ARLINGTON, Virginia, Dec. 18 [Category: Sociological] -- Americans for Prosperity posted the following news release: * * * Americans for Prosperity Celebrates Bipartisan Passage of the SPEED Act in the House * Washington, D.C. - Today, the House passed H.R. 4776, the "Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act" by a bipartisan vote of 221 YEA to 196 NAY. The bill could help lower energy costs by making it easier to build new power plants through the streamlining  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * As Open Enrollment Ends in Idaho and Thousands of Idahoans Cancel Coverage, Murray Decries Republican Health Care Sabotage: "Idaho is the Canary in the Coal Mine" * Idaho Capital Sun : Thousands of Idahoans cancel health insurance plans on exchange ahead of subsidies ending Idaho Statesman : Obamacare subsidies are set to expire. Dems call Idaho 'ground zero' for crisis ICYMI : Days Before Op  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following report on Dec. 17, 2025 by Lauren Mai and Andreyka Natalegawa entitled "Chinese Energy Investments in Southeast Asia." Here is the introduction: * * * Southeast Asian nations face a daunting challenge in trying to meet the energy needs of booming populations and rapid economic growth while keeping to ambitious carbon neutrality pledges made at the most recent UN climate summits. Previous   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release: * * * Environmental Groups Challenge Re-Issued Permit for Commonwealth LNG * CAMERON PARISH, La. \- Today, three environmental groups filed a challenge to the reissued coastal use permit for the proposed Commonwealth LNG export facility. The Sierra Club, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and Turtle Island Restoration Network filed the challenge in state court, citing the Louisiana Department of Conser  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Final FY 2026 Defense Bill Includes 19 Sullivan Provisions, Prioritizes Alaska * Bill Incorporates Sullivan's GOLDEN DOME Act, Authorizes $292 Million in New Alaska Military Construction WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today celebrated the Senate's passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The   more

LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Dec. 18 (TNSbrep) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release: * * * TotalEnergies risks deepening its fossil fuel dependence with EPH partnership Key Takeaways: A planned joint venture between TotalEnergies and fossil fuel utility EPH will be a high-emission power generator. TotalEnergies will effectively double its gas-fired power emissions by acquiring interests in gas power plants in Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and I  more

FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, Dec. 17 -- The Defense Health Agency issued the following news: * * * Invisible invasion: What service members need to know about microplastics * Service members face health risks both while at home and when deployed, and the emerging global threat of micro- and nanoplastics, or MNPs, may have long-term impacts on their health. "We're beginning to appreciate that microplastics are everywhere and likely contaminating everything we eat, drink, and touch," said Dr. Mar  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The Jamestown Foundation posted the following commentary on Dec. 18, 2025, in its Militant Leadership Monitor: * * * Mushtaq Kohi: BLA Financier's Fate Obscured By Imtiaz Baloch Executive Summary: * Mushtaq Kohi, a senior Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) financial and logistical coordinator, was widely reported to have been killed in early 2025, but conflicting accounts, organizational silence, and circumstantial indicators have left his fate unresolved. * The ambiguity   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release: * * * Lawsuit Challenges Trump Plan to Shut Americans Out of Public Lands Decisions * WASHINGTON, D.C. Conservation groups sued the Trump administration today for scrapping decades-old rules protecting Americans' right to participate in environmental reviews for logging, mining, drilling, road construction and other industrial projects on their public lands. Environmental reviews under the Nat  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release: * * * Lawsuit Challenges Trump Plan to Shut Americans Out of Public Lands Decisions * WASHINGTONConservation groups sued the Trump administration today for scrapping decades-old rules protecting Americans' right to participate in environmental reviews for logging, mining, drilling, road construction and other industrial projects on their public lands. Environmental reviews unde  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Murkowski Highlights Alaska Wins in NDAA * Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 77-20. The bill now goes to the President's desk for his signature. The FY26 NDAA provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel, expands investment in mi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release on Dec. 17, 2025: * * * Share your thoughts about trail, safety, and waterfront improvements in Old Town North Virtual public meeting will be held January 12, 2026 Editor's note: This article has been modified from the original; the public meeting was rescheduled for January 12, 2026. It was previously scheduled for October, 2025. * ALEXANDRIA, Va. --The National Park Service   more

