Environment articles
Get unbiased data and visuals on energy, climate, natural resources, and environmental protection.
Just the Facts about US energy use, production, and environmental impact
Wind, fossil fuel, solar: Get the facts on how America keeps its lights on. Plus, some good environmental news.
Where do tornadoes do the most damage?
Texans have coped with the highest death and injury tolls from tornados in recent years, while Floridians have dealt with the most property damage. Which states have the most tornadoes? Between 2020 and 2024, every state except Hawaii recorded at least one tornado, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. Texas, the largest state in the continental US by land area, recorded 516, for an annual average of 103.2. The states with the next-highest totals were Illinois (491) and Iowa (462) while the largest state overall, Alaska, had one.
May 2, 2025What does the Department of Agriculture do?
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for developing and executing federal policies on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues. Its functions include supporting farmers and ranchers, ensuring food safety, promoting agricultural trade, conserving natural resources and the environment, and addressing hunger both domestically and internationally. It was established in 1862.
Updates annuallyHow much land do wildfires burn in the US?
Wildfires burn over 7 million acres of land in the US annually, with fire suppression costing an average of $3.0 billion according to estimates from the National Interagency Fire Center. How many wildfires happen in the US? Since 1983, federal fire agencies have tracked 2.9 million wildfires across 216 million combined acres. That’s more than twice the area of California. From 2014 to 2023, an annual average of 62,277 wildfires have burned an average of 7.02 million acres. Total annual acres eclipsed 10 million three times in that period: in 2015, 2017, and 2020.
Jan 8, 2025Is the US a bigger oil importer or exporter?
In 2023, the US exported more crude oil and petroleum products than it imported.Petroleum and petroleum product exports totaled about 10.15 million barrels per day (b/d), while imports were about 8.53 million b/d resulting in a -1.7 million b/d difference.Crude oil is a fossil fuel. Petroleum products are made from refined crude oil and include things like jet fuel and gasoline.Prior to October 2019, the US consistently imported more petroleum and crude oil than it exported. October 2019 was the first month the exports exceeded imports. It’s been a net exporter in all but seven months since then.
Sep 24, 2024How many electric cars are on the road in the United States?
Americans are traveling more and more miles in their cars.At the same time, transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions are rising.Vehicle miles traveled by light-duty vehicles — which include passenger cars and smaller trucks — increased 47% between 1990 and 2022. And in 2022, transportation accounted for the most greenhouse gas emissions of any sector in the US: 28%. Light-duty vehicles were the largest source of emissions in this sector.The US has invested in electric vehicle production to curb rising emissions, setting a goal to reach 50% electric vehicle sales by 2030.What are electric vehicles? What types are there?The Energy Department defines electric-drive vehicles as those that “use electricity as their primary power source or to improve the efficiency of conventional vehicle designs.” Electric-drive vehicles fall into three categories under this definition:Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are powered by a conventional gasoline or diesel engine and by an electric motor that uses energy from both the engine and a battery. The engine powers the battery’s charge.Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are like HEVs but have an extra battery for the option of electric-only driving. They can run on gas alone but must be plugged in to use their electric features.All-electric vehicles (EVs) run on electricity alone. They have a larger battery that powers an electric motor and are charged by plugging the vehicle into an electric power source.The term “electric vehicle” is sometimes used to describe all-electric vehicles exclusively. However, it can also refer to plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars since both can be operated using electricity alone. A more specific term for this combination is “plug-in electric vehicle.”People who purchase all-electric or plug-in electric vehicles may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, depending on the vehicle make and model as well as their income.
Sep 6, 2024Are major natural disasters increasing?
The number of natural weather disasters with damages of more than a billion dollars has increased over the last forty years, from an average 3.3 per year in the 1980s to 17+ from 2014–2023.The National Centers for Environmental Information has kept track of billion-dollar natural disasters since 1980 and cites increased exposure, vulnerability, and climate change as reasons for the increase.Are billion-dollar natural disasters becoming more frequent?Of the 10 years with the most natural disasters, nine were in the last decade.Since 1980, there have been 395 natural weather disasters in the US with total costs over $1 billion in 2024 dollars, including 201 severe storms, 63 tropical cyclones (or hurricanes), 44 floods, 31 droughts, 24 winter storms, 23 wildfires, and nine freezes. In total, these disasters cost $2.77 trillion (adjusting for inflation) and took the lives of nearly 16,500 people.The bulk of these events happened post-1990: In the 1980s, there were a total of 33 billion-dollar natural disaster events, with 2,994 deaths. In the last 10 full years (2014–2023), this number rose to 173, resulting in 5,872 deaths. All told, nearly 40% of the billion-dollar climate events that have hit the US since 1980 happened between 2017 and the present day.
