A challenge to state climate laws by the Department of Justice, following a recent executive order, will test the limits of environmental federalism. But the dormant Commerce Clause is not a serious obstacle for states.
Leaf-blowers are a staple of neighborhoods, cities, and many public spaces, especially in the fall and spring. However, their environmental effects are now coming under the scrutiny of neighborhood groups and local lawmakers, but not without some blowback.
The District’s failure to recycle beverage containers is an ongoing issue. But a recently proposed bottle-deposit bill promises to upend residents’ relationship to waste.
Facing President Trump’s intensified climate rollback, states have emerged as the bulwark—recommitting to emission reductions, suing for constitutional principles, and challenging unprecedented executive overreach.
New York has made it a mission to reduce its state’s negative climate impact. However, in working toward this goal, many resent the change associated with new climate initiatives – particularly those impacting their wallets.
California’s inmate-firefighters save the state millions of dollars battling wildfires, but face low pay and enhanced risks. Reforms for fair wages, safer conditions, and better pathways for post-release job opportunities are long overdue.
Different levels of government can use legislation to support tree restoration efforts. The ability of trees to combat different environmental harms underscores the importance of legislatively backed initiatives.
Current attempts to address the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake are inadequate and will result in enormous environmental harm—putting more than 2.5 million Utahns in danger.
In Washington, Native Tribes fought for decades in court for their treaty right to fish. Their efforts have greatly impacted how salmon are managed in the state today.
As states continue to sue oil and gas corporations for climate deception, a lone Second Circuit decision raises questions over the fate of these cases as a Trump Administration looms on the horizon.
