Staff Writer

Climate reporter

Salt is spread on a street in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

To clear ice and snow, there are rock salt alternatives that are safer for your pets and yard

Winter has its fans, but even those who enjoy playing in the snow probably dislike the chore of clearing up after a big storm that dumps several inches or even feet of snow and ice.

A BYD electric car is on display at the Essen Motor Show in Essen, Germany, Thursday Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Chinese EVs are making inroads in North America. That worries industry experts

China’s rapid development of electric vehicles had competitors concerned even before Canada this week agreed to cut its tariffs on EVs in exchange for concessions on Canadian farm products.

A worker dusts on a 2026 Cadillac Optiq Premium Sport vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

At Detroit auto show, spotlight dims for EVs

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit once dedicated an entire track on its coveted show floor to getting consumers comfortable with electric vehicles and charging.

Dodge Charger, Ford Maverick Lobo and Hyundai Palisade win the 2026 North American vehicle awards

The Dodge Charger won the 2026 North American Car of the Year award, while the Ford Maverick Lobo took the crown for the truck honors, and the Hyundai Palisade won the utility award.

The Kyger Creek Power Plant, a coal-fired power plant, operates April 14, 2025, near Cheshire, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)

‘Trump’s EPA’ in 2025: A fossil fuel-friendly approach to deregulation

The Trump administration has reshaped the Environmental Protection Agency, reversing pollution limits and promoting fossil fuels.

Grace Chyuwei pours water on Joe Chyuwei to help with the heat Aug. 3, 2025, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

2025 was one of three hottest years on record, scientists say

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the hottest years ever recorded. Also, the three-year warming average has crossed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (or 2.7 Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times set in the 2015 Paris Agreement for the first time.

The Department of Energy in Washington, May 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Energy Department watchdog will audit Trump’s cuts of nearly $8B in clean energy grants

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General will investigate the Trump administration’s termination of $7.6 billion in grants for clean energy projects across several states that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference at the Department of Transportation in Washington, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

16 states sue Trump administration again over billions in withheld electric vehicle charging funds

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia are suing President Donald Trump’s administration for what they say is unlawfully withholding billions of dollars in funding for two electric vehicle charging programs.

Ford scraps fully-electric F-150 Lightning as mounting losses and falling demand hits EV plans

Ford Motor Co. is pivoting away from its once-ambitious electric vehicle plans amid financial losses and waning consumer demand for the vehicles.

Vehicles drive along a highway July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)

FACT FOCUS: Trump said weaker gas mileage rules will mean cheaper cars. Experts say don’t bet on it

President Donald Trump this week announced plans to weaken strict gas mileage requirements for automakers set under former President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event on fuel economy standards in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump proposal would weaken vehicle mileage rules that limit air pollution

President Donald Trump has announced a proposal to weaken vehicle mileage rules for the auto industry.

People watch the sunset from the Liberty Memorial grounds in Kansas City, Mo., May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Researchers slightly lower study’s estimate of drop in global income due to climate change

Researchers who examined climate change’s potential effect on the global economy say data errors led them to slightly overstate an expected drop in income over the next 25 years.

Workers install panels at a solar project May 21, 2025, in Galena, Alaska. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Diverse and resilient energy production is needed to meet future demand, global report says

Electricity demand will rise much faster than overall energy growth in the coming decades, underscoring the need for diversified energy sources and supply chains, That’s according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

Common two-banded seabream fish swim in the protected area of France's Porquerolles National Park ahead of the U.N. Ocean Conference on June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)

Deep-sea mining risks disrupting the marine food web, study warns

Drilling for minerals deep in the ocean could have immense consequences on the tiny animals at the core of the vast ocean food web — and ultimately affect fisheries and the food we find on our plates.

A person reaches to plug in an electric vehicle at a charging station May 22, 2025, in the City of Commerce, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Study finds EVs quickly overcome their energy-intensive build to be cleaner than gas cars

Producing and manufacturing electric vehicles and their batteries uses a lot of energy, leading many to be skeptical about the environmental benefits of going electric.

A Tesla car charges at a home in San Francisco, Aug. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

AI can help the environment, even though it uses tremendous energy. Here are 5 ways how

Artificial intelligence has caused concern for its tremendous consumption of water and power. But scientists are also experimenting with ways that AI can help people and businesses use energy more efficiently and pollute less.

