Frontier Group

Highway Boondoggles Year after year, state and local governments propose billions of dollars’ worth of new and expanded highways that often do little to reduce congestion or address real transportation challenges, while ...

Since 2014, we've identified 73 wasteful highway expansion projects costing $173 billion. For more, see our "Highway Boondoggles" dashboard: frontiergroup.org/resources/hi...

Our 2022 Highway Boondoggles report named NJ Turnpike widening in northern NJ as one of the nation's most wasteful highway projects. Yesterday, state officials scaled back the project, saving billions. www.nj.com/news/2026/03...

Saving energy, money and lives: How energy efficiency has improved America’s homes America’s homes have changed a great deal over the last few decades. But one change we don’t think about often is actually one of the most important: the efficiency with which our appliances, furnaces...

U.S. homes are using a lot less energy than they were a few decades ago. It’s no accident, it’s because of smart public policy. Our new visualization explores how energy efficiency measures have generated cleaner air, better health and financial savings. frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

Saving energy, money and lives: How energy efficiency has changed America's homes Discover how energy efficiency saves energy, money and lives today.

U.S. homes are using less energy than they were a few decades ago. That’s no accident. Smart public policy has helped Americans save energy for decades. Join a webinar celebrating the benefits of energy efficiency.
📅 February 27
🕚 3:00-4:00 PM ET
💻 Zoom
environmentamerica.org/center/event...

Apples Not Twinkies Federal farm subsidies help to shape what food is produced and, ultimately, what Americans eat. Current subsidy structures tilt toward crops used in ultra-processed food ingredients, while fruits and ...

Farm subsidies for fruits and vegetables from 2022-2024 could’ve bought 1.8 billion apples. Subsidies for fats and sugars could’ve bought 4.5 billion Twinkies. Our report, Apples Not Twinkies, looks at how farm subsidies shape what winds up on our plates. frontiergroup.org/resources/ap...

Overbudget by design: Supersizing highways puts public dollars at risk State DOTs regularly choose “supersized” highway expansion projects when smaller, simpler projects could achieve the lion’s share of the benefits. Why?

Since 2014, we’ve tracked wasteful highway expansion projects around the country. But why do these projects keep getting proposed - and how do we change course? @frontiertony.bsky.social recently shared some ideas with a committee of the Oregon Legislature. frontiergroup.org/articles/ove...

Why residents in one small town are fighting data centers I witnessed Appling, Georgia’s fight against three data center developments – one of many similar battles taking place in communities across the country.

Data centers are cropping up across the country – posing challenges to communities in the bullseye of development. @KylieHanson11 found herself in the center of the debate in one small Georgia town. Read about it in our new short piece. frontiergroup.org/articles/why...

Apples Not Twinkies Federal farm subsidies help to shape what food is produced and, ultimately, what Americans eat. Current subsidy structures tilt toward crops used in ultra-processed food ingredients, while fruits and ...

Health experts warn of the dangers of ultra-processed foods. So, why do the bulk of federal crop insurance subsidies flow to crops that provide their ingredients?
Our new report with U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Apples Not Twinkies shows the imbalance. frontiergroup.org/resources/ap...

Apples Not Twinkies

Federal crop insurance subsidies for fats and sugars were about 14% higher than subsidies supporting fresh fruits and vegetables from 2022-2024.
Our new report, Apples Not Twinkies, shows how that imbalance helps to shape food production. frontiergroup.org/resources/ap...

Why residents in one small town are fighting data centers I witnessed Appling, Georgia’s fight against three data center developments – one of many similar battles taking place in communities across the country.

Local officials proposed three data centers in one small Georgia town – one of them engulfing 944 acres of land (that’s over 700 football fields). @KylieHanson11 witnessed firsthand how residents are reacting. frontiergroup.org/articles/why...

Massachusetts is taking steps to reduce food waste, but there’s more to be done Massachusetts is strengthening its food waste policies - but eliminating food waste completely will require more than an expanded ban alone.

Each year, roughly one third of all food grown and produced in America goes uneaten. It’s a colossal problem – but it’s a problem that states like Massachusetts have begun to tackle. Read more in our new article. frontiergroup.org/articles/mas...

