Earlier this year, a federal court struck down plans to drive the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which stretches from Minnesota to Illinois. The energy companies behind the operation are challenging the decision, raising concerns from environmental organizations. Mike Senatore, vice president of conservation law for Defenders of Wildlife, said a proposal to swap land between the U.S. .
New Mexico may soon join more than a dozen other states in adopting California s clean car standards. The statewide and Albuquerque environmental-air quality boards will hold a joint hearing beginning Wednesday on the proposed Clean Car Rule. As written, car dealers would need to sell a certain percentage of low- and zero-emission cars. .
Besides providing shade and looking nice, experts say trees are a vital element of livable communities. Today marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, an annual national holiday recognizing the importance of trees. Elizabeth Grace, director of urban fundraising for the Western Reserve Land Conservancy in Cleveland, is working with local partners to bring the city s tree canopy up from 18% to 30% coverage. .
Conservationists say the 400 miles of walls recently built along the U.S.-Mexico border are causing significant ecological damage and blocking the migration routes of threatened species. "American Scar," a film documenting the damage done to desert landscapes, will debut online next week, followed by a panel discussion with the film s director and producers. The short film looks at the destruction caused in Arizona and elsewhere by putting up steel barriers to block migrants and others from entering the country. .
Mountain Valley Pipeline developers are now allowed to dig tunnels below streams and wetlands, and environmental groups say they are concerned about the effects on wildlife and habitat. The fate of the multistate natural gas pipeline remains uncertain, after years of setbacks. Lewis Freeman, executive director of the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance, said there is little scientific evidence to back up the recent ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. .