Author

James Bruggers, Inside Climate News
James Bruggers covers the U.S. Southeast, part of Inside Climate News’ National Environment Reporting Network. He previously covered energy and the environment for Louisville’s Courier Journal, where he worked as a correspondent for USA Today and was a member of the USA Today Network environment team. Before moving to Kentucky in 1999, Bruggers worked as a journalist in Montana, Alaska, Washington and California. Bruggers’ work has won numerous recognitions, including best beat reporting, Society of Environmental Journalists, and the National Press Foundation’s Thomas Stokes Award for energy reporting. He served on the board of directors of the SEJ for 13 years, including two years as president. He lives in Louisville with his wife, Christine Bruggers.
EPA narrows loophole by expanding regulation of coal ash dumped at power plants
By: James Bruggers, Inside Climate News - May 24, 2023
The Biden administration is taking steps to address a regulatory loophole that public interest groups said allowed at least a half-billion tons of toxic coal ash to go unregulated. The Environmental Protection Agency published a new draft rule last week that the groups said would extend federal oversight to much of the coal ash disposed […]
Kentucky has fourth-most chemical plants subject to proposed new curbs on toxic emissions
By: James Bruggers, Inside Climate News - April 19, 2023
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here. The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency recently used the smokestacks of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” as the backdrop to announce new rules aimed at […]
Why Kentucky is dead last for wind and solar production
By: Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News and James Bruggers, Inside Climate News - April 3, 2023
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here. LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Andy McDonald recalls a decade-old Kentucky legislative hearing on an energy diversification bill with the same sense of frustration that he felt back […]