The Drain
The Attack on California’s Coast Puts Us in Uncharted Waters
The Drain is a roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
California’s coast faces danger from which of these threats: a) Increasingly likely Super El Niño b) Super king tides c) Rising sea levels d) The Trump Administration e) All of the above If you answered “e,” congratulations. California is staring down a rare convergence of El Niño, climate-fueled sea level rise, and big waves that …
Continue reading “The Attack on California’s Coast Puts Us in Uncharted Waters”
CONTINUE READINGPaying More to Stay Cool, Super El Niño, Solar Politics
The Drain is a roundup of climate and environmental news from Legal Planet.
Every time I walk by my mailbox these days I dread receiving my electricity bill for this summer, because it’s been hellishly hot and I know our bill is going to be higher than usual. I try to tell myself the good news: After installing an energy-efficient heat pump this year, our home has been …
Continue reading “Paying More to Stay Cool, Super El Niño, Solar Politics”
CONTINUE READINGClimate at SCOTUS, Electrification Victories, Media Moves
The Drain is a regular roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
It’s not every year that climate change looms large at the U.S. Supreme Court, but it will this coming term. The Supreme Court will begin its 2026-2027 term with a case brought by a Colorado county seeking millions of dollars from oil and gas companies for their role in exacerbating climate change. The justices announced recently …
Continue reading “Climate at SCOTUS, Electrification Victories, Media Moves”
CONTINUE READINGThink No One Writes Climate Songs? Here are 400
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
You might assume most musicians are silent on climate change and the environment. But you’d be wrong. This Earth Day, I started a Climate Playlist because frankly I didn’t see many comprehensive ones out there. My first attempt was three dozen songs. But I got additions from readers, friends and colleagues and then I …
Continue reading “Think No One Writes Climate Songs? Here are 400”
CONTINUE READINGNPR Cut Its Climate Desk. These 33 Local Climate Reporters Are Still at It
Laying off two climate journalists is a step backward for NPR. The good news is that local public radio stations are still doing climate journalism.
Well, it’s even worse than I previously reported at NPR where newsroom leaders have reduced both climate and science staff. NPR not only fired its chief climate editor and ended the Climate Desk as a standalone team but has also laid off longtime energy correspondent Jeff Brady. By my count, NPR has reduced the climate …
Continue reading “NPR Cut Its Climate Desk. These 33 Local Climate Reporters Are Still at It”
CONTINUE READINGDoes More Energy Reporting = Less Climate Reporting?
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
If you are one of the many loyal readers of E&E News, big change is coming to your daily routine. POLITICO announced it is shuttering E&E, the standalone, subscription-based reporting outfit that it bought in 2020. “Beginning in September, we are modernizing how we deliver our energy and environmental policy journalism and launching a …
Continue reading “Does More Energy Reporting = Less Climate Reporting?”
CONTINUE READINGOne Big Loser in the California Primary is Already Clear
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
The stakes are high for climate and energy policy in California’s primary election. In the gubernatorial race, we’ll either get a real runoff between a billionaire climate progressive and a moderate Democrat with big corporate backing OR, more likely, we’ll get to watch that moderate Dem do a cake walk against a Republican. The governor’s …
Continue reading “One Big Loser in the California Primary is Already Clear”
CONTINUE READINGAmerica the Beautiful — Not Beautification Projects
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
If you braved one of America’s most iconic national parks this weekend, you may have a new appreciation for the meaning of Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous line that “hell is other people.” At Yosemite, visitors reported waiting up to two hours just to enter the park and once they made it through, they were greeted by …
Continue reading “America the Beautiful — Not Beautification Projects”
CONTINUE READINGHate the Gas Tax? Get to Know the Road Usage Charge
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
We Californians glide on a network of more than 394,000 miles of roadway, which includes 51,000 miles of state highways, and 25,737 bridges. Our state highway system is one of the largest in the country and requires serious maintenance. Whether you usually travel by gas-powered car, EV, public transit, bicycle or on a sidewalk, you …
Continue reading “Hate the Gas Tax? Get to Know the Road Usage Charge”
CONTINUE READINGAn Inconvenient Truth Two Decades Later
Global X via flickr
The Drain is a weekly roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
Twenty years ago this month, I walked out of a movie theater, dumfounded, after seeing “An Inconvenient Truth,” the Al Gore documentary that would go on to frame the conversation around climate change for years. I remember feeling riveted and freaked-out. I’d read enough Adbusters in college to have a decent critique of capitalism, …
Continue reading “An Inconvenient Truth Two Decades Later”
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
The Drain is a roundup of climate and environmental news from Legal Planet delivered to your Inbox once a week.
