Climate Energy

By God, Donald Trump will not let this wind farm stand

Not satisfied with making (more of) a mockery of the electoral process, Donald Trump is now going after wind power, vowing to use "any legal means" to block a planned windfarm near his golf course in Scotland. Trump claims it's not simple rich-white-guy opposition to renewable power, or the fact that he's worried the turbines […]

EPA found over 20 years ago that fracking contaminates water

Fracking companies like to say that there’s never been a single case of fracking contaminating a water well. But, well, there has, and they’ve known that for over 20 years. An EPA report released in 1987 said that a tainted well in West Virginia was contaminated by fracking.

The report, which covers an 1984 incident, resurfaced this week in a New York Times article and a report from the Environmental Working Group.

The report details how fracking fluids or gels migrated from the fracking well to an active water well on a neighboring property, rendering it unusable.

Beyond budget cuts: top five policy priorities for clean energy

Even with cuts looming, there are feasible policy steps we could take toward clean energy.

Tar-sands pipeline gets support from fake Twitter accounts

What do Astroturf and the Canadian tar sands have in common? They're both made of petroleum, and now they've both got fake grassroots. An employee of the American Petroleum Institute, which supports the Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline, has apparently been setting up multiple fake Twitter accounts to give the illusion of public support.

Michele Bachmann seriously believes in a lightbulb conspiracy

So what is it with Michele Bachmann and hating on energy-efficient lightbulbs? She's like a lightbulb crusader. Mother Jones has done some digging, and it turns out this is because she basically believes that a science fiction parody of environmentalism is going to ruin America.

Debt and (carbon) taxes: Obama's last chance for climate redemption

Just into Obama's hypothetical second term, when the Bush tax cuts are poised to expire, could be the best time to enact a carbon tax.

Swede finds out why nuclear, unlike renewables, can never be DIY

Blog your experience building a nuclear reactor in your kitchen, go to jail. Them's the laws in Sweden, where the no nerd's supervillain-esque childhood fantasy fulfillment goes unpunished.

Fossil-fuel industries push for a Great Outdoors Giveaway

More than 70 million acres of public land would lose protection under a bill in the U.S. House. Who's behind it? Oil, gas, and coal companies.

EIA releases skewed energy subsidies report to Congress

The EIA admits its data is limited and doesn't give a full picture of the subsidies landscape, but released the report anyway.

Impact of EPA regs on power industry may be even milder than typically projected

The EPA's new pollution regulations will drive the retirement of some older coal plants. But how many? And will it affect rates or reliability?