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Jamie Smith Hopkins

@jsmithhopkins

Managing editor at Inside Climate News. Priors: Center for Public Integrity, Baltimore Sun, Ames (Iowa) Tribune.

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12.02.2024
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Latest posts by Jamie Smith Hopkins @jsmithhopkins

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Cheniere Energy Received $370 Million IRS Windfall for Using LNG as ‘Alternative’ Fuel - Inside Climate News The country’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas benefited from what critics say is a questionable IRS interpretation of tax credits.

My latest; Cheniere Energy, the largest U.S. LNG producer and exporter, received a $370 million windfall from the IRS for using an ‘alternative fuel’ that critics say is dubious. insideclimatenews.org/news/2702202...

02.03.2026 13:47 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Disaster Looms on the Guadalupe River Floodplain - Inside Climate News Go behind the scenes with managing editor Jamie Smith Hopkins, Texas reporter Dylan Baddour and data journalist Peter Aldhous as they discuss ICN’s new investigation into how the fracking boom put an ...

EXTRA: @dylanbaddour.bsky.social and I were interviewed about our story on flood hazards for oil infrastructure in the Guadalupe River basin by @jsmithhopkins.bsky.social for the @insideclimatenews.org Sunday Morning video:
insideclimatenews.org/news/0802202...

08.02.2026 16:26 👍 1 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
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Our @insideclimatenews.org tracker of important federal environmental court cases has been updated to reflect these two losses for the Trump administration in trial court:
(w/ @mlavelle.bsky.social)
insideclimatenews.org/news/0411202...

09.12.2025 16:40 👍 7 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0

Before the public can act, they must know. But China is silencing independent journalists reporting on the environmental impacts of its massive Belt and Road Initiative—mines, ports, dams, power plants etc in mostly poor countries.

Here’s how they’re doing it and why it matters.

25.11.2025 16:44 👍 25 🔁 26 💬 0 📌 1

Texas has no regulations to protect workers from the state’s blistering heat and overturned city ordinances that required rest breaks. What does that mean for workers in one of the hottest parts of the country? @keertigopal.bsky.social and I spent months investigating for @insideclimatenews.org (1)

25.11.2025 16:35 👍 23 🔁 12 💬 4 📌 3
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As Seas Rise, So Do the Risks From Toxic Sites - Inside Climate News Flooding from surging seas is likely to inundate thousands of U.S. hazardous sites in coming years as global temperatures rise, placing the nation’s most vulnerable at greatest risk.

New research shows how low-income communities of color bear the brunt of pollution past and present, and how that legacy of injustice is likely to reverberate for generations as seas rise. We have the story at @insideclimatenews.org A thread. 1/ insideclimatenews.org/news/2011202...

21.11.2025 18:17 👍 25 🔁 12 💬 1 📌 0
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A Growing Number of ‘Repair Cafes’ Are Popping Up Around the World to Curb Consumer Waste - Inside Climate News Local communities are hosting events where people can bring in their broken goods for repairs—free of charge.

A timeline cleanser: My recent newsletter is about rise of "repair cafes" around the world, where communities come together to fix each other's beloved things. The goal: reduce consumer waste, and maybe make some buddies in the process 🔧👭

insideclimatenews.org/news/1111202...

13.11.2025 15:37 👍 967 🔁 284 💬 27 📌 27
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Gulf South Residents and Green Groups Sue Trump and EPA Over Toxic Air Pollution Exemptions - Inside Climate News The lawsuit fights a White House proclamation exempting 50 chemical manufacturing plants from hard-won restrictions on cancer-causing pollutants.

Activists are suing Trump over a proclamation that gives 50 chemical manufacturing facilities, mostly in Texas and Louisiana, a 2-year exemption from limits on cancer-causing pollutants
insideclimatenews.org/news/2210202...

