As Climate Week NYC kicks off on Sept. 20, Inside Climate host Jake Bolster speaks to U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and asks why so many Democrats are leaning away from climate messaging at a time when the fossil fuel industry’s influence is dramatically reshaping federal policy. If Democrats regain control of the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, Whitehouse could take a leadership role on the Judiciary Committee and has strong opinions on how the Supreme Court should be reshaped. Finally, the senator shares his thoughts about the recent actions in Venezuela and whether bipartisan permitting reform can be achieved with this Congress.

All of Inside Climate News’ reporting and media is made available free to our audience. Please consider donating to our newsroom to support nonprofit environmental journalism: insideclimatenews.org/support

Environmental regulations, particularly pertaining to the oil and gas industry, have undergone a dramatic overhaul during President Donald Trump’s second administration. To understand how the rollbacks are impacting people, Inside Climate News investigated a jet fuel pipeline spill that has tainted the drinking water source for more than 200 homes in Pennsylvania. Nearly two years since the spill was discovered, homeowners continue to struggle with the cleanup, while the fossil fuel company responsible has donated millions to the president and so far have avoided any significant penalties.

Elsewhere, a different type of pollution is wrecking havoc as Guatemala is inundated with cheap plastic imports and no infrastructure to manage the waste. As a result, many people have resorted to burning it, causing significant air pollution and health impacts.

All of Inside Climate News’ reporting and media is made available free to our audience. Please consider donating to our newsroom to support nonprofit environmental journalism: insideclimatenews.org/support

This summer’s punishing heat waves have forced many people to run their air conditioners more frequently, causing utility bills to climb. U.S. residential energy costs have risen by 30 percent in the last five years as energy-hungry technology like AI and aging infrastructure add stress to an over-worked electric grid. The problem is particularly bad in Alabama, a state with high poverty rates and a utility with the highest average residential bills in the country.

Lawmakers were determined to address the consumer impacts by overhauling the state’s public utility commission, but last-minute changes to the legislation handed more power to the governor to control how rates are set. It’s all happening at a time when data centers are coming to the state, with promises but little clarity about who will pay the bill for their enormous energy use.

All of Inside Climate News’ reporting and media is made available free to our audience. Please consider donating to our newsroom to support nonprofit environmental journalism: insideclimatenews.org/support