Zack Budryk

Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter {beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story EPA sets first national limits for PFAS in drinking water The Biden administration Wednesday set the first-ever national limits for toxic and pervasive "forever chemicals" in drinking water. © iStock The administration’s action seeks to reduce the...

An anti-regulatory business lobby group backed by former Attorney General Bill Barr has sued California over rules aimed at phasing out gas-powered trucks in the state. The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce filed it lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. “The ability to move people and products...

Oil-producing red states like Texas and Oklahoma led the nation in wind energy generation in 2023, while Texas was also among the leaders in solar generation, according to a report from the nonprofit Climate Central. The report indicated that the U.S. generated nearly 240,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) from solar power last year, an eightfold increase from...

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday issued a final rule increasing the minimum size for train crews to two people, a longtime ask for rail worker unions, which nearly led to a strike in 2022. Under the final rule, all large freight railroads will be required to maintain crews of at least two people...

The Biden administration on Thursday announced a finalized update to Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules that advocates say reverses some Trump administration rollbacks but fails to fully restore them. In 2019, the Trump administration made a number of alterations to the ESA rules, including adding language to protection criteria to allow consideration of economic impacts...

State-level efforts to penalize companies for use of environmental, social or governance (ESG) goals in investments could cost taxpayers over $708 million, according to a study published by the nonprofit Sunrise Project. ESG incorporates environmental and social factors into investment decisions along with traditional financial metrics. Conservative critics of the practice have argued it introduces...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency Wednesday as the Golden State braces for winter storms. The declaration allows Newsom to mobilize the National Guard to aid in disaster response and obtain assistance from the Federal Highway Administration if necessary. The state has also secured equipment and personnel to quickly respond to...