Puerto Rico street damaged by a hurricane with downed powerlines and trees in background.

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Puerto Rico’s climate scientists lose federal support amid new Trump policies

As President Trump imposes restrictions on climate-related research, scientists in Puerto Rico warn that canceled grants and vanishing funding are halting critical studies on environmental threats in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

Víctor Rodríguez Velázquez reports for Centro de Periodismo Investigativo.

In short:

Trump administration policies are cutting climate and health research funding across Puerto Rico, particularly affecting federal grants from NASA, NOAA, NIH, and USDA.
Researchers report they are being pressured to omit terms like “climate change” and “diversity” from proposals to avoid rejection, which they say leads to censorship and self-censorship.
At risk are studies on coastal erosion, renewable energy, heat impacts on schools, and the links between climate and disease, all crucial in a region increasingly affected by hurricanes and sea level rise.

Key quote:

“It’s a gag on innovation, integrity, and creativity in the scientific community.”

— Manuel Valdés Pizzini, director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Coastal Studies

Why this matters:

Puerto Rico sits on the frontlines of climate disruption, already battered by hurricanes, coastal erosion, and deadly heat. As hurricanes intensify and shorelines retreat, the island’s capacity to monitor and respond to environmental threats is being quietly dismantled. Budget cuts and political uncertainty have left universities and research institutions scrambling, with key studies halted and young scientists heading to the mainland or abandoning the field altogether.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Communities already reeling from years of recovery after Hurricanes Maria and Fiona are also facing soaring temperatures, a stressed power grid, and limited access to clean water. When funding for climate and health research dries up, so does the lifeline that connects vulnerable populations to early warnings and long-term solutions. The result is a dangerous knowledge gap — one that deepens inequity and leaves the island exposed to the accelerating chaos of a warming world.

Learn more: Data gaps in US territories threaten climate resilience

periodismoinvestigativo.com

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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