Sep 6, 2024What kinds of energy does the US use?
What powers the US? Petroleum. In 2023, petroleum was the nation’s most-consumed energy source, accounting for over a third (38%) of all energy usage. Natural gas was also over a third (36%). The remaining energy consumption was from nuclear electric power, coal, and renewable energy, all at 9% each.How has US energy consumption changed over time?CoalCoal consumption was on par with natural gas as recently as 2006. But, like coal production, consumption has declined, dropping 64% since its peak in 2005. The electric power sector now uses more efficient, lower heat content coal, which requires less coal to produce energy. This more efficient coal type has led to lower consumption.Coal consumption is now at similar levels to nuclear energy, and renewables, all around 8 quadrillion British thermal units (BTUs) per year. At coal’s peak in 2005, consumption was 22.8 BTUs per year.
Sep 5, 2024What are the top energy production sources in the US?
For 61 years, the United States has used more energy than it’s produced. That changed in 2019, when production surpassed consumption — and it’s remained that way since.
Sep 4, 2024What does the Forest Service do?
The Forest Service (FS) is a subdivision of the US Department of Agriculture responsible for managing public lands in national forests and grasslands. The agency's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of these lands to meet the needs of present and future generations. It provides leadership in the protection, management, and use of the nation's forest resources, ensuring their long-term sustainability. It was established in 1905.
Updates annuallyWhat is the economic impact of recycling in the United States?
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most recent Recycling Economic Information Report calls recycling “a critical part” of the US economy, responsible for 681,000 American jobs. The report estimates that recycling-related jobs provide $37.8 billion in annual employee wages and that the recycling industry contributes $5.5 billion in annual tax revenue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also tracks several different occupations in recycling, including drivers, sorters, mechanics, facility and route managers, and sales representatives.
Dec 26, 2023How many people die from extreme heat in the US?
For many Americans, managing high summer temperatures has become a fact of life. Unfortunately, the human toll of these longer and more intense heat waves is also increasing.Heat waves — defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as periods of two or more days where the weather is “abnormally and uncomfortably hot” and “outside the historical averages for a given area” — have become more frequent and longer in duration since the middle of the 20th century. In April 2023, 69.7 million Americans lived in counties experiencing higher temperatures than the 20th-century normal.In 2023, Americans are increasingly grappling with prolonged heat waves — sometimes dubbed “heat domes” or “heat islands” by the Environmental Protection Agency — even in areas accustomed to particularly high heat. Phoenix, Arizona, for example, registered an average daily high temperature of 114.7 degrees Fahrenheit in July.
Aug 22, 2023Did releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve impact gas prices?
Beginning in November 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration has used the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to combat rising gas prices. In March of 2022, the administration announced a new release of 180 million barrels of oil into the supply chain, the most in the reserve’s history. As a result, the total amount of oil in the SPR decreased by more than 20% between November 2021 and July 2022.A report released by the Treasury Department indicates that the effort did initially impact gas prices.While the SPR’s main function is to protect the country from oil shortages, past sales of crude oil from the reserve were used to generate revenue for the federal government. These types of sales have increased since 2017.
Apr 6, 2023What are the main sources of US greenhouse gas emissions?
In 2021, US transportation released more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector: more than 1.8 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions, or 28.5% of emissions overall.Since 1990, emissions have increased for the transportation, agricultural, and residential sectors, as well as US territories. Conversely, emissions from the electric power, industrial, and commercial sectors have all declined.However, power plants disproportionately account for the highest greenhouse gas emissions, with 90 of the top 100 emitting facilities being power generation sites in 2022.How much greenhouse gas does the US emit?In 2021, the US emitted 6,340 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent metric tons. That’s 2.3% lower than measured in 1990, and 15.6% lower than 2007, when the US hit its recorded peak of 7,511 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.For context, a typical passenger vehicle in the US emits an average of 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. 2021 emissions were equivalent to over 1.4 billion cars driving – equal to about one metric ton for every 2,500 miles.While total emissions have declined marginally since 1990, greenhouse gas emissions per person have seen a steeper decrease over the last 31 years.
