The Centralia Model explores how a former coal town in Washington successfully rebuilt its economy after the closure of its coal mine and the planned retirement of its coal-fired power plant. Instead of relying on fossil fuel development, the community invested in clean energy and energy efficiency through a transition fund. The report describes how these investments created jobs, supported local workers and strengthened the economy while improving quality of life. It offers a practical example of how communities can manage the transition away from fossil fuels and provides lessons that other regions can adapt to build more resilient local economies.
The Centralia Model: Economic Transition Beyond Coal
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals once widely used in industrial products. They were later banned because they cause serious environmental and health harm. While most research has focused on these “legacy” PCBs, this study highlights by-product PCBs that form unintentionally during modern manufacturing. The authors estimate that current U.S. regulations allow the production of even more of these by-product PCBs than during peak use in the 1970s. These PCBs are not routinely monitored, so they may go largely undetected in the environment. The findings suggest that PCBs should be seen as an ongoing and potentially growing environmental concern.
Many oil and gas companies publicly support the goals of the Paris Agreement, but their actions do not always match their commitments. This article from Carbon Tracker Initiative evaluates the 25 largest oil and gas companies using five key alignment factors. These factors include Investment Options, Recent Project Sanctions, Production Plans, Emission Targets and Executive Remuneration. The analysis found that none of the companies assessed were fully aligned with the Paris climate goals. Many continue to invest in new fossil fuel projects and plan to increase production. The report highlights the gap between climate pledges and corporate actions, offering insight into the challenges of transitioning to a lower-carbon future.
The Plastic Waste Trade is a book that offers a new perspective on international waste trade, focusing on how the transfer of plastic waste from countries in the Global North to the Global South constitutes a form of 21st-century colonialism. The book describes the history of the plastic waste trade up until China’s ban on the importation of plastic waste in 2018. It emphasizes the devastating impacts on ecosystems, workers and communities who received both legal trade and illegal trade in plastic waste, highlighting inherent problems from sociological and environmental justice perspectives.
This report examines Pennsylvania’s investment in the Shell ethane cracker plant in Beaver County and evaluates whether the promised economic benefits have actually been delivered. The project received billions in public tax incentives based on projections of strong job creation and regional economic growth. The analysis finds that these expectations were overly optimistic and largely based on industry-funded studies with unrealistic assumptions. These projections also overlooked environmental and health impacts, as well as the high public costs of supporting the project. More than a year after the plant began operating, the region has not experienced the expected economic gains. Instead, job growth and business activity have remained weak or declined compared to broader state and national trends.
Overall, the report states that the project has not delivered the promised benefits and highlights concerns about pollution, emissions and long-term costs to local communities. It suggests that public funding for large fossil fuel projects should be carefully assessed, particularly when more sustainable alternatives may provide stronger outcomes.
Researchers have sampled for microplastics in water and sediment samples in New York rivers systems, including the rural Raquette River. They have found that microplastics can enter river systems from different sources, and can vary in concentration throughout river ecosystems. The research concludes that high microplastic concentrations may occur downstream of the wastewater treatment plants, upstream of hydro dams, and in the river confluence, compared to other study sites.
