Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might
For decades, states have relied on gas taxes to provide much of the money to maintain roads and bridges. But as cars become more fuel efficient, and some Americans switch...
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Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might
In a few states, lawmakers think fees on delivery trucks could be part of their road-funding solution.
States beg insurers not to drop climate-threatened homes as disaster costs soar
In places including California, Florida and Louisiana, some homeowners are finding it nearly impossible to find an insurance company that will cover their property. Others have seen their premiums climb...
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As millions wait on food stamp approvals, feds tell states to speed it up
Many states have struggled to maintain staffing levels at the social service agencies that handle safety net programs, even as their workload has ballooned with the expiration of pandemic-era waivers...
No more prizes for killing ‘nuisance’ animals under these hunting contest bans
Advocates of the bans say the contests are pointless killing sprees fueled by bloodlust and cash, based on outdated perceptions that some species — primarily coyotes — are “nuisance” animals....
After Clean Water Act ruling, states that want to protect affected wetlands need millions
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court stripped federal oversight from millions of acres of wetlands long protected under the Clean Water Act. Now, erecting safeguards to ensure those waters...
Tech breakthrough could boost states’ use of geothermal power
Lawmakers in some states have been laying the groundwork to add geothermal power to the electrical grid and pump underground heat into buildings. Now, a technological breakthrough could dramatically expand...
Half the nation’s wetlands just lost federal protection. Their fate is up to the states
States’ to-do lists just got a little longer: Decide how — or whether — to oversee building, planting and water quality in some wetland areas.
Some states hope to move climate-threatened species
Some wildlife officials want to help plants and animals find new homes, a tactic known as assisted migration. In the coming weeks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected...
States seek to protect tribes’ rights in child custody cases
Worried about a pending U.S. Supreme Court case, some states aim to pass new laws ensuring American Indian children can stay in their tribal communities even if they're placed in...