Inside Clean Energy: Arizona’s Energy Plan Unravels
An ambitious, bipartisan clean energy proposal stalls right before the finish line.
May 13, 2021
A starry night over the Mitten Buttes in Monument Valley, Arizona. Credit: Xavi Talleda/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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Six months ago, Arizona showed the country how Democrats and Republicans could work together to come up with a 100 percent carbon-free electricity plan.
Last week, the state showed how such a proposal, even when it seems like a done deal, can fall apart.
The turnabout was heartbreaking for Bob Burns, a Republican who was a leading promoter of the idea that clean energy should not be a partisan issue. He had shepherded the energy plan to its apparent passage last fall in his final months as chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, capping a decades-long career in elected office. But he wasn’t that surprised.
California Proposal Embraces All-Electric Buildings But Stops Short of Gas Ban
Environmental advocates see progress but had hoped for a bolder stance against gas.
May 8, 2021
Contractors work on single-family homes under construction in the Cadence Park development of The Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, California, on April 14, 2021. Credit: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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California officials have decided not to propose a ban on natural gas in new construction, disappointing environmental advocates who had hoped for a much more decisive move against fossil fuels.
The California Energy Commission has released a draft version of the next update to the state’s energy building code, a document that favors the use of electric heat by saying that heat pumps would be the baseline technology for new construction. Builders could still install gas appliances, but the code and incentive programs would aim to make heat pumps the preferred option.
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Climate Change and Population Changes in Indiana
May 07, 2021
A controversial bill about wetlands was signed into law last week by Gov. Eric Holcomb, to the dismay of environmental activists and over 100 organizations across the state.
Today we talk about why the bill is controversial and find out how it could impact the way state leaders handle issues related to climate change.
We also talk to an expert about how agricultural practices can be improved to better protect the environment in Indiana, and learn how the housing market has been affected by the pandemic.
Produced by Mariam Sobh.
Inside Clean Energy: Indian Point Nuclear Plant Reaches a Contentious End
Few topics divide clean energy advocates as much as the role of nuclear power.
May 6, 2021
The Indian Point nuclear power plant is seen March 18, 2011 in Buchanan, New York. Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images
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At 11 p.m. on April 30, employees shut down the nuclear reactor at Indian Point Energy Center Unit 3, marking the end of a power plant that has been an essential part of New York City’s energy supply since the 1960s.
The plant’s closing has inspired elation and regret, intensifying a longtime dispute among environmental advocates about the role nuclear power should play in the transition to clean energy and what steps the government should take to preserve existing nuclear plants.