"In an effort to quell blowback on data centers, President Donald Trump announced at a White House roundtable on Wednesday the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” a set of nonbinding promises that Big Tech companies signed to keep household utility bills from skyrocketing."
"Each year around this time, the federal government releases its expectations for new power plant construction. The latest data drop shows clean energy is going to dominate this year, just as it has for many years running. Even as the Trump administration has employed novel and at times legally dubious means to block renewable energy growth, the power sector keeps choosing clean energy again and again — attracted by its low costs, speed to build, and climate and environmental benefits."
"TerraPower, a Bill Gates–backed nuclear power start-up, received the federal green light to start building a power plant in Wyoming. The approval paves the way for the first new commercial nuclear reactor in the U.S. in nearly a decade."
"The city of Dayton anticipates spending hundreds of millions of dollars to remove PFAS from its drinking water. The city recently filed a new lawsuit claiming Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is liable for the costs."
"As Democrats and climate activists seize on energy costs as a political issue, new data shows electricity rates rose 5 percent nationwide in 2025. The figures were much higher in some states."
"The surge of new data center development is making people worried. How much energy and water will these resource-hungry centers consume? Will they drive new fossil fuel pollution? How much will household electricity prices go up? These questions have answers, but in many cases, the details of new data centers are blocked from public view."
"Building fossil-fuel infrastructure to power data centers is a poor bet. Renewables are by far the cheaper, faster choice."
Jobs are relatively plentiful in green energy fields, whether in solar, wind, geothermal, energy efficiency, storage or hydro. To get at the trend, environmental journalists can check in with area community colleges, many of which offer technical training — and local stories. TipSheet has a closer look at the phenomenon, with a dozen story ideas and reporting resources for your coverage.
"The fate of one of the last thriving coral reefs in Florida may be imperiled by plans to widen the shipping channel leading into Port Everglades."
"Linn County has adopted some of the nation’s strictest data center zoning rules. Residents say the protections aren’t enough."
