Benjamin Leffel In The News

ProPublica
Elon Musk’s Boring Company spent years pitching cities on a novel solution to traffic, an underground transportation system to whisk passengers through tunnels in electric vehicles. Proposals in Illinois and California fizzled after officials and the public began scrutinizing details of the plans and seeking environmental reviews.
The Regulatory Review
The incoming Trump Administration may cut federal environmental regulatory power, and it is legally possible for the White House and Congress to claw back unspent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds. Both actions would have immediate implications for climate action in the United States. In light of reduced federal involvement, state and local regulators can serve as stronger levers for environmental action.
The Daily Express US
A second Donald Trump term will have a significant impact on environmental policies that can lead to many climate experts leaving the federal environment agency, an expert has warned.
Las Vegas Review Journal
I must respond to several writings of Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks on climate change. In particular, Joecks recently argued that the lead culprit of the summer 2024 Las Vegas heat wave, peaking at 120 degrees, was the 2022 volcanic eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano. This is a misattribution.
Las Vegas Review Journal
Heat has claimed the lives of more people in 2024 in Southern Nevada than in any prior year on record, officials said. The latest round of heat-related-death data from the Clark County coroner’s office, released on Thursday, shows that heat was a factor in the deaths of 342 people. It’s without question that the toll will continue to rise, especially as it can take up to 90 days to determine a cause of death — and whether heat was a factor.
K.V.V.U. T.V. Fox 5
After nearly three days of closures along I-15 and backups along I-40, California Highway Patrol announced Sunday the end of a closure caused by a truck fire that sparked Friday. San Bernadino Fire Department reported the fire around 10 a.m. on Friday, stating that a semi-truck carrying lithium batteries flipped on northbound I-15 near Baker and burst into flames.
K.V.V.U. T.V. Fox 5
There is a desperate need for more charges in Nevada according to some EV drivers. FOX5 spoke with drivers who are often forced to wait in lines to charge up. “I am swapping this in tomorrow and getting a gas vehicle,” Steven Blocker told FOX5. Blocker, an Uber driver using an electric vehicle, just moved to Henderson from San Diego a month and a half ago.
Las Vegas Review Journal
Gerardo Velasquez is no stranger to the Las Vegas heat. Since moving to Las Vegas in 2004, the 56-year-old has worked in solar panel installation — a tough job in the summer without adequate breaks, shade and hydration. With no solid, enforceable regulations, not every company provides the same tolerable working conditions.