Jan 19, 2024What is carbon capture and storage?
From electric vehicle charging stations to renewable energy, the US is increasingly turning to new technology to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.One emerging technology is carbon capture and storage, and some of the $369 billion in climate and clean energy incentives in 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act includes funds for such projects. While the carbon capture industry is still emerging, it is set up to play an important role in achieving net zero emissions in the coming decades.How does carbon capture work?Carbon capture and storage is a process that captures carbon dioxide emissions, compresses, transports, and stores it deep underground. The carbon capture occurs either at carbon-emitting sources such as coal-fired power plants, known as point source capture, or directly from the atmosphere, known as direct air capture. It is then transferred to large-scale storage facilities and stored in formations such as natural saline reservoirs, depleted oil/gas fields, or other stable formations with high capacities.Carbon capture traps carbon dioxide that’s already been generated. This differs from renewable energy, which produces energy with fewer emissions, and carbon offsets, which permit purchasers to create some emissions in exchange for a fee to fund greenhouse gas reduction.How many carbon capture projects are active? Where are they located?A Department of Energy database identified 417 carbon capture projects as of January 2023. Of these projects, 169 are active. The rest are completed, on hold, potential, or terminated.
Mar 28, 2023Which cities are experiencing longer and more intense heat waves?
Since the 1960s, heat waves across the US have consistently become more frequent, lasted longer, and been more intense.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines heat waves as periods of two or more days where the weather is “abnormally and uncomfortably hot” and “outside the historical averages for a given area.” Heat waves can lead to crop damage, increased wildfires, illness, and even death from heat stroke.The EPA has tracked the heat waves of 49 metropolitan areas in the US since the 1960s. Among these, 43 have had statistically significant increases in the length of their heat wave seasons, 27 have had increases in the length of heat waves, and 16 have had increases in heat wave intensity.Where is heat wave season lasting longer?Heat wave seasons, defined as the number of days between the first and last heat wave of a year, are growing longer for US cities. In the 1960s, heat wave seasons lasted around 24 days on average. In the 2020s, that number reached 73 days. Early spring or late fall heat waves can be dangerous, as people might be surprised and not adequately prepared.Among the cities studied by the EPA, San Francisco has had the greatest increase in heat wave season length. On average, heat waves there lasted over three months longer than they did in the 1960s, a 111 day increase. Heat wave seasons also increased by more than 90 days in New Orleans and Tampa, Florida.
May 31, 2023How many dams does America have?
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the US has 91,804 dams across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam.Approximately 65% of all dams are privately owned, while federal, state, and local government agencies own 31%. The remaining 4% belong to public utility companies and tribal governments, or remain unlisted. Federal agencies, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the US Army Corps of Engineers, or the Bureau of Land Management, own and operate 5,399 dams.
Nov 16, 2023Is the US energy independent?
In the past decade, US domestic energy production has increased faster than any other time in history. This rapid growth has prompted government officials, including former President Donald Trump, to claim that the US is now energy independent.But while it’s true the US now exports more energy than it imports, the nation still relies on foreign oil to some degree for the energy it needs.The need for foreign oil is largely due to a need for heavy crude oil by the refining industry, which is harder to come by in the US.This need for foreign energy is not new. Since 2007, every president has signed legislation to reduce energy imports and increase domestic production of oil and natural gas. And energy independence is still a stated goal of government officials across the political spectrum.
May 14, 2023What does the Department of the Interior do?
The Department of the Interior (Interior, DOI) is an executive branch agency responsible for managing federal lands, natural resources, and cultural heritage. Its functions include overseeing national parks and other protected lands, regulating natural resource extraction, upholding tribal relations and trust responsibilities, and preserving the environment. It was established in 1849.
Updates annuallyHow have oil prices changed in the US?
The spot price for a barrel of oil more than doubled between 2020 and 2022, from an average of $44.28 to $94.90. By October 2023, the price per barrel had gone down to $88.03.Several factors have influenced fluctuations in oil prices in recent years, and its price could foreshadow the direction of the broader economy.
Nov 9, 2023