Latest news with #KyleMurray
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hawaii Is Sinking Back into the Ocean; Now What?
The history of Hawaii, from a geological standpoint, is one of augmentation. Over a million years ago, thanks to some well-placed tectonic plates, and volcanic activity, the islands today known as Hawaii rose from the depths of the ocean, eventually becoming home to early Polynesian settlers, and later becoming America's 50th state. Oh yeah, and a couple decades down the line, surfing's mecca, too. But now, according to a new study from the University of Hawaii, the islands are sinking back into the ocean. And in some places, it's happening a lot quicker than previously estimated. 'Our findings highlight that subsidence is a major, yet often overlooked, factor in assessments of future flood exposure,' said Kyle Murray, lead author of the study and researcher with the Climate Resilience Collaborative (CRC) at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). 'In rapidly subsiding areas, sea level rise impacts will be felt much sooner than previously estimated, which means that we must prepare for flooding on a shorter timeline.' According to the research behind the study, they found that the average rate sinking on Oahu is fairly low at 0.6 millimeters per year – about the thickness of your standard sheet of printer paper. However, in certain areas, the subsidence levels are much higher…40 times higher. They found that some regions of Oahu are exceeding 40 millimeters per year, shocking the scientists.'This rate of land subsidence is faster than the long-term rate of sea level rise in Hawai'i (1.54 millimeters per year since 1905), which means those areas will experience chronic flooding sooner than anticipated,' said Phil Thompson, study co-author and director of the UH Sea Level Center in SOEST. 'In places like the Mapunapuna industrial region, subsidence could increase flood exposure area by over 50% by 2050, while compressing flood preparedness timelines by up to 50 years.' So, what to do? Well, for now, the data can help urban planners, and residents, prepare for the future. 'Our research provides critical data that can inform state and county decision-making, helping to improve flood exposure assessments, infrastructure resilience, and long-term urban planning,' said Chip Fletcher, co-author, director of CRC, and interim dean of SOEST. 'This work directly serves the people of Hawai'i by ensuring that local adaptation strategies are based on the best available science, ultimately helping to protect homes, businesses, and cultural areas.' A million years from now, will future humans (if we still exist) speak about Hawaii like the lost city of Atlantis? Let's hope not.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cutting clean energy won't lower New England utility bills, advocates say
A growing chorus of New England state officials — and not just Republicans — is calling for cuts to clean energy programs in an attempt to rein in high electric bills. These efforts are underway everywhere from Maine, where legislators are trying to repeal incentives for rooftop and community solar, to deep-blue Massachusetts, where regulators recently slashed $500 million from a proposed energy-efficiency plan. The irony, clean energy advocates say, is that many of the investments under threat contribute relatively little to customers' monthly bills and save everyone money in the long run. 'They see these programs as some sort of addition that's being put on their bill that they don't see the effects of,' said Kyle Murray, director of state program implementation for climate nonprofit Acadia Center. 'Cutting these programs will not really save us money, and it will actually end up costing us more money in the long term.' Concerns about the cost of energy are not unique to New England, but the region does have the nation's highest electricity prices outside of California and Hawaii. Compounding the problem, this year's cold winter increased gas and electric use, driving recent bills to levels many ratepayers and policymakers say are unsustainable. Politicians have responded by pointing a finger at renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts. In Connecticut, Republicans are going after the state's public benefits charge, a utility bill fee that funds energy efficiency programs and a state clean energy fund. Vermont's Republican governor, who has supported climate action in the past, is pushing to weaken the state's Global Warming Solutions Act, saying the move is necessary to lower prices for residents. In Rhode Island, a Democratic lawmaker has proposed delaying the state's 100% renewable target by 10 years. Though each state's circumstances are different, advocates argue that it is almost universally true that these intended quick fixes would cost consumers and the environment in the long-run. Solutions exist, they say, that would preserve the long-term benefits clean energy and energy efficiency offer, while also making power less expensive. 