Brayan Santos, left, and Theodore Tanczuk, right, of solar installer YellowLite, put solar panels on the roof of a home in Lakewood, Ohio, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

State attorneys general sue Trump administration for canceled solar program funding

The attorneys general of more than a dozen states on Thursday sued the Trump administration over the termination of $7 billion in funding intended for affordable solar energy projects across the U.S.

Wind turbines operate as the sun rises at the Klettwitz Nord solar energy park near Klettwitz, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

Solar and wind power has grown faster than electricity demand this year, report says

A new analysis of solar and wind power shows its generation worldwide has outpaced electricity demand this year.

Theodore Tanczuk, left, and Brayan Santos, right, of solar installer YellowLite, work to put panels on a home in Lakewood, Ohio, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Groups sue EPA over canceled $7 billion solar program intended to help poorer Americans

Several groups and nonprofit organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over the canceling of a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to more than 900,000 lower-income Americans.

Gov. Brian Kemp smiles as he stands next to a Rivian electric truck during a ceremony to announce that the electric truck maker plans to build a $5 billion battery and assembly plant east of Atlanta projected to employ 7,500 workers, Dec. 16, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

It’s ‘do or die’ for electric vehicle maker Rivian as it breaks ground on a $5 billion plant

Rivian Automotive is starting to build a long-delayed electric vehicle plant in Georgia, despite tough challenges in the U.S. market.

This photo shows the National Weather Service monitoring station in Brownville, Texas, May 23, 2014. (David Pike/Valley Morning Star via AP, File)

Want to work for National Weather Service? Be ready to explain how you agree with Trump

As the National Weather Service scrambles to hire up to 450 people to restore deep cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency, potential applicants are being asked to explain how they would advance President Donald Trump’s agenda if hired.

A female worker sorts through empty bottles at a plastic recycling factory in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Failure of talks for plastic treaty turn focus back to reduce, reuse, recycle. How’s that going?

Global talks to slash plastic production and the toxic chemicals used to produce plastic products fell apart in Geneva this week.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin speaks, Feb 3, 2025, in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

EPA cancels $7 billion Biden-era grant program to boost solar energy

The Environmental Protection Agency has terminated $7 billion in funding for solar programs approved under the Biden administration, including projects for nearly 1 million households in low-income communities.

This photo shows the National Weather Service monitoring station in Brownville, Texas, May 23, 2014. (David Pike/Valley Morning Star via AP, File)

After deep DOGE cuts, National Weather Service gets OK to fill up to 450 jobs

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will hire as many as 450 people to shore up the National Weather Service after deep cuts this spring raised concern about dangerous understaffing.

The New York City skyline is seen from Fort Lee, N.J., July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Pablo Salinas)

What to know about the earthquake that shook the New York area Saturday night

A relatively mild 3.0 magnitude earthquake shook the New York metropolitan area Saturday night. The earthquake hit in the New Jersey suburb of Hasbrouck Heights at a depth of about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) and was felt fairly widely in northern New Jersey, southern New York and even in southern par

Dustin Holmes, second from right, holds hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, while returning to their flooded home with her children Aria Skye Hall, 7, right, and Kyle Ross, 4, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Sept. 27, 2024, in Crystal River, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

Government to keep sharing key satellite data for hurricane forecasting despite planned cutoff

The Department of Defense now says it will continue sharing key data collected by three sophisticated weather satellites that help forecasters track hurricanes.

Vehicles drive along a highway Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Trump’s EPA is targeting key vehicle pollution rules. What that means for carmakers

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to relax rules aimed at reducing auto tailpipe emissions. The move is the latest Trump administration effort to undo incentives for automakers to go electric.

Amazon Web Services data center is seen on Aug. 22, 2024, in Boardman, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Trump’s AI plan calls for massive data centers. Here’s how it may affect energy in the US

President Donald Trump’s plan to boost artificial intelligence and build data centers across the U.S. could speed up a building boom that was already expected to strain the nation’s ability to power it.

President Donald Trump greets people during a reception for Republican members of Congress in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

US automakers say Trump’s 15% tariff deal with Japan puts them at a disadvantage

U.S. automakers worry that President Donald Trump’s agreement to tariff Japanese vehicles at 15% would put them at a competitive disadvantage, saying they will face steeper import taxes on steel, aluminum and parts than their competitors, saying they’ll face steeper import taxes on steel, aluminum a

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump administration pulls back on plans to rewrite Biden-era asbestos ban

The Trump administration is dropping plans to allow continued use of the last type of asbestos legally allowed in U.S. manufacturing after an outcry from asbestos opponents.

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