Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Third Summers Brother @hugetinymistake.bsky.social · 8h

This is, of course, incredibly illegal. Congress passed this bill into law and allocated this funding.

Emily Pontecorvo @emilypont.bsky.social · 10h

Some additional info on the new list of axed DOE projects circulating.
- All 7 H2 Hubs
- All 13 IRA grants to convert at-risk auto plants to EV mfg
- 11 of 15 grants to speed domestic clean energy mfg in former coal communities
- 10 of 38 grants for battery materials
heatmap.news/politics/doe...

Trump to Axe All 7 Hydrogen Hubs, Bucking Bipartisan Law

A new list of Department of Energy grants slated for termination will hit clean energy and oil majors alike, including Exxon and Chevron.

heatmap.news

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · 7h

A shameful continued destruction of the innovation engine of the United States. For nothing! For no reason!

Emily Pontecorvo @emilypont.bsky.social · 10h

Some additional info on the new list of axed DOE projects circulating.
- All 7 H2 Hubs
- All 13 IRA grants to convert at-risk auto plants to EV mfg
- 11 of 15 grants to speed domestic clean energy mfg in former coal communities
- 10 of 38 grants for battery materials
heatmap.news/politics/doe...

Trump to Axe All 7 Hydrogen Hubs, Bucking Bipartisan Law

A new list of Department of Energy grants slated for termination will hit clean energy and oil majors alike, including Exxon and Chevron.

heatmap.news

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 11h

😍

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 17h

“The e-bike lets me keep riding bikes and spend time outside, even though I have this health condition,” she said. “I don’t think that a lot of people realize that e-bikes make things accessible to people with disabilities.” www.berkeleyside.org/2025/10/07/e...

Why electric bikes are everywhere in Berkeley

Residents of all ages and abilities are taking to electric bikes — used for commutes, school drop-offs, grocery trips and joy rides.

www.berkeleyside.org

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Zack Colman @zcolman.bsky.social · 14h

Trump & his Cabinet say wind & solar are making electricity more expensive.

Federal data say the opposite.

Our analysis showed states w/ > avg wind/solar generation & > avg acceleration of wind/solar since ‘21 were likelier to have < avg power prices.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

The government’s own data rebuts Trump’s claims about wind and solar prices

The Trump administration has targeted renewable energy for driving up electricity prices, but POLITICO’s analysis shows states that are growing their wind and solar power typically have lower power co...

www.politico.com

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 15h

Typo! Yes Brompton

Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 16h

And it’s so cute when it’s folded up and tucked into a luggage rack 😍🚲🚆#bikesky

Folded Brampton bike next to Acela train

Folded Brampton bike in luggage rack on Amtrak train

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The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · 18h

Folding bikes are the Swiss Army Knife of mobility.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 19h

i recently got a great deal on a barely used folding ebike and i have to say it has revolutionized my train travel. i can get from my front door to the amtrak station in a little less than 5 minutes!!!

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Clare Fieseler, PhD @fieseler.bsky.social · 17h

Lots of people think Dems are forcing these dirty coal plants to “retire” with policies and regs.

It’s simply not true!

Coal plants are incredibly inefficient to run compared to gas and renewables. This New England plant didn’t “retire” — the company closed it because it was too expensive!

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · 18h

New England has said its final goodbye to coal power. Here’s how a transition to gas — and now renewables — helped shut its last plant down early.

New England’s final coal plant shuts down years ahead of schedule

Poor economics drove the aging New Hampshire plant offline three years early, even as the Trump administration pushes to revitalize coal.

www.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 1d

Less than a year into the Trump admin and the National Governors Association, founded over 115 years ago, is on the brink of collapse.

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 1d

Pritzker is also furious: “Should National Governors Association leadership choose to remain silent, Illinois will have no choice but to withdraw from the organization.”

Gov. JB Pritzker’s letter to the National Governors Association

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Megan Ranney MD MPH @meganranney.bsky.social · 1d

I know the news is tough right now.

So take a moment and soak in the gorgeousness & promise of the science that led to this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine & Physiology.

WOW.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/h...

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Is Awarded for Work on Immune Systems

www.nytimes.com

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David Weiskopf believes in you @dave.bzky.team · 1d

This is a massive new tax you pay through your electricity bill bc state legislatures and PUCs have shirked their duty to prevent it.

