Energy & Grid: North Carolina regulators rejected Duke Energy’s plan for a new 255-megawatt gas plant near the South Carolina border, saying the case for demand growth tied to data centers is too uncertain and the $584 million project is too risky for consumers to approve yet. Climate & Disaster Response: California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency ahead of what forecasters warn could be the strongest El Niño on record, directing agencies to stage flood-fighting supplies, prep roads and infrastructure, and support local flood, landslide, and coastal-erosion response. Water Quality & Cleanup: North Carolina DEQ, NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service filed a proposed consent decree to restore damages to the Roanoke River from the former Weyerhaeuser Plymouth Mill, now owned by Domtar, under CERCLA natural resource damage rules. Wildfire Risk: A new study warns today’s children could face far more lifetime “fire weather” exposure than their grandparents, with climate policy and fossil-fuel cuts affecting the outlook. Agrivoltaics: A New Mexico solar farm is pairing panels with crop production, highlighting how agrivoltaics can support farming while generating electricity. Extreme Weather Impacts Agriculture: Rhode Island announced nearly $15 million in federal disaster relief for farmers hit by harmful weather in 2023 and 2024, with applications expected to open in early October. Biodiversity & Species Movement: Researchers say armadillos are pushing farther north, with a recent Ohio discovery suggesting the species may be establishing beyond past “hitchhiker” sightings.