Q&A with Board Member Laurie Ristino

To commemorate Women’s History Month, we’re interviewing women at the Center for Progressive Reform about how they’re building a more just America. This week, we're speaking with Board Member Laurie Ristino.