Consumer

Solar Was Poised To Help Puerto Ricans Survive Blackouts — But Trump Axed It

"María Pérez lost power for about three months after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017. Her home in Salinas, on the island’s southern coast, sits near a river. As the hurricane knocked out the island’s grid and sent rainwaters surging down from the mountains, Perez’s house flooded with a swirling mix of muddy water and animal feces, rising 3 feet high and warping the hallways. For the next three months, she went without power as she cleaned out the home and began the long process of rebuilding."

Source: Grist, 04/08/2026

Trump Threatens To Destroy Iran’s Desalination Plants: Mideast Impacts

"U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to target Iran’s energy infrastructure, including the country’s desalination plants. Such a move — and Iran’s possible targeting of the plants of its Gulf Arab neighbors — could have devastating impacts across the water-starved Middle East."

Source: AP, 04/07/2026

Report on PFAS Better, With a Better Mapping Tool

If drinking water safety is on your beat, then keeping track of seesawing regulations around PFAS is a challenge. But as Reporter’s Toolbox writes, a powerful government data mapping tool can help you at least locate nearby PFAS facilities at a glance. What it does well and where it sources its underlying data, plus some suggestions on using it for your reporting.

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Florida Power & Light Profit Margins Top Other Utilities’ Nationwide: Report

"Florida Power & Light’s profit margins consistently ranked among the highest in the nation over the past five years and topped other utilities’ in 2024 and 2025, with 27 cents of every dollar in revenue last year retained as profit, according to a new report." "Utility profit margins are one reason why electricity bills are rising, the report says. Advocates say low-income communities are hardest-hit by the costs."

Source: Inside Climate News, 04/06/2026

"Green Steel Is The Way Forward For Indiana, Former Steelworkers Say"

"Advocates warn that what’s left of the industry could be lost if companies choose to invest in dirty blast furnaces instead of modernizing with cleaner steelmaking."

Source: Canary Media, 04/06/2026

"Big Bend Wall Protests Draws Thousands To Texas Capitol"

"Thousands of protesters gathered at the steps of the Texas Capitol Saturday to protest against the construction of a border wall through Big Bend, in a show of bipartisan opposition to the White House’s plans."

Source: Public Domain, 04/06/2026

"What The Looming Sale Of CNN Means For Trump’s Feud With The Network"

"Animosity from the White House has taken on new meaning amid an imminent sale to David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, fueling anxiety among journalists."

Source: Washington Post, 04/06/2026

Trump DOI To Rejoin Drilling Agencies Separated After 2010 Gulf Oil Spill

"The Trump administration said Friday it is combining two agencies that were separated in the aftermath of the 2010 Gulf oil spill. The Interior Department said the overhaul would increase efficiency and speed up permitting for offshore oil and gas drilling."

Source: AP, 04/06/2026

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