News from around the nation.

Trump's promise of 'very big deal' with Zelensky undercut by officials' widespread doubts over Ukraine's resources; Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in U.S. prisons; Texans encouraged to 'decarbonize' buildings to fight climate change; the state of animal waste regulations in Virginia.

Transcript

The Public News Service Friday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Donald Trump's claim that the potential trillion-dollar deal he is on the cusp of signing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would offer the U.S. easy access to a bonanza of rare-earth materials is at odds with the widespread assessment of current and former U.S. officials.

That from CNN.

Their report, the officials say, there's little actual evidence of great rare-earth and other mineral wealth in Ukraine, and much of what does exist will be difficult, even impossible, to exploit in the eastern war-torn part of the country.

"We'll be dig, dig, dig, digging," Trump told reporters on the eve of the Zelensky visit.

And as spring approaches, faith leaders and advocates are raising alarms about inhumane heat conditions in U.S. prisons, especially in southern states like Mississippi.

During a recent webinar, 85 to Stay Alive Answering the Call, hosted by Texas prison community advocates and the Climate and Incarceration Research Collective, panelists shared harrowing stories and urged action before summer heat arrives.

Reverend Joseph Clark, assistant imam at the Fifth Ward Islamic Center for Human Development in Texas, recounted his own prison experiences, describing dangerous conditions caused by extreme heat.

"It would be so hot on the unit that we would break out the windows on the turnroad so air could come through the windows, and the ward would not fix the windows purposely for when it got cold.

So during the winter conditions, we were freezed to death."

The Justice Department has found conditions at Parchman and two other state prisons unconstitutional.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

Meantime, school districts and country governments across Texas are being encouraged to consider building decarbonization to combat climate change.

The process reduces or eliminates carbon emissions in buildings by making energy-efficient improvements.

According to a report by the Texas Climate Jobs Project, existing structures are a large contributor to carbon emissions, adding as much as 40 percent to the total worldwide.

The organization, Sandra Bustillo, says the report focuses on three main areas of improvement.

"There's the utility savings aspect of it.

The next one is job creation, so we really advocate for the creation of high-quality family-sustaining jobs.

And then lastly, we also discuss health benefits."

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

Next to Virginia, a state that has some restrictions in place for workers handling animal waste in order to avoid contaminating groundwater sources.

Last year, the state updated regulations for animal waste at animal feeding operations.

One regulation ensures that storage areas are higher than one foot above the seasonal high-water table.

Brian Dunning is with the Center for Progressive Reform.

"It's for all facilities, and it started after 1998.

So that is some improved monitoring to get an idea if there are problems with the facility that is breaching into the groundwater."

Dunning says the Commonwealth took a step in the right direction with increased monitoring.

This is Public News Service.

One of the nation's largest hydrogen-powered transit fleets wants to switch to a cleaner and locally produced fuel source as part of a federally funded clean hydrogen hub.

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority plans to produce renewable green hydrogen for its fuel cell buses.

The authority's 22 hydrogen-powered buses provide about 5,000 rides daily in the Canton area.

Authority CEO Kurt Conrad says they currently use what's known as "gray hydrogen," made from natural gas, imported from Canada and delivered by diesel trucks.

He says the goal is to make their own hydrogen.

"Earlier on we wanted green hydrogen, but it wasn't available in the marketplace.

At some point in time you've got to move forward, but probably 10 years into it now, actually the technology and that stuff has caught up.

We're able to do on-site green."

He says the authority is partnering with Enbridge and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub to make a green hydrogen on-site.

The project involves installing 1,000 solar panels to generate about a megawatt of electricity.

I'm Mark Richardson.

This story produced with original reporting by Kathy N. Kalowski for Canary Media.

And Alabama lawmakers are weighing a proposal to overhaul the state's bail system.

House Bill 42, sponsored by Senator Christopher England of Tuscaloosa, would amend the Alabama Bail Reform Act, allowing courts to accept a partial cash deposit from a defendant instead of requiring the full bell amount, if approved by a judge.

Senator England says the change would keep more money within the court system, which would benefit both the state and people who are owed restitution.

It affords a defendant an opportunity to get out and pay cash directly to the court.

And what that does is in the event that that person does not return, the court keeps the cash, pays fines, pays court costs, and also pays restitution.

Under the current law, a defendant must pay the full cash bail amount up front in order to be released before trial.

Shantia Hudson reporting.

Finally, a bill in the Idaho legislature would lower restrictions for allowing chickens in residential areas.

An impetus for the legislation from Senator Tammy Nichols, a Republican from Middleton, is in part high prices and the shortage of eggs at the grocery store.

Senate Bill 1026 would ensure that homeowners associations could not bar residents from raising up to four chickens per one-fifth of an acre.

Ariel Agenbrod focuses on food systems and small farms at the University of Idaho Extension.

Most people eat more than four chickens a year.

But for egg laying, if a chicken is laying an egg every other day, that can be a significant number of eggs that can be used by that family or that household.

Critics of the bill have said the chickens could potentially disrupt neighbors.

Other concerns have been raised, including the spread of diseases like salmonella, noise, and odor.

I'm Eric Tegethoff reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

We are member and listener supported.

Hear us on radio stations big and small, your favorite podcast platforms, find our content and trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.