Author Archive
Alex Brown
Public Safety
Private Lands Are the Next Battleground in State Conservation Policy
Conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 depends on private landowners.
Finance
Baseball Players Press Lawmakers for Minor League Labor Standards
“Every politician says they love baseball,” said Iowa state House candidate J.D. Scholten, a former minor league pitcher.
Finance
States Grapple With Allowing High School Athlete Endorsements
“This is not going to go away, so how do we find a way to uphold the core values of education-based athletic?"
Infrastructure
Seaweed Farming Has Vast Potential (But Good Luck Getting a Permit)
Most coastal states have little experience with ocean farms and some are trying to ease the permitting process.
Health & Human Services
Natural Gas Bans Are New Front in Effort to Curb Emissions
“We can’t stay here forever in a fossil fuel world.”
Health & Human Services
Booster Mandates Are a Tough Call for States, Businesses
New Mexico is the first and only state to require boosters for its employees.
Infrastructure
Salmon to Swim Free as Infrastructure Money Flows
The Biden infrastructure law includes $1B to remove fish barriers in several states.
Infrastructure
Coastal States Seek to Limit Seawall Construction
Hard structures can hurt marine life and accelerate erosion elsewhere.
Health & Human Services
OSHA to States: Protect Workers from Covid-19 or Forfeit Authority
The federal government put states on notice ahead of the vaccine mandate, saying it will take any defiance seriously.
Public Safety
Drought-Stricken Western Towns Say No to Developers
“We need to protect the people who live here before we let more people come in.”
Health & Human Services
States Embrace Vaccine Mandates Despite Potential Worker Exodus
“No one’s in panic mode here.”
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Management
New Environmental Justice Measures Might Revive Cap-and-Trade
In Washington, the passage of a bill that places a cap on carbon emissions and charges polluters for contributing to climate change comes as support for such policies wanes. How the law plays out could could have implications for national climate policy.
Infrastructure
Locals Worry Wind and Solar Will Gobble Up Forests and Farms
Some locals have argued that the project, which began operation in 2012, harms wildlife corridors and watersheds. Others have said it’s essential for providing clean energy and fighting climate change.
Management
Timber, Condos, Glamping? States Debate Land Use to Fund Schools
Some states are getting into the development business.
Health & Human Services
States Are Growing Fewer Trees. Forest Owners Say That’s a Problem.
Washington produces about 8 million seedlings a year for reforestation on state and private lands, but many other states have closed nurseries or cut production in recent years, leaving small forest owners without a crucial supply of trees.
Management
Huge Winter Storm Gas Bills Push Cities to the Brink
The freezing temperatures that lingered over much of the country last month led to astronomical natural gas prices and put some cities on the verge of bankruptcy.
Management
A Bipartisan Push Could Change State Wildlife Protection
A bill in Congress would direct nearly $1.4 billion annually to state and tribal wildlife agencies to protect overlooked species.
Health & Human Services
Tenants Struggle Amid Patchwork of State Rental Relief Efforts
Whether billions of dollars in aid will help save renters depends on how effectively states distribute the money.
Management
Environmentalists Make Long-Shot Attempt to Ban New Factory Farms
It’s becoming clear that some lawmakers no longer see factory farming as a nuisance, but an emergency, as the industry's operations degrade water quality and cause other problems.
Health & Human Services