Trump’s vow to repeal Biden regulations on carbon from coal-fired power plants will hamper fight against climate change, critics warn

WASHINGTON – In April, President Joe Biden announced caps on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. President-elect Donald Trump plans to repeal the regulations, which critics call a major setback in the fight to curb climate change.


Lawmakers push critical mineral status for copper, a major Arizona export, which would mean green energy tax breaks and less regulation

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers from Arizona, home to the largest copper mines in the U.S., are pushing to add the metal to a federal list of critical minerals. That would trigger tax breaks and a faster permit process. Copper is critical for green energy industries and electric vehicles. The U.S. House has already approved the bill.


Solar power growth could slow if Trump keeps promise to kill Biden-era incentives

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to cut incentives for solar power under President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act could undermine a green industry that has exploded in the last decade.


‘We’re family here’: SRP employees band together to clean 10 miles of Salt River canal system

MESA - Employees from across Salt River Project departments come together with camaraderie and perseverance for an annual canal cleanup. This involves catching and relocating the white amur fish, also known as grass carp, before cleaning can begin.

SRP workers in Mesa watch as white amur fish, also known as grass carp, get lifted into a van to be transported to another section of canal.

Bakersfield lawsuit continues as Kern River water management that left fish dead comes under fire

LOS ANGELES – A portion of the Kern River in Bakersfield, California, has dried up leaving a mass grave of varying fish species behind. Multiple wildlife and nature advocates and nonprofits are continuing with a related lawsuit against the city over water control.


‘Toss the Tusk’ educates Phoenix Zoo guests on illegal ivory trading, allows ivory surrender

PHOENIX – An event aimed at educating the public on poaching and how to combat the illegal ivory trade, came to the Phoenix Zoo for the first time. Guests were encouraged to surrender ivory, which will be used for research and education.

Phoenix Zoo staff members set up a display of ivory tusks and trinkets to educate the public on ivory poaching during the “Toss the Tusk” event in Phoenix on Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Aryton Temcio/Cronkite News)

Phoenix says visits to heat relief centers skyrocketed during record-breaking summer, and 92% were from people experiencing homelessness

PHOENIX – City officials said Phoenix’s heat-relief network saved many lives this summer, particularly among the unhoused population.

Kate Gallego speaking at a podium with a pink and white design on a screen behind her.

Flourishing Los Angeles: Activists reclaim urban spaces through guerrilla gardening

LOS ANGELES – Guerrilla gardening empowers communities to reclaim neglected urban spaces and combat environmental issues. This movement promotes sustainable practices, fosters social change and environmental awareness while transforming the city’s concrete landscape. City officials urge going through the permitting process.

Man holding a block of substrate with yellow mushrooms in a mushroom cultivation room.

Arizona is launching PFAS mitigation efforts ahead of the EPA deadline. But critics say it isn’t enough

WASHINGTON – In response to persistent contamination from PFAS, a known “forever chemical,” the EPA, Arizona and other government agencies are coming up with strategies to maintain a clean water supply. Critics say what they are doing is not enough.


Arizona companies building tech to reduce carbon emissions

WASHINGTON – The U.S ranks second globally in the countries that emit the highest greenhouse gas emissions. Arizona companies have joined the move to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while seeking credit for carbon emitted.

Artistic rendering of the CarbonCapture Inc. manufacturing plant in Mesa. (Rendering courtesy of CarbonCapture Inc.)

Maricopa County combats heat with its heat-relief network; Phoenix reports serving 35,000

PHOENIX – Maricopa County opens several heat-relief centers every summer. These centers are vital to the community when the weather outside reaches unbearable temperatures; centers in Phoenix served more than 35,000 this summer.

The Burton Barr Central Library respite center stands in the blazing heat, and those seeking relief run to its doors to seek shelter. (Photo by Jalen Woody/Cronkite News)

Number of electric vehicles in Arizona has tripled, outpacing charging station installation

WASHINGTON – The number of electric vehicles in Arizona has tripled in the last 18 months, and the number of charging stations hasn’t kept pace.