Every lawmaker and regulator get real answers two simple questions before approving any data center hookup, incentive, etc. (1/3)

Kevin J. CREATURE @kevinjkircher.com · 1d

$16 billion. That's how much the PJM market monitor estimates that electricity ratepayers will pay via increased utility bills to subsidize interconnection of data centers owned by Big Tech. A massive give-away to some of the most profitable companies in the world.

www.eenews.net/articles/dat...

Data center boom sparks sticker shock for PJM ratepayers

New analyses show that costs passed on to utility customers to guarantee future electricity demand are rising rapidly.

www.eenews.net

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 1d

Doing some back of the napkin math on the Free Press acquisition, I've determined The Onion is worth $2 trillion.

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 1d

trail run views from early this morning #freedc

Trail in Rock Creek Park in District of Columbia

Tributary to Rock Creek in District of Columbia

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Chuck Wendig @chuckwendig.bsky.social · 1d

Love living on an island entirely built of a bloating bubble that, when it pops, will plunge us all into the deep

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

"The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year... In a way, then, America has become one big bet on AI."

America is now one big bet on AI

It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Ellen Qualls @ellenqualls.bsky.social · 1d

Clarity:

The one thing that should be in any budget deal to end the government shutdown should be ending the Trump administration’s illegal power grab of Congressionally mandated spending.

Any other deal is Congressional “suicide.”

The Quiet Shutdown Becomes Loud

Appropriations rupture exposes the constitutional stakes

open.substack.com

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 2d

Sunday sunflower 🌞

Bouquet of October sunflowers in the Sunday sunlight

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 5d

Terminated projects range from spearheading the development and deployment of grid and generation technologies that can lower costs for Americans, to new manufacturing and energy projects that would strengthen national energy security and grid reliability. www.energy.gov/articles/ene...

Energy Department Announces Termination of 223 Projects, Saving Over $7.5 Billion

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion dollars for American taxpayers.

www.energy.gov

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 5d

“By better understanding who relies on buses, trains, active transportation, and safe streets, decision-makers can improve mobility for all people, especially those who don’t currently drive and those who want to drive less.” www.nrdc.org/resources/wh...

Who Doesn’t Have a Car?

A new NRDC map shows car-free living and the factors affecting car usage in United States.

www.nrdc.org

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 6d

The “E-Bike Effect:” Those who bought e-bikes increased their average daily bicycle use from 2.1km (1.3 miles) to 9.2km (5.7 miles), a 340% increase. The e-bike share of all their transportation increased dramatically too; from 17% to 49%.

E-bikes support fewer car trips.

V @lloydalter.bsky.social

E-Bikers Ride Much Farther and More Frequently Than Regular Bikers

They are not 'cheating,' but are serious transportation.

www.treehugger.com

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Meade Krosby @meadekrosby.bsky.social · 6d

This is lovely. "For scientists, however, it’s the young Jane Goodall who followed wild chimpanzees for weeks at a time who endures as an icon. 'There will always only be one Jane Goodall.'”

‘There Will Always Only Be One Jane Goodall’

www.nytimes.com

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 6d

This is the HUD website right now

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Aimee Witteman @aimeewitteman.bsky.social · 6d

Yes I think so

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 6d

Today on Volts: the folks at @rewiringamerica.bsky.social have an idea. Hyperscalers desperately need to free up grid capacity for data centers, right? Why not let them buy that capacity by paying for residential heat pumps & solar/storage systems? I discuss it w/ the head of RW & a rep from PG&E.

Could we get hyperscalers to buy heat pumps for households?

Ari Matusiak and Carla Peterman join me to discuss a wild new idea: getting data centers to pay for your next heat pump.

www.volts.wtf

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Reposted by Aimee Witteman

Michelle Wu 吳弭 @wutrain.bsky.social · 11d

Cities make America great

Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 14d

It's not just Mamdani. Michelle Wu, Katie Wilson--the Dems may soon have a remarkable cast of young, gifted mayors
www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...

Can Progressive Mayors Redeem the Democratic Party?

Zohran Mamdani isn’t the only candidate challenging the status quo—and having fun doing it.

www.newyorker.com

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