'The work is difficult, but there is not an inherent conflict between clean energy and affordability,' said Larry Chretien, executive director of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance. Electricity bills are made up of several components. The supply charge pays for the actual power delivered to a customer. Distribution and transmission charges cover the cost of the wires, poles, and other infrastructure needed to deliver that power. Utilities often collect additional fees to fund energy efficiency programs, renewable energy initiatives, assistance for low-income customers, and other work. While this last segment of the bill has gotten the most attention lately, the other two make up the majority of the monthly cost. In Maine, for example, electricity supply currently accounts for 39% of the average residential energy bill and transmission and distribution for 51%. Lowering — or even stabilizing — supply and delivery costs can be tricky. But it is precisely the renewable energy and energy efficiency programs being targeted for cuts that can help control those costs, because they lessen the need for expensive grid upgrades and shelter ratepayers from volatile natural gas prices, advocates say. Utility infrastructure is built to handle far more power than is needed on most days; the systems are scaled to be able to meet the demand of millions of air conditioners running on the hottest days of the year. So lowering the power needed at those peak moments — through energy-efficient heat pumps or rooftop solar panels that generate power right where it's needed — can reduce the cost of keeping the infrastructure up to the challenge. 'Everything is built out to serve a couple days of peak energy each year,' said Vickash Mohanka, director of the Massachusetts chapter of the Sierra Club. 'Everybody's bills are paying for those peaks, and I think we need to see a lot more progress in flattening that consumption.' Energy efficiency and renewable energy progress can also mean cheaper power supply. Electricity supply in New England is so expensive in large part because of the region's dependence on power plants that run on natural gas, a fuel that is prone to price volatility and which is forecast to get more expensive in coming years. Energy efficiency improvements lower electricity demand, reducing the impact these price fluctuations have on consumers. And replacing this power with renewable energy that gets free fuel from the sun and wind can also reduce and stabilize electric bills. Cutting support for renewables and efficiency may seem to save money, but the costs just crop up again elsewhere, said Greg Cunningham, vice president of clean energy and climate change for the Conservation Law Foundation. 'It feels like and it looks like we're eliminating a cost or reducing it, but it's like Whac-A-Mole,' he said. Containing costs for supply, distribution, and transmission is challenging but doable and necessary, advocates say. Though Massachusetts' cuts to energy efficiency programming disappointed consumer and environmental groups, many praised a plan Gov. Maura Healey announced this month to save residents $5.8 billion in energy costs in coming years. Her proposal includes new discount rates, tighter regulations on competitive electric suppliers, and reviews of every additional fee on utility bills to root out those that are no longer needed. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu this week announced plans to tackle the city's high energy costs by installing 5,000 heat pumps and weatherizing 10,000 buildings over the next three years in partnership with Mass Save, the state's energy efficiency administrator. The initiative is expected to use $150 million in incentives and create $300 million in savings for Boston residents. Connecticut legislators are considering proposals to make appliance energy standards more stringent and to allow cities and towns to aggregate their energy demand, negotiate for lower supply prices, and potentially use the savings to develop their own renewable power projects. Advocates have also suggested that states adopt a performance-based ratemaking structure, in which utilities make money not just for building and repairing infrastructure but for reaching specific goals, such as equity, emissions reductions, or cost control. Several noted that states could also lower the rate of return utilities are allowed to earn on their infrastructure investments. Clean energy advocates accept that some programs might need to change. Massachusetts, for example, could reconsider the value of some years-old initiatives paid for by ratepayers, Chretien said. In Maine, it makes more sense to review the solar-incentive program known as net energy billing for possible cost-saving tweaks than to completely repeal it, Cunningham said. What's important, advocates say, is that policymakers avoid scapegoating energy efficiency and renewable energy, and start the hard work of solving the real problems. 'It feels to me like every year there is a public outcry, there's a media outcry, and there's a reaction,' Cunningham said. 'What there is much less of is longer-term planning. We need to do something about this.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hawaii Is Sinking 40 Times Faster Than Scientists Thought It Was
