Energy
A bird’s-eye view on Maine Yankee, where 60 casks of spent nuclear fuel and four casks of irradiated steel, a type of low-level radioactive waste, stand in a square formation. (Courtesy of Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company)
Northwestern University
Thirty-seven years ago, Congress decided the federal government should be responsible for disposing of the waste from the nation’s nuclear power plants. But it's still in limbo.
Not unsurprisingly, Democrats and Republicans had opposing views at a House subcommittee meeting Thursday on the future of coal in the United States. (Noah Broder/Medill)
Northwestern University
Medill's Noah Broder reports from a House hearing, which looked at the value of coal to our economy. Dems called for more environmental controls, while the GOP stressed its importance to our energy infrastructure.
In 1987, Congress designated Yucca Mountain in the Nevada desert as the permanent repository for all U.S. nuclear waste, and spent $15 billion on the site throughout the years. But facing strong local opposition, the site was never put into use and the project was abandoned. (White House photo)
Northwestern University
A bipartisan group of senators revives the longstanding issue of where to store and dispose of nuclear waste with a new bill proposing centralized interim storage, reports Medill's Kimberly Jin.
An electric vehicle charges at a public charging station in Chicago. How much of the electricity is produced by renewable sources depends on the utility company providing it. (Brady Jones/MEDILL)
Northwestern University
Driving an electric vehicle plays a critical role in reducing CO2 emissions, but the impact of this reduction is diminished if the electricity comes from fossil fuels. Brady Jones of Medill reports.
The Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program solar microgrid project at Fort Hunter Liggett in California is managed by the Sacramento District. (John Prettyman/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
George Washington University
A closer look at Lilker EMO Energy Solutions LLC, a sustainable energy consulting firm in Falls Church, Virginia, that is helping lead America's energy transformation.
The Energy Savings & Awareness Week activity wheel.
The George Washington University
A proposed weeklong event promoting reusable energy resources, smart technologies, and raising awareness about energy waste and potential savings.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who is one of nine senators to co-sponsor the Green New Deal, spoke at a press conference on Thursday, March 14. Joining him to speak was fellow Oregonian, Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley. (Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff/Medill)
Northwestern University
Americans are increasingly concerned that climate change is both real and manmade, and major fossil fuel industries are heeding the change in public sentiment by investing in green energy.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
This story of environmental injustice in southern Wisconsin shows how we can make a difference on a local level to improve the lives of people all over the world.
The George Washington University
Washington, D.C., recently committed to 100% renewable electricity, an achievement that should be the inspiration for other cities to pursue renewable energy.
(Middlebury College)
Planet Forward Correspondent | Middlebury College
At one of the most prominent institutions to make the commitment to divestment, students' dedication and a change in tactics proved successful — and garnered support from faculty and the college community along the way.