22.10.2025 23:40 👍 6 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 1
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The Scientists Making the Case for Nature’s Rights - Inside Climate News A growing number of scientists are backing laws recognizing that nature has inherent rights and intrinsic value. A group of wetlands scientists wants the critical ecosystems they study to be next.

A new front has emerged in the rights of nature movement: collaborations between Western scientists and Indigenous peoples

This is the first of a few stories I have coming on the topic. It's focused on the scientists who have been flooding into the movement

insideclimatenews.org/news/0510202...

06.10.2025 15:35 👍 65 🔁 19 💬 3 📌 3
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Inside Climate News Series Is a Scripps Howard Finalist - Inside Climate News “Cashing Out” investigated a system that lets companies win multimillion or even billion-dollar penalties against countries trying to protect the environment and public.

Excited to see this great @insideclimatenews.org series by @katiesurma.bsky.social & Nicholas Kusnetz get recognition.

A system you've probably never heard of is costing taxpayers around the world billions and hamstringing environmental protection.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0205202...

02.05.2025 12:24 👍 12 🔁 6 💬 2 📌 2
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EPA Funding Cuts Target Disadvantaged Communities, Analysis Shows - Inside Climate News In its bid to resist a court order to unfreeze grants, the Trump administration reveals a laser focus on eliminating environmental justice aid.

EPA has never released a list of all the grants it is terminating but in a legal filing it has named the programs being cut. A @peteraldhous.com @insideclimatenews.org analysis shows 99% of the planned cuts are aid to poor and minority communities. insideclimatenews.org/news/0105202...

01.05.2025 19:38 👍 8 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 2
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As Efforts on a Global Treaty Stall, Cities and States Are on the Front Lines of the Battle Over Plastic Pollution - Inside Climate News Environmental advocates working on plastics policy expect to be on offense and defense in 2025 while closely monitoring the Trump administration’s fossil fuel and deregulatory agenda.

Where are the front lines of the plastic pollution battle amid the stalled global treaty? In the U.S., it's in cities and states.

insideclimatenews.org/news/1112202...

11.12.2024 15:29 👍 6 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0

Essential climate journalism: How to Buy a Piece of a Lawsuit and Impoverish a Country. Investors buying into claims against governments are winning huge payouts. Developing nations, and the environment, are losing big.

08.12.2024 13:41 👍 7 🔁 4 💬 1 📌 1

Great piece on the big $$$ behind third-party funding of lawsuits against governments that try to protect citizens from predatory energy companies and environmental destruction. For the financial firms funding the lawsuits, it's like “gambler’s Nirvana: Heads I win, and Tails I do not lose."

09.12.2024 14:01 👍 14 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 0
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How Wall Street Gets Rich Off Lawsuits Against Governments Investors buying into claims against governments are winning huge payouts. Developing nations, and the environment, are losing big.

“It’s taking a very flawed system and exploiting all of its flaws for the benefit of speculative finance”: How Wall Street profits by funding corporate arbitration cases against countries, including poor nations.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0812202...

09.12.2024 13:52 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Join | Inside Climate News Inside Climate News is supported by people like you. Support Inside Climate News today.

We've got some awesome newsletters, too: insideclimatenews.org/newsletter/

And here's the link to get your gift matched 2x until midnight: shorturl.at/KB8yx

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Turning Kazakhstan Into a Beef-Producing Machine, the American Way - Inside Climate News The vast central Asian country has millions of acres of pastureland. Can it produce steaks and burgers that offset emissions—and earn carbon credits for them?

Is climate-friendly beef possible? This country is trying to make that case.

insideclimatenews.org/news/2411202...

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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EPA Thought Industry-Funded Scientists Could Support Its Conclusion That a Long-Regulated Pesticide Is Not a Cancer Risk - Inside Climate News The consultants, who worked for Dow, the pesticide’s manufacturer, help corporate interests defend their products against environmental and health regulations.

EPA thought industry-funded scientists could support its conclusion that a long-regulated pesticide is not a cancer risk

insideclimatenews.org/news/2708202...

