State / Local

New York’s Climate Buyout Plans Must Put Communities First: Experts
In 2022, New York State passed the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Among its many objectives, the act promises to invest more than a billion dollars toward flood protection across the state — including through voluntary private property buyouts. What should a buyout program look like? Designing an equitable buyout program is more complicated than it may seem.
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Climate Change Has Sent Temperatures Soaring in Texas
By Erin Douglas, Yuriko Schumacher, and Alex Ford
Hotter days and nights. More record highs. Climate change has shifted the entire range of Texas heat upwards. Heat is one of the deadliest consequences of climate change. It’s already the most dangerous type of weather, typically killing more people annually than hurricanes, tornadoes or flooding.
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As California Attempts a “Managed Retreat,” Coastal Homeowners Sue to Stay
By Jake Bittle
“Managed retreat” is a climate adaptation policy that calls for relocating and removing coastal structures rather than protecting them where they are. Experts say managed retreat is an important last-resort option for adapting to climate change, but California’s early attempts to implement the policy have provoked a backlash from homeowners and politicians.
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State Farm’s California Pullout: What It Means for Climate Adaptation and Communities
By Sarah Fecht
State Farm recently announced that it will no longer be offering new insurance policies to homeowners in California. The company made it clear that it no longer made financial sense to continue covering properties in the state due to its growing risk of wildfires, in addition to other challenges. State Farm is not alone in its departure; nor is California the only state in the red zone. As climate change magnifies the risks and impacts of disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, the insurance industry is being forced to shift strategies.
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Texas Farmers Are Worried One of the State’s Most Precious Water Resources Is Running Dry. You Should Be, Too.
By Jayme Lozano Carver
The Ogallala Aquifer serves farming communities in multiple states. When it runs dry, the agriculture industry in Texas and the nation is in jeopardy.
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With $1.4 Billion investment, Texas Hopes to Sprint to the Front of the Microchip Manufacturing
By Francisco Uranga
Microchips are increasingly present in every day life, from phones and laptops to cars and washing machines. Gov. Greg Abbott approved last week a stimulus package in an effort to shore up the supply chain after the pandemic’s disruptions.
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How Texas’ Plan to Curb School Violence Was Knocked Down by a Pandemic and Little Oversight
By Stephen Simpson
Threat assessment teams were created to prevent the next school shooting. However, confusion surrounds how these teams operate and what they even do with a child exhibiting threatening behavior.
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Texas to Deploy Buoys to Deter Rio Grande Crossings, Gov. Abbott Announces
By Zach Despart and Patrick Svitek
The governor revealed plans for a floating river barrier at a Capitol signing ceremony for six new laws related to border security. The first 1,000-foot section will be set up near Eagle Pass.
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New Mapper Opens Up Access to Flood Planning in New York State
By Elizabeth Sydor
An accessible new mapping tool will make it easier for individuals and communities in New York State to plan for flooding and sea level rise. The easy interface of the NYS FIDSS Mapper means users don’t need GIS knowledge or complex software — only access to the Internet.
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Allowing Financial Trading in California's Wholesale Electricity Market Significantly Reduces Volatility: Study
Allowing trading in California’s electricity market led to a reduction in the implicit cost of trading day-ahead/real-time price differences, the volatility of these price differences, and the volatility of real-time prices. In addition, operating costs and fuel use fell on days after the introduction of purely financial participation.
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Texas Senate Approves Creation New Immigration Enforcement Unit, Allow State Police to Arrest for Border Crossings
By Jolie McCullough and James Barragán
The House has already passed the bill, but the two chambers will need to iron out the differences in their versions before it is sent to Gov. Greg Abbott. It’s the most sweeping of a Republican package of bills that aims to stiffen the state’s response to a record number of crossings at Texas’ southern border.
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Northwest Region-Wide Effort for the Next Generation Electrical Grid
Smart grids offer an important defense against climate change: smart devices improve energy efficiency and data and automation help keep grids stable, even if the share of renewable energy increases. They thus address the problem of short-term disruptions to solar and wind power, such as when clouds obscure the sun or winds die down.
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Long-Term Coastal Cliff Loss Due to Climate Change
By Anne M. Stark
The dangers of coastal erosion are an all-too-familiar reality for the modern residents of California’s iconic mountainous coastal communities. New tool brings historical perspective to the topic of how to manage these disappearing coastlines.
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Colorado Law Will Require Homes to Be More Wildfire Resistant
By Jennifer Oldham
The state will develop building standards for homes in high-risk areas after ProPublica’s reporting showed previous efforts to require fire-resistant housing materials had been repeatedly stymied by developers and municipalities.
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Colorado River Water Plan Could Trigger Unprecedented Supply Cuts, Ripple Effects on Key Industries
By Nina Raffio
Decades of drought and overuse have brought the river’s water levels to historic lows. States in the Lower Colorado River Basin — Arizona, California and Nevada — now must choose between one of three options proposed by the federal government. The economic impact of the river’s dwindling water supplies is could be disastrous.
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