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New California Law Bans Gasoline-Powered Lawn Mowers, Leaf Blowers [1]

"Gasoline-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers will soon be a thing of the past in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that will ban the sale of small internal combustion engines predominately used in lawn and garden equipment, starting as soon as 2024."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [6]
California [7]
Source: Ars Technica [8], 10/12/2021

As Locales Move to Decarbonize Buildings, Will States Ban Gas Bans? [9]

While climate change is certainly a global phenomenon, conflicts over addressing it often turn on local concerns. Case in point: Community bans on the use of the fossil fuel methane (aka natural gas), which has in turn prompted some states to ban the bans themselves. The latest TipSheet explains the bans and how they play into the climate change debate, plus story ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [10]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [11]
Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [16]
Policy [17]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [18]
California [7]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [21]
Northwest (OR WA) [22]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [23]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [24]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

"Google Maps Rolls Out ‘Eco-Friendly’ Routes" [25]

"If you’re a regular Google Maps user, you might be able to use the app to make less emissions-intensive choices in the future. Google announced on Wednesday that it is adding options to show drivers less carbon-intensive routes on the Maps app, along with a slew of other individual-focused tools like showing the carbon footprint of flights."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Transportation [26]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [18]
Source: Earther [27], 10/07/2021

"An 'Attack On American Cities' Is Freezing Climate Action In Its Tracks" [28]

"The natural gas industry was losing in cities across the US. Then came an obscure partisan tactic called preemption."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Economy & Business [29]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [12]
Infrastructure [14]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [18]
Source: Vox [30], 10/04/2021

The High Price Of Living Near The Shore Is About To Go Through The Roof [31]

"As FEMA prepares to remove subsidies from its flood insurance, a new assessment says 8 million homeowners in landlocked states are at risk of serious flooding because of climate change".

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Disasters [32]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Water & Oceans [33]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [18]
Source: Washington Post [34], 10/01/2021

"California Regulators Warn Of Dry Reservoirs, Restrictions" [35]

"California’s reservoirs are so dry from a historic drought that regulators warned Thursday it’s possible the state’s water agencies won’t get anything from them next year, a frightening possibility that could force mandatory restrictions for residents."

Agriculture [36]
Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Disasters [32]
Water & Oceans [33]
Public [6]
California [7]
Source: AP [37], 10/01/2021

Report Alleges Conflicts Of Interest Among Texas Oil And Gas Regulators [38]

"Texas oil and gas regulators make big bucks from the industries they oversee and fail to recuse themselves when arbitrating conflicts or determining penalties for companies they’ve invested in, according to a new report."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Economy & Business [29]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Justice [39]
Environmental Politics [12]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Pollution [40]
Public [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [24]
Source: Texas Public Radio [41], 09/29/2021

"The Cost of Insuring Expensive Waterfront Homes Is About to Skyrocket" [42]

"New federal flood insurance rates that better reflect the real risks of climate change are coming. For some, premiums will rise sharply."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Disasters [32]
Economy & Business [29]
Water & Oceans [33]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [18]
Source: NYTimes [43], 09/27/2021

"UN Summit Seeks To Fix Food’s Many Problems, But Draws Fire" [44]

"Nations, companies and foundations pledged billions of dollars to feed the world in connection with an ambitious United Nations food summit Thursday, while some grassroots anti-hunger groups and food experts blasted the event as too corporate, tech-focused and top-down."

Agriculture [36]
Consumer [3]
Disasters [32]
Economy & Business [29]
Environmental Health [45]
Environmental Justice [39]
Food [46]
Public [6]
International [47]
Source: AP [48], 09/24/2021

Water Usage In S. Calif. Rose, Despite Newsom's Call To Cut Back: Data [49]

"Water usage in parts of Southern California increased in July but saw a minor reduction statewide as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) requested that residents cut back amid a historic drought, according to new state data released Tuesday."

Climate Change [2]
Consumer [3]
Water & Oceans [33]
Public [6]
California [7]
Source: The Hill [50], 09/23/2021

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/new-california-law-bans-gasoline-powered-lawn-mowers-leaf-blowers [2] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [6] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [7] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [8] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/10/gas-powered-lawn-mowers-leaf-blowers-to-be-banned-under-new-california-law/ [9] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/locales-move-decarbonize-buildings-will-states-ban-gas-bans [10] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [18] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [19] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [20] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [21] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [22] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [23] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [24] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [25] https://www.sej.org/headlines/google-maps-rolls-out-eco-friendly-routes [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [27] https://gizmodo.com/google-maps-rolls-out-eco-friendly-routes-1847809051 [28] https://www.sej.org/headlines/attack-american-cities-freezing-climate-action-its-tracks [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [30] https://www.vox.com/22691755/gas-utilities-fight-electrification-preemption [31] https://www.sej.org/headlines/high-price-living-near-shore-about-go-through-roof [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [34] https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/10/01/price-living-near-shore-is-already-high-its-about-go-through-roof/ [35] https://www.sej.org/headlines/california-regulators-warn-dry-reservoirs-restrictions [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [37] https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-lifestyle-california-environment-sacramento-37a5b43824ae0a6738e2d3efd8a1fa18 [38] https://www.sej.org/headlines/report-alleges-conflicts-interest-among-texas-oil-and-gas-regulators [39] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [40] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [41] https://www.tpr.org/environment/2021-09-28/report-alleges-conflicts-of-interest-among-texas-oil-and-gas-regulators [42] https://www.sej.org/headlines/cost-insuring-expensive-waterfront-homes-about-skyrocket [43] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/climate/federal-flood-insurance-cost.html [44] https://www.sej.org/headlines/un-summit-seeks-fix-food-s-many-problems-draws-fire [45] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [46] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [48] https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-coronavirus-pandemic-business-summits-environment-a69ab2e766f71515c995cbca130ea0ad [49] https://www.sej.org/headlines/water-usage-s-calif-rose-despite-newsoms-call-cut-back-data [50] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/573386-water-usage-in-southern-california-increased-despite-newsoms-call?rl=1 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=115 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=112 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=113 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=114 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=117 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=118 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=119 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=120 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=178