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Beyond Rooftops: States Move to Encourage Community Solar
A solar garden in Red Wing, Minnesota. The shared solar sector is expected to grow rapidly in Minnesota and several other states over the next five years. © The Associated Press The number of U.S. homeowners who have their own solar panels has been growing steadily since 2000. But as that market slows, the industry’s […]
Trying to Reverse Americans’ Rotten Record on Food Waste
Gulls fly overhead as a compactor manages the flow of garbage at a Colorado landfill. States are trying to reduce the amount of food that ends up in landfills. © Austin Humphreys/The Coloradoan via The Associated Press Every day, American families throw out tons of spoiled food — or food they think is spoiled because […]
How Teletherapy Addresses Mental Health Needs
A neonatologist uses video equipment to consult with a doctor in rural Colorado. Amid a shortage of mental health providers, states are increasingly turning to telemedicine to meet the urgent need for drug addiction treatment and other behavioral health counseling. © Kathryn Scott Osler-The Denver Post via Getty Images An acute need for more and […]
After a Decade of Cuts, Renewed Support for Public Television
© Getty Images Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Charlie Baker chat with moderators before squaring off in a Massachusetts gubernatorial debate co-sponsored by Boston-based public television station WGBH. State lawmakers are increasingly willing to fund local public television. State legislators’ support for public television is strengthening after nearly a decade of deep spending cuts and […]
Cash Flows into State Judicial Races; What’s Being Bought?
© The Associated Press A campaign is underway to oust four of the seven members of the Kansas Supreme Court this fall, which could make it among the most expensive judicial races in the country. Outside interest groups are pumping millions of dollars into state judicial races and already have influenced the outcome in Arkansas, […]
Battles Over Popular Solar Energy Buyback Plans Spread
© The Associated Press Electricians install solar panels on the roof of an Arizona home. States are re-examining whether utilities should pay retail prices for the energy that solar customers generate. The practice of requiring utilities to pay solar energy customers retail prices for electricity that they produce but can’t use is under attack in […]
The Money in Recycling Has Vanished; What Do States, Cities Do Now?
© The Associated Press A plastic recycling plant in Vernon, California. Many states and localities are trying to make recycling viable again after a decline in global commodity prices. This story has been updated to clarify the reason behind the closing of the Montgomery recycling plant. With great fanfare and promises of a new era […]