Today is Earth Day 2021, and it seems bigger than usual with the large infrastructure package being pushed by the Biden administration, an international summit today being led by President Joe Biden, and a lot more local attention on what can be done. Biden also is expected to commit the nation to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Five stories for Earth Day:
- Live discussions, resources for the day, The New York Times
- DHEC pledges ‘yearlong’ commitment to Earth Day in S.C., S.C. DHEC
- How to talk to kids about climate change, NPR
- Biden to commit U.S. to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, The New York Times
- 10 things learned about our planet since last Earth Day, Vox
Also in South Carolina news:
- Chauvin verdict renews Scott’s fight for police reform. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, has led Republicans in crafting a police reform bill in the wake of the George Floyd killing by police in Minneapolis. Now that one of those officers has been convicted of murder — Derek Chauvin — Scott is among those in Washington looking to tweak police policies on the federal level. More: The Washington Post
- CORONAVIRUS: 391 cases; 6.3% positive; 11 deaths. South Carolina reported 11 more people die of COVID-19, bringing the state’s official death toll from the coronavirus to 8,247. More: Charleston City Paper
- After losing congressional seat, Cunningham eyes governor’s Former Democratic congressman for the Lowcountry Joe Cunningham upset the Republican stronghold for only one term. Now, he’s looking at another Republican stronghold in the state: governor. He filed preliminary paperwork for a run recently More: The Charlotte Observer
- Hate crime bill backers rush against session end in S.C. Supporters of making South Carolina the next-to-last state in the U.S. to pass a hate crime law acknowledged Wednesday they are running out of time in this year’s legislative session. The bill passed the House and is now in the full Senate Judiciary Committee. Senators are already saying it will be hard to get it to the floor before the session ends May 13. More: AP/South Carolina Public Radio
- McMaster picks McCoy to chair utility board. Gov. Henry McMaster has nominated former state House representative and former U.S. attorney for South Carolina Peter McCoy of Charleston for the seven-year post as board chair of Santee Cooper. Now the question becomes whether the state Senate will approve the nomination with less than two weeks in its 2021 session. More. AP News
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