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Dec. 18 [Category: BizEnergy] -- Entergy posted the following news release: * * * Next Generation Arkansas Announced * LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Entergy Arkansas today announced Next Generation Arkansas, the company's comprehensive plan to provide electricity that does more for Arkansas by strengthening reliability, expanding energy supply, driving economic growth and keeping power affordable for all customers. The company, and its more than 2,800 employees, are focusing th  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- North Dakota submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to amend its abandoned mine land reclamation plan to align with changes in U.S. federal law. North Dakota seeks to update the purposes for which the North Dakota abandoned mine reclamation fund may be used. A primary feature of the request is the creation of a set-aside trust account in the state treasury. The state also intends to revise   more

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Dec. 18 [Category: Environment] -- The Union of Concerned Scientists posted the following news release: * * * Permitting "Reform" Package is a Holiday Gift to Big Oil and Gas, Lump of Coal for the Public * The U.S. House of Representatives passed controversial, ill-conceived legislation today, known as the SPEED Act, which would erode public and environmental safeguards in place for largescale projects, such as building new infrastructure or federal land management   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 [Category: Environment] -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release: * * * Prairie Rivers Network and Sierra Club Illinois File Lawsuit Challenging Massive Federal Expansion of Illinois Coal Mining * Franklin County, Illinois - Today, Prairie Rivers Network and Sierra Club Illinois are suing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federally owned public power provider, to block the federal government from a massive expansion of coal mining in Illinois. The deci  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, issued the following news release: * * * Republicans are Unleashing American Energy Dominance * "This Christmas, Americans will pay the lowest gas prices in five years. Across the country, families are feeling the relief that comes from returning to common sense energy policies... America is an energy superpower. Under Republicans, we are finally acting like it again." WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Major  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 18, 2025: * * * Republicans Pass Christmas Gifts for Billionaire Polluters, Leave Hardworking Americans in the Cold Republicans Pass Christmas Gifts for Billionaire Polluters, Leave Hardworking Americans in the Cold Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) took to the House Floor and slammed Republic  more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Dec. 19 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Southern Environmental Law Center posted the following news release: * * * SPEED Act vote is another attempt to give polluters a free pass * WASHINGTON- The House vote to approve the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act is another attack on bedrock environmental laws that give people in the South a voice to provide input into projects that could affect them and a legal path to challenge govern  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. AB 1240, Sub-No. 1X) entitled "Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad Co. - Abandonment Exemption - In Fayette County, Pennsylvania": * * * Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad Company (SWP) filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 C.F.R. part 1152 subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon approximately 1.87 miles of rail line near Uniontown, Fayette County, Pa., extendi  more

LONDON, England, Dec. 19 (TNSjou) -- The University College London issued the following news: * * * Negotiation failure on UN environmental assessment highlights need for reform The failure of governments to agree with leading scientists on a major United Nations' report "risks impeding timely action on environmental goals", UCL and other academics say in a new article. In December, the UN published its latest Global Environment Outlook (GEO) report, the result of six years' work, which conn  more

NORWICH, England, Dec. 18 (TNSjou) -- The University of East Anglia issued the following news: * * * Overlooked hydrogen emissions are heating Earth and supercharging methane Rising global emissions of hydrogen over the past three decades have amplified the impact of the greenhouse gas methane and intensified climate change - according to an international team including researchers at the University of East Anglia. Hydrogen is often hailed as a clean energy solution. But a new paper publishe  more

LIVERPOOL, England, Dec. 18 -- The University of Liverpool issued the following news release: * * * Why has the European Commission fined X and does this threaten freedom of speech? This article is authored by Dr Stephanie Reynolds, Associate Head of Department (Law) and Co-Director of the Liverpool Public Law Unit. On 5 December, the European Commission fined social media platform X Euros120 million as part of its investigation into breaches of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). X owner E  more

GUILFORD, England, Dec. 17 (TNSjou) -- The University of Surrey issued the following news release: * * * New carbon trading model could cut electricity costs while the Philippines reaches net-zero power Carbon trading revenues could exceed $40 billion annually by 2050 whilst helping the Philippines achieve net-zero emissions in its power sector, according to new research from the University of Surrey. The study models two pathways for the Philippines' Luzon power grid to reach net-zero emiss  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Warner, Kaine, McGarvey Introduce Bill to Support Families of Mine Workers Who Died of Black Lung Disease * WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act, legislation that would remove barriers to benefits and ensure that families of miners who have died from black lung are properly compensated. A companion bill was introduc  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Warner, Kaine, McGarvey Introduce Bill to Support Families of Mine Workers who Died of Black Lung Disease * WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act, legislation that would remove barriers to benefits and ensure that families of miners who have died from black lung are properly compensated. A companion bill was introduced by R  more