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Aspiring Applicants Worry EPA Environmental Justice Grant Funding Will Be Rescinded Before It’s Awarded - Inside Climate News President-elect Donald Trump and his allies plan to cut money in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated for climate efforts. Hundreds of millions of dollars have yet to reach EJ organizations.

President-elect Donald Trump and his allies plan to cut money in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated for climate efforts. Hundreds of millions of dollars have yet to reach environmental justice organizations.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0112202...

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Federal Regulators Waited 7 Months to Investigate a Deadly Home Explosion Above a Gassy Coal Mine. Residents Want Action - Inside Climate News Coalfield residents from Pennsylvania to Montana feel ignored as their homes sink and flammable gas rises from underground mining. In Alabama, U.S. regulators dragged their feet until a former top off...

Coalfield residents across the country feel ignored as their homes sink and flammable gas rises from underground mining. In Alabama, U.S. regulators dragged their feet until a former top official called them out for failure to protect the public.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0311202...

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Should Companies Get Paid When Governments Phase Out Fossil Fuels? They Already Are - Inside Climate News A common part of free trade agreements helps fossil fuel companies force big payouts from governments phasing out oil and gas projects. The United States narrowly avoided a $15 billion claim over the ...

Just a few examples of our work this year:

A common part of free trade agreements helps fossil fuel companies force big payouts from governments phasing out oil and gas projects.

insideclimatenews.org/news/2807202...

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 1
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Join | Inside Climate News Inside Climate News is supported by people like you. Support Inside Climate News today.

🧵 Good coverage on climate change is critical because climate change affects everything. I'm grateful to work at a newsroom that's understood this from day one.

On this #GivingTuesday / #GivingNewsDay, you can help us keep reporting and get your gift matched 2x until midnight: shorturl.at/KB8yx

03.12.2024 21:20 👍 11 🔁 14 💬 1 📌 0
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Aspiring Applicants Worry EPA Environmental Justice Grant Funding Will Be Rescinded Before It’s Awarded - Inside Climate News President-elect Donald Trump and his allies plan to cut money in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated for climate efforts. Hundreds of millions of dollars have yet to reach EJ organizations.

Community nonprofits are bracing for cuts to environmental justice programs. This story is the opposite of a morning pick-me-up but it's important to understand what's coming and who will get hurt.
insideclimatenews.org/news/0112202...
@insideclimatenews.org

02.12.2024 13:48 👍 9 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 1
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Turning Kazakhstan Into a Beef-Producing Machine, the American Way - Inside Climate News The vast central Asian country has millions of acres of pastureland. Can it produce steaks and burgers that offset emissions—and earn carbon credits for them?

Great longread by @georginagustin.bsky.social about Kazakhstan's efforts to produce "climate friendly" American-style beef ... and the many difficulties with that plan.

insideclimatenews.org/news/2411202...

27.11.2024 12:13 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Rebuild NC’s Embattled Director Is No Longer a State Employee, a Memo Confirms - Inside Climate News The head of the Department of Public Safety announced the departure of Laura Hogshead on Wednesday afternoon. At an oversight hearing on Monday, she defended her agency despite a $221 million budget d...

A scoop: the embattled director of ReBuild NC leaves state government

20.11.2024 23:20 👍 1 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
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Who Pays for Alabama’s $5 Billion ‘Zombie’ Highway Project? Not Alabama - Inside Climate News Alabama is poised to use 100 percent federal funding to build an interstate that won’t alleviate any of the state’s largest traffic gridlocks and is promoted as an economic development plan rather tha...

Alaska was famous for its "bridge to nowhere." My colleague Dennis Pillion reports on Alabama's "Zombie Highway" that solves no transportation problems but will destroy forest and 90 crossings of rivers and streams. insideclimatenews.org/news/1811202...

18.11.2024 14:28 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0