Louisiana cancels $3 billion coastal restoration project
Louisiana is officially canceling a $3 billion coastal restoration project funded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project aimed to rebuild over 20 square miles of land in southeast Louisiana to combat erosion and sea level rise. Conservation groups supported the project as a science-based solution to climate change. However, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry opposed it, citing harm to local oystermen and the fishing industry. On Thursday, a coalition of federal agencies overseeing the settlement funds declared the project "no longer viable" because of litigation and a suspended federal permit after the state halted work.
Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs are among 15 selected for Medicare's price negotiations
The Biden administration says popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been added to Medicare’s list of medications that will be negotiated directly between the government and drug manufacturers. The price negotiations for the additional 15 drugs selected Friday will be handled by the incoming Trump administration and almost assure billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says “this is a big deal.” Drug companies oppose the program and say it “fails to address the true challenges facing seniors and Medicare.” Ozempic and Wegovy are made by Novo Nordisk, which is based in Denmark and has U.S. headquarters Plainsboro, New Jersey.
The United States has its first large offshore wind farm, with more to come
America's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm is officially open, a long-awaited moment that helps pave the way for a succession of large wind farms. Danish wind energy developer Ørsted and the utility Eversource built a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind east of Montauk Point, New York. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul went to Long Island Thursday to announce that the turbines are delivering clean power to the local electric grid. It’s a turning point for the industry, but what’s next? Experts say the nation needs a major buildout of this type of clean electricity to address climate change. The Biden administration has approved six commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects.
Record number of Americans can't afford rent, new study finds
A new Harvard University study found that half of U.S. renters are paying nearly a third of their income on rent. Monthly rent has outpaced income across the U.S., and forced many to make tough decisions between everyday necessities and a home. In turn, a record number of people are becoming homeless and evictions filings have ratcheted up as pandemic-era eviction moratoriums and federal assistance ends. The widespread hardship has prompted state lawmakers across the U.S. to throw the kitchen sink at the problem in 2024. State proposals include everything from installing protections from eviction to capping annual rent increases.
Ohio commission approves fracking in state parks and wildlife areas despite fraud investigation
A state commission in Ohio has voted to approve fracking for oil and gas drilling in state parks and designated wildlife areas. The vote Wednesday comes amid an ongoing investigation into possibly fraudulent support for the measure in the form of identical letters urging support of fracking that over a hundred people say they did not give permission to use their names. The form letters have been traced back to multiple entities, one of whom says they are “fully cooperating” with the attorney general's office. Environmental advocates have accused the commission of a lack of transparency and poisoning future generations.
Daylight saving 2023: Here’s what a sleep expert says about the time change
Brunch dates and flag football games might be a little easier to get to this Sunday, when phones grace early-risers with an extra hour of rest before alarm clocks go off. Come Nov. 5, daylight saving time is out and standard time is in, and will last until March 10, 2024. The sun will be setting next week well before many folks step foot out of the office. But besides scheduling stumbles and sleep habit disruptions, experts say the twice-yearly ritual can have more serious effects on human health. Northwestern Medicine sleep researcher Dr. Phyllis Zee says that one hour can change the quality and quantity of sleep.
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