Environment

a road that is flooded out
Ayana Byrd  Dec 2, 2019 2:56PM EST

Yankton Sioux Nation Struggling To Recover From Climate Disasters Without Federal Assistance

Health and infrastructure issues plague reservation after a series of floods and cyclones.
a man in Virgin Islands looking up at his home without a roof after Hurricane Irma
Ayana Byrd  Nov 27, 2019 11:46AM EST

FEMA Hurricane Recovery Funds Not Spent in Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands

“You can kill people with a gun or you can kill them with neglect.”
Aerial shot of smoggy day in Los Angeles, California.
Ayana Byrd  Nov 25, 2019 4:48PM EST

Study Says Air Pollution Can Lead to Alzheimer's Disease

New research may explain why Black and Latinx people—who disproportionately breathe in toxic air—have a higher risk of getting the disease in America.
The Navajo Generating Station power plant against red rock and blue sky
Ayana Byrd  Nov 20, 2019 4:13PM EST

Coal Plant on Navajo Land Closes Doors

Plant owners are now investing in solar energy; Navajo leaders look to recoup revenue and jobs lost from the shutdown.
sign in Spanish warning residents not to play on grass at East Chicago superfund site
Ayana Byrd  Nov 19, 2019 3:29PM EST

Report Finds Toxic Sites Plus Climate Change Could Soon Equal Disaster

And the Trump administration is reportedly not moving to protect the people of color who live near hundreds of Superfund sites.
a woman fills a plastic container of water as another women looks on in the Navajo Nation
Ayana Byrd  Nov 18, 2019 1:56PM EST

Native Americans Are Group Most Likely Not to Have Running Water at Home

A new report found that race is the biggest factor in determining access to water and sanitation access.
Lance Gumbs. Native American Shinnecock man dressed in traditional feathered headdress. with white beaded vest and yellow jacket.
N. Jamiyla Chisholm  Nov 17, 2019 4:42PM EST

In a New Doc, the Shinnecock Nation Fights to Maintain Their Rich Heritage in The Hamptons

Lance Gumbs: “This land was stolen from us. Flat out, hands down, no questions, stolen.”
industrial plant releases pollutants into the air next to a waterway
Ayana Byrd  Nov 12, 2019 4:30PM EST

EPA Seeks to Ban Some Scientific Studies in Creation of Public Health Regulations

Health advocates warn there will be an increase in air pollution and unsafe water.
Photo Illustration by Lars Baron/Getty
Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Derrick Johnson, Mustafa Santiago Ali  Nov 8, 2019 8:00AM EST

Preserving Our Democracy Starts with Saving our Environment [Op-Ed]

Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Derrick Johnson and Mustafa Santiago Ali say the communities that are pushed to the sidelines know the most about environmental justice.
smoke being released from smoke stack on a container ship
Ayana Byrd  Nov 6, 2019 1:02PM EST

11,000+ Scientists Warn That The World Is in a 'Climate Emergency'

A new report stresses the need for a major shift in environmental policies.
coal plants spewing smoke into the sky
Ayana Byrd  Nov 5, 2019 1:40PM EST

New EPA Rules Will Allow More Coal Plants to Contaminate Fresh Water Supplies

Environmental activists warn that million of Americans—and a disproportionate number of people of color—will be affected.
North Dakota field.
N. Jamiyla Chisholm  Nov 1, 2019 12:37PM EDT

As Indigenous Activists Predicted, the Keystone Pipeline Has Another Big Spill

The leak of 383,000 gallons of oil affects wetlands in Edinburg, North Dakota.
A Black person's hand pouring bottled water into a coffee maker
Ayana Byrd  Oct 21, 2019 4:13PM EDT

READ: Five Environmental Justice Activists On The Roots and Future of The Movement

Mustafa Ali, Dr. Robert Bullard and other key figures in environmental justice explore why their fight is a critical one.
White and yellow sign reads "Danger: Radiation Risk" against a blue sky, silver chainlink fence and rusted barbed wire
N. Jamiyla Chisholm  Oct 8, 2019 5:43PM EDT

Research Reveals High Levels of Radiation in Navajo Women Stemming From Cold War

“Thousands of abandoned uranium mines dot the Western landscape, hundreds on the Navajo Nation alone, continuing to expose families to the ill effects of radiation, including kidney failure and cancer.”
Two white water fountains on white tiled walls with signs warning people not to drink from them
Ayana Byrd  Sep 30, 2019 3:25PM EDT

Study Finds Race is Primary Factor in Enforcement of Safe Drinking Water Act

Flint and Newark are just two of the many cities where the race of residents is tied to poor regulation of water safety.
Person walks through flooded streets of Houston after Tropical Storm Imelda
Ayana Byrd  Sep 25, 2019 2:39PM EDT

REPORT: Coastal Communities Face Catastrophic Future Due to Climate Change

“The oceans are sending us so many warning signals that we need to get emissions under control.”
Fire department official stands with cases of bottled water in Newark, New Jersey
Ayana Byrd  Sep 24, 2019 1:33PM EDT

Newark Sees Preliminary Decrease in Water Lead Levels

The latest results show that water filters are finally working in most of the tested homes.
girl with a megaphone and her first in the air at climate change protest
Ayana Byrd  Sep 20, 2019 3:27PM EDT

Kids Around The World Go On A #ClimateStrike

Students march to demand action to save the earth—and to protect those most vulnerable to climate change.
Damaged power lines on a hilltop in Patillas, Puerto Rico, against a gray sky
Ayana Byrd  Sep 11, 2019 2:27PM EDT

Ex-FEMA Officials Arrested For Taking Bribes to Award Contract to Repair Puerto Rico's Power Grid

A federal corruption investigation uncovered the bribes that led to Cobra Acquisitions receiving $1.8 billion in contracts.
Balearia ferry docked in Florida. White ferry with blue writing that reads "Balearia" on it against a blue sky with white clouds
Ayana Byrd  Sep 10, 2019 3:21PM EDT

Bahamians Denied Entry to U.S. During Post-Hurricane Dorian Evacuation

There is confusion and finger-pointing about why more than 100 people were not allowed to travel to Florida. Meanwhile, Trump doubles down on rhetoric to keep out “very bad” people.