Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a comprehensive audit of data centers seeking connection to the state's power grid, pausing ERCOT's interconnection review process amid concerns over electricity demand and water usage. President Trump criticized the move, warning Texas against resisting the AI data center industry.
Climate-tech startup Mitti Labs has secured $9.5 million in Series A funding led by Aramco Ventures to develop GeoAI satellite technology aimed at improving water resilience in Asia's rice farming sector, which faces increasing pressure from climate change.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday ordered state regulators to pause all new data center approvals and conduct comprehensive audits of projects seeking to connect to the state's power grid. The directive requires the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to verify energy and water usage of data centers in the interconnection process before any additional approvals are granted.
Hungary's Paks nuclear plant, which provides nearly half the country's electricity, faces imminent shutdown within 72 hours due to record-low Danube water levels preventing cooling operations. Romania has declared a state of emergency after shutting down both reactors at its Cernavoda nuclear facility, with plans to import electricity from Ukraine.
The Environment Agency has declared seven areas across central, eastern, and southern England officially in drought, with July on track to be the driest on record. The 'flash drought' follows unusually low rainfall and the fourth heatwave of the year, creating dangerous fire conditions across the country.
Iran struck Kuwaiti desalination and power facilities in counterstrikes against the U.S., marking a dangerous expansion of the conflict beyond military targets and raising fears of attacks on civilian infrastructure across the region.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on July 14, 2026, pausing state environmental permits for data centers requiring 50 megawatts or more for up to one year, citing rising utility costs, water strain, and environmental impacts from AI-driven facilities.
The Trump administration reached a multi-state settlement with chemical maker Chemours Co. for $450 million over illegal discharges of PFAS 'forever chemicals,' but North Carolina—where major contamination occurred—was notably excluded from the agreement, drawing criticism from state officials.
The Environmental Protection Agency has designated microplastics as a potential drinking water contaminant requiring study, marking a significant regulatory step seen as appealing to the MAHA movement's focus on environmental health concerns.
