By Maaz Haider
As the world grapples with the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the impacts of climate change have become a tangible concern for millions of people. Among the largest contributors to this crisis is transportation, the largest source of U.S. emissions, and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles have an outsized impact.
Louisiana’s state and federal lawmakers recognize the energy landscape is changing and see the opportunity to leverage the state’s long history in fossil fuel extraction, transportation and processing to attract investment in the booming climate technology sector.
By Michael Zimmerman and Neda Deylami
The market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the U.S. is rapidly expanding. As of October 2024, 11 states have adopted the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which requires manufacturers to produce increasing amounts of zero-emission MHDVs, and more are considering adopting this standard. Key policies like the ACT will be essential to ensuring customers’ access to zero-emission trucks and buses.
Wyoming stands at a crossroads that will determine the future of the state’s energy industry. In front of the state lie two paths for how to implement rules for methane emissions from oil and gas production, and leaders in Wyoming need to decide which direction the state will go.
This week the Texas Department of Transportation released the final report from a statewide interagency taskforce focused on how to support charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The 51-page report provides an overview of federal and state policies, while making state-specific recommendations for how Texas legislators can utilize some of the state’s competitive advantages to best support growth in that market — including cheaper electricity, a light regulatory climate and a competitive state grant program.
There are at least a million dead and forgotten oil and natural gas wells dotting the American landscape, many leaking methane and other toxic chemicals into the air and water, long after their productive days are over. In Pennsylvania alone, there are an estimated 300,000 to 700,000 — and estimated is the key word. The fact is, nobody knows. But we do know that thousands of landowners have these ownerless orphan wells on their property, often without knowing it. The first step to solving a problem like this is to locate it. So EDF, together with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Energy, McGill University and Moms Clean Air Force has launched a project to locate and address hidden orphan wells in western Pennsylvania. Drone-mounted magnetometers and advanced methane detection technologies will be honing in on forgotten orphan wells in the area starting in October and November.