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." As islands like O'ahu very slowly drift from the magmatic hotspot that once formed it, the island's weight is slowly causing it sink into the ocean at around 0.6 millimeters per year. However, a new study shows that in some areas of O'ahu, that subsidence rate can be as high as 25 millimeters per year, roughly 40 times faster than expected. Researchers believe this is largely due to some areas, such as the more industrial Mapunapuna region, experiencing compaction as it was originally built on sediment and artificial fill. The geologic story of Hawaii has historically been one of ascension. More than a million years ago, when the Pacific Island Plate moved atop a volcanic hotspot rising through the Earth's crust, sea-level volcanic islands formed what eventually became the U.S.'s 50th state. Now, a new study from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa reports that the island chain may be reversing course—literally. Published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the study analyzes subsidence (the gradual caving in or sinking of an area) on the island of O'ahu, home of Pearl Harbor and the state capital, Honolulu. They found that in some areas of the island, located 185 miles northwest of the Big Island (or Hawai'i) which rests on top of the island chain's hotspot, the subsidence rate was at around just 0.6 millimeters per year. However, they also recorded areas that were sinking a stunning 40 times that rate at roughly 25 millimeters per year. This rate, along with the localized nature of the subsidence, is what caused researchers to raise a few eyebrows. 'Our findings highlight that subsidence is a major, yet often overlooked, factor in assessments of future flood exposure,' UH Manoa's Kyle Murray, lead author of the study, said in a press statement. 'In rapidly subsiding areas, sea level rise impacts will be felt much sooner than previously estimated, which means that we must prepare for flooding on a shorter timeline.' Part of the reason for this discrepancy is that industrial areas such as the Mapunapuna area is built on sediment and artificial fill, which, according to the researchers, leads to increased compaction compared to other areas of O'ahu. This subsidence rate far outpaces the long-term rate of sea level rise, which is around 1.54 millimeters, and could cause problems for the region's shoreline on a shorter timetable. 'In places like the Mapunapuna industrial region, subsidence could increase flood exposure area by over 50% by 2050, while compressing flood preparedness timelines by up to 50 years,' UH Manoa's Phil Thompson, a co-author of the study, said in a press statement. Efforts to address climate concerns on O'ahu, such as the science-based, community-driven Climate Ready O'ahu, are preparing for increased sea level rise and increased soil erosion along with other climate change-induced events, such as wildfires and flash flooding. While the conservation of wetlands and dune ecosystems will help stabilize shorelines, the researchers note that taking into account this concerning rate of subsidence will be vital for understanding the true timeline required to implement these climate adaptation strategies. 'Our research provides critical data that can inform state and county decision-making, helping to improve flood exposure assessments, infrastructure resilience, and long-term urban planning,' UH Manoa's Chip Fletcher, a co-author and director of Climate Resilience Collaborative, said in a press statement. 'This work directly serves the people of Hawai'i by ensuring that local adaptation strategies are based on the best available science.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Boston Globe
16-03-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Two New England energy companies in surprising alliance with fossil fuel lobby, undercutting climate targets
Advertisement In Massachusetts, a state that's set aggressive climate targets, cooperation and buy-in from utilities is a pillar of how the state plans to get there. That makes it 'incredibly troubling' that both Eversource, one of the state's largest gas and electric utilities, and Avangrid, offshore wind developer and the parent company of Berkshire Gas, became members of the alliance last year, said Kyle Murray, Massachusetts program director for the advocacy group the Acadia Center. In response to questions from the Globe, both New England utilities defended their decision to join the alliance. They also noted that the costs for their membership are being covered by shareholders — not ratepayers. Neither company would disclose how much they pay the alliance as members. Eversource spokesperson William Hinkle said the company joined through its New Hampshire operating company and that