**The union representing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff called on the agency to allow temporary remote work after Legionella bacteria was found at multiple EPA facilities around the country.
** The University of California at Davis and Innovative Genomics Institute are working to engineer the stomachs of cattle so they don’t produce the potent planet-warming gas methane, as The Washington Post detailed.
** A new study revealed an interesting correlation between common habitats for bats and ideal locations for wind turbines, per an article from Renewable Energy Magazine. According to the findings, free-tailed bats prefer to live in areas that are prime spots for setting up wind turbines. According to Renewable Energy Magazine, Mexican free-tailed bats are one of the most frequently killed species by wind turbines in the southwestern U.S.
** Ford is recalling close to 100,000 EcoBoost V6 engines. The 2.7L and 3.0L V6 engines are in the F-150, Bronco, Explorer, and Edge, as well as the Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus. The fix is a new engine, at least for some owners, after an inspection.
** A scientist is calling for Americans to cut off air conditioning after refusing to use it for 25 years during the throes of the summer in order to combat climate change. Stan Cox is an Ecosphere Fellow at the Land Institute who also believes the U.S. military is an “enemy” to mitigating climate change. He wrote a guest essay in the New York Times on Saturday, “I Swore Off Air-Conditioning, and You Can, Too,” claiming that “air-conditioning is making our summers even hotter” due to climate change.
** California lawmakers have passed a second plastic bag ban after admitting the state’s first ban failed its goal of reducing plastic waste. The new proposal revises the state’s single-use bag ban to stop grocery stores from selling thicker plastic grocery bags and requires grocery stores to only offer recycled paper bags at checkout.
World
** Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the country’s waters. Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following China’s accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory.
** The oil-rich United Arab Emirates announced the completion of the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant, calling it a “significant step”. Abu Dhabi’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant will produce 40 terawatt-hours of electricity annually after its fourth and final reactor has entered commercial operation, the state-owned Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) said in a statement.
** Tesla’s highly anticipated “Giga Train,” its first all-electric battery-powered train, has debuted in Germany. The Giga Train takes passengers from Erkner Station to Tesla Sud, the station located at the company’s manufacturing facility, about 20 miles southeast of Berlin.
** The Australian Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) is set to bolster energy storage capabilities in Victoria and South Australia with support for six new large-scale battery projects. The initiatives represent 3.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) of capacity and are part of the government’s commitment to enhance renewable energy dispatchable capacity and grid reliability.
** Israel’s Tower Semiconductor and Adani Group will invest 839.47 billion rupees ($10 billion) for a semiconductor project in India’s western state of Maharashtra, its chief minister said in a post on X.