Trump’s Push for More A.I. Data Centers Will Mean Major Air Pollution

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Hiroko Tabuchi

7 August 2026 at 03:18

The president’s push for data centers is driving a boom in gas-burning power plants. Texas is leading the way.

Trump Administration to Pay RWE to Cancel Wind Leases

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Brad Plumer

6 August 2026 at 23:15

It was the fifth such deal struck by the administration to get companies to drop offshore wind projects.

The deal on Wednesday follows agreements to refund wind leases off California, Maine, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina.

Trump Issues Tariffs on Key Ingredient for Electronics and Solar Panels

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Ana Swanson and Brad Plumer

6 August 2026 at 22:53

The administration will impose a minimum import price for polysilicon, a key component for semiconductors and solar panels, as well as tariffs for products made with the material.

A worker inspected solar panels at a factory in Dalton, Ga., in 2023.

Federal Judge Orders Pentagon to Lift Freeze on Wind Power

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Brad Plumer

6 August 2026 at 19:56

Since April, the Defense Department has halted all military reviews for wind projects, stalling dozens of projects nationwide.

Turbines near Throckmorton, Texas. Defense Department reviews are meant to ensure that wind farms do not interfere with radar or flight paths.

Birds Are Dying. Clues Point to El Niño.

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Catrin Einhorn

6 August 2026 at 19:40

A die-off of seabirds has some experts thinking an El Niño weather pattern is to blame, a look at data centers and pollution, and more climate news.

Mexico Declares War on Stinky Seaweed

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Claire Brown

4 August 2026 at 20:08

A changing climate is helping to fuel the growth of a gigantic blob of foul-smelling seaweed that has washed up in some coastal communities. Mexico is fighting back.

Phoenix Species Project Announces Funds for Imperiled Wildlife

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Catrin Einhorn

4 August 2026 at 14:41

A new fund called the Phoenix Species Project will provide $200 million to help pull imperiled wildlife back from the brink of extinction.

Some of the imperiled animals included in the Phoenix Species Project.

Trump Administration Is Undoing Plans to Boost Workplace Heat Protections

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Scott Dance

1 August 2026 at 20:58

The Biden administration took steps to shield workers from extreme temperatures. The Trump administration is taking a gentler approach with employers.

A delivery in Wilmington, N.C., this month. Heat is linked to hundreds of workplace deaths each year, but labor groups say the true toll is unknown because heat-related illnesses are not properly tracked or reported.

U.S. Raises Threat of Steep Water Cuts in Lower Colorado River Basin

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Scott Dance

31 July 2026 at 20:48

A federal plan would impose drastic water cuts on Arizona, California and Nevada in dry years over the next decade. A legal battle could follow.

Water from the Colorado River flowing through an irrigation canal in Arizona earlier this month.

Iran War Drives Oil Profits to Highest Levels in Years

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott

31 July 2026 at 17:09

The world’s biggest oil companies are benefiting from the high commodity prices that have been a drag on the rest of the economy.

An Exxon Mobil refinery in Baytown, Texas. The war with Iran has been a boon for many oil producers.

What You Need to Know About Installing Plug-In Solar Panels

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Ivan Penn and Claire Brown

31 July 2026 at 10:02

You can now buy panels that plug into electrical outlets, but there are some important safety issues to consider when picking and installing a system.

Plug-in solar panels are as large as windows, and in Germany they are often installed on balconies.

Plug-In Solar Panels Are Starting to Sprout in U.S. Backyards

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Ivan Penn and Claire Brown

31 July 2026 at 10:00

Ten U.S. states have legalized systems that can be plugged into standard wall outlets. The technology typically does not require permits or electricians.

Alex Ottoboni with his balcony solar panel at his condo in the San Francisco Bay Area

A City With a Plan

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Alexander Nazaryan

30 July 2026 at 20:16

Cincinnati wants to take in people fleeing climate disasters. Plus, the latest on fires in Europe.

How Climate Change and Tariffs Help China Raise More Cattle

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Keith Bradsher

30 July 2026 at 13:13

As increased rain makes grasslands and cornfields possible in areas that once were deserts, the world’s largest beef importer is becoming more self-reliant by expanding domestic herds.

A herder taking her cows to graze in mountain pastures in northern China’s Hebei Province.

Bipartisan Anger Grows at Pentagon’s Delayed ‘Forever Chemicals’ Cleanups

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Hiroko Tabuchi

30 July 2026 at 10:02

Hundreds of bases are contaminated with PFAS, which are linked to low birth weight and other risks. Politicians from both parties are demanding explanations.

A burned airplane fuselage used in firefighting exercises at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, a PFAS-contaminated site.

Trump Administration Is Repurposing Federal Land for A.I. Data Centers

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Brad Plumer

29 July 2026 at 20:46

In the latest example, the Energy Department will convert a shuttered Cold War-era uranium enrichment facility into a data center campus and gas plants.

President Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright during a White House event last week in which 200 companies vowed to prevent A.I. data centers from driving up power costs.

In Ohio, Toxic Wastewater Is Bubbling Up Out of the Ground

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Quinn Glabicki and Maddie McGarvey

29 July 2026 at 10:00

The state is a major importer of fracking wastewater, which gets pumped underground but doesn’t always stay there. The city of Marietta is fighting back.

The wastewater, which can be radioactive, has risen to the surface through older oil and gas wells near Marietta, Ohio, such as this one.

Fossil Fuel Executives Cash In

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Claire Brown

28 July 2026 at 20:30

Insiders at leading oil and gas companies have made millions from stocks since the Iran war began.

The Iran War Just Put Another Key Oil Route at Risk

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott · Paul Abowd · Nikolay Nikolov · Nour Idriss · Stephanie Swart · Rafaela Balster · Lauren Pruitt · Alexandra Ostasiewicz · Samuel Granados and Leanne Abraham

28 July 2026 at 20:24

Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war have led Saudi Arabia to rely on an alternative route for exporting oil. Our reporter Rebecca F. Elliott explains how that route is now threatened by the Houthis, a Yemeni militia supported by Iran.

Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected

NYT - Energy & Environment

By: Rebecca F. Elliott and Jamie Kelter Davis

28 July 2026 at 18:20

The first U.S. attempt at reopening a shuttered reactor has been held back by run-down equipment and a lack of planning.

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