it did so with an eye toward the alliance's 'diversified approach to renewable energy development' including offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. At Avangrid, company spokesperson Leo Rosales said the company joined because 'we support their efforts to advocate for greater transparency and consumer education on energy bills.' He added that 'a membership does not reflect the company's endorsement of an organization's entire platform.' Both companies have been vocal supporters of the clean energy transition in New England and played key roles in guiding new climate-friendly policies. Eversource even Advertisement So, the decision to join the Consumer Energy Alliance perhaps illustrates how complicated the business of energy is in the United States, with utilities operating across state lines and adhering to different laws and objectives. 'At a time when we know we need to be transitioning off of fossil fuels as soon as is practicable, these companies have instead opted to join with a group dedicated to frustrating that aim, and indeed directly at odds with some of the positive initiatives that these companies have been advancing in the Northeast' like geothermal networks, offshore wind transmission, and more, Murray said. The Consumer Energy Alliance was launched in 2006 by HBW Resources, a lobbying group that represents the fossil fuel industry. The alliance has done some advocacy for offshore wind, including Bryson Hull, a spokesperson for the alliance and vice president of strategic/crisis communications at HBW Resources, said via email that the alliance is proud of the work it has done across the country to 'defend Americans' freedom to choose the energy they want and need,' including supporting wind. Advertisement But critics argue that limited efforts to bolster offshore wind are essentially a 'fig leaf for Consumer Energy Alliance's main operation.' The alliance's said Itai Vardi, a research and communications manager at the investigative research organization Energy and Policy Institute. As of 2020, the alliance had roughly 10 ongoing local and state campaigns to improve the optics around natural gas, according to a document obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute, repeatedly resulting in controversy. In 2023, the group was investigated by the Ohio attorney general's office after said a contractor was to blame and A recent But here in the Northeast, the group has been largely quiet after an earlier plan to raise the profile of gas appears to have failed. Advertisement That plan, presented by the alliance at a gas industry conference in 2019, included highlighting the 'extreme costs of winter home heating' and continuing its ' Despite those efforts, Massachusetts went on to pass climate bills to move past fossil fuels, and many New England states did as well. Some local supporters of clean energy worry that with Trump back in the White House, the alliance may see an opening to again try to take aim at New England's climate policies. And having support from two local utilities adds wind to its sails. Avangrid's involvement with the alliance also goes deeper than just membership — Avangrid chief executive Pedro Azagra also joined the board of the National Hispanic Energy Council, which was formed with support from the alliance. The National Hispanic Energy Council has vocally opposed California's Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, said she hopes that, as members, Eversource and Avangrid will 'use their power to moderate and improve' the Consumer Energy Alliance platform. If not, she said, 'joining creates a credibility problem. ' Sabrina Shankman can be reached at
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
12-year-old NH boy seriously injured by falling tree on the mend
A boy who was seriously injured from a falling tree over the weekend is on the road to recovery. On Wednesday, the 12-year-old's mom says doctors were able to remove his breathing tubes and he's starting to talk a bit. But he's still at Boston Children's Hospital right now – and suffered life-threatening injuries when that huge tree fell on top of him. This all happened on Friday in Boscawen, New Hampshire. Kyle Murray – who's twelve – was walking home from school when a large tree cracked and fell on top of him. One of his friends called 911 and ran to get his mother. Fire crews say they needed to use a hydraulic rescue spreader to remove the tree since it was so heavy. A family friend started a GoFundMe page for Kyle, who was in a medically-induced coma all weekend with serious injuries. 'He had two small brain bleeds, swelling in his brain, multiple severed arteries in his pelvis, broken bones in his pelvis, a broken ankle and several broken ribs, and he also had internal bleeding from his bladder and his spleen,' Hannah Littlefield said. Despite Kyle's progress, he'll still need several surgeries and lots of physical therapy as he recovers. At last check – his GoFundMe has raised more than $70,000. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
