Shawn Regan writes about the flaws of the Endangered Species Act in Reason. “As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act later this year, it’s worth asking how the act can be reformed to better accomplish its primary goal: to recover species. After all, endangered species have it bad enough. We should...
"What could worsen fluctuations even further are extreme weather events, which have become more common since the 1970s. That not only accentuates the highs and lows of natural-gas demand but also can affect supply. Colder-than-expected winter days have already caused more freeze-offs in natural-gas supply in recent years, notes Mr. Rubin. In 2021, a cold blast hitting Texas and neighboring states resulted in the largest monthly decline in U.S. natural-gas production ever and a 70-fold increase in local prices."
"Unlike a standard oil and gas lease, which typically comes with a 3 to 5-year term during which a successful well may or may not be drilled, this solar lease comes with a 35-year term that includes a certain stream of annual income. It won’t make the rancher fabulously wealthy overnight like an oil gusher can, but then, oil gushers have never been a feature of this particular part of the vast Texas landscape."
"Currently, 19% of electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That represents about half of the carbon-free electricity generation in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Energy."
"As energy researchers based in Texas, we have spent much of the past two years analyzing why the state was so unprepared for this event and how it can do better. A common knee-jerk reaction to disasters that cause widespread power outages is to call for building more “firm” power plants – those that use fuels like coal or natural gas and are designed to deliver power at any time of day or night. But coal and gas plants, and their fuel supplies, can fail spectacularly."
"The foam dissolves in a tub of water and can be poured over a lawn or garden to safely add some nitrogen back into the soil, Felts said. And it’s safe if your dog, or your fish, eats any of the foam."
"President Biden missed a critical opportunity during his State of the Union address. In touting the bipartisan infrastructure law, he directed a comment towards Republicans – 'I’ll see you at the groundbreaking.' In reality, breaking ground on anything will need a permit, and we unfortunately did not hear a plan to fix the permitting crisis."
"The technology is fairly straightforward. Fans on each panel draw in ambient air and push it through a water-absorbing material, trapping the vapor from the air. The vapor is then condensed into a liquid using energy from the sun, after which it’s collected in a reservoir. The water is then mineralized with magnesium and calcium to maintain quality and achieve a better taste."
"The farm bill is one of the few remaining bipartisan endeavors left in Washington, and it’s critically important to the livelihood of farmers and ranchers, rural economies, wildlife conservation and our nation’s food supply. With a continued focus on agricultural conservation in the 2023 Farm Bill package, Congress can demonstrate its intent to support the men and women who feed our nation while facilitating the collaborative work championed by conservation organizations."
"Kugelmass aims to build 10,000 of these mini-reactors worldwide, which sounds fantastical for a nuclear industry newbie who has so far raised just $24 million in venture capital. It’s smart money, though: $21 million came in a round led by Austin, Texas-based Gigafund, whose managing partner, Luke Nosek, was the first VC investor to back Elon Musk’s SpaceX."
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