Massachusetts is taking steps to reduce food waste, but there’s more to be done Massachusetts is strengthening its food waste policies - but eliminating food waste completely will require more than an expanded ban alone.

Massachusetts and other states are making progress on our food waste problem, but there’s room for improvement. Lasting reductions will require investments in preventing food from becoming waste in the first place. Read more in our new article. frontiergroup.org/articles/mas...

Massachusetts is taking steps to reduce food waste, but there’s more to be done Massachusetts is strengthening its food waste policies - but eliminating food waste completely will require more than an expanded ban alone.

States like Massachusetts ban food waste from landfills – a big step to reduce pollution and waste. But, as our new article argues, the most effective way to reduce food waste is to avoid creating it in the first place. frontiergroup.org/articles/mas...

Massachusetts is taking steps to reduce food waste, but there’s more to be done Massachusetts is strengthening its food waste policies - but eliminating food waste completely will require more than an expanded ban alone.

Massachusetts is a leader in tackling our nation’s food waste problem. Now, the state is taking the next step to keep food out of landfills. The policy isn’t perfect – but its gaps point to important next steps. frontiergroup.org/articles/mas...

Massachusetts is taking steps to reduce food waste, but there’s more to be done Massachusetts is strengthening its food waste policies - but eliminating food waste completely will require more than an expanded ban alone.

Massachusetts was among the first states to require large businesses to divert their food and organic waste from landfills. Now, they’re planning for the next step: expanding the policy to all businesses, and eventually to residents. frontiergroup.org/articles/mas...

Our trash: where it comes from, what it's doing to us & better ways to get rid of it The report Trash in America describes the amount of US trash, where it goes & better ways to deal with it. Environment America's Celeste Meiffren-Swango & MASSPIRG's Janet Domenitz join us.

Environment America's Celeste Meiffren-Swango and MASSPIRG’s Janet Domenitz talked about Trash in America, our latest report, on the Deeper Shade of Green podcast. They detail our report findings and share strategies for moving toward a zero waste economy. www.waer.org/podcast/deep...

Small solar power is suddenly everywhere Small solar power is quietly becoming part of everyday life, powering ordinary things like benches, lights and signs. Electricity can now be produced right where it’s needed, making daily infrastructu...

Small solar systems don’t make headlines. But they’re spreading fast. Nilou Yaar’s new piece looks at how small, off-grid solar is quietly reshaping everyday life. frontiergroup.org/articles/sma...

Small solar power is suddenly everywhere Small solar power is quietly becoming part of everyday life, powering ordinary things like benches, lights and signs. Electricity can now be produced right where it’s needed, making daily infrastructu...

"Once I started looking, I realized small solar was everywhere: school zone signs, crosswalk beacons, bus stops, even park benches."
In her new article, Nilou Yaar explores how these tiny systems are becoming part of everyday infrastructure. frontiergroup.org/articles/sma...

Small solar power is suddenly everywhere Small solar power is quietly becoming part of everyday life, powering ordinary things like benches, lights and signs. Electricity can now be produced right where it’s needed, making daily infrastructu...

Solar isn’t just on rooftops anymore. It’s quietly powering benches, streetlights, bus shelters, and traffic signs. Our new article by Nilou Yaar looks at where small solar is showing up – often without us noticing. frontiergroup.org/articles/sma...

PJM to ratchet down projected AI power demand for eastern US An updated analysis from the regional grid operator is expected to provide a reality check on data center growth.

Now we’re seeing evidence that energy demand projections might be too high in some places. PJM is expected to be the second major utility entity to make downward revisions to projected data center energy demand in an upcoming forecast. www.eenews.net/articles/pjm...

How data centers can drive up electricity prices…even if they’re not built In the seventies, high energy demand forecasts led to overinvestment in energy infrastructure that wasn't needed, costing ratepayers big. Now, amid a potential U.S. data center boom, could history rep...

Recently, @QuentinJGood wrote about how high energy demand projections led to costly overinvestment in energy infrastructure in the 70s – and how data centers might be causing a similar problem today. frontiergroup.org/articles/how...

How data centers can drive up electricity prices…even if they’re not built In the seventies, high energy demand forecasts led to overinvestment in energy infrastructure that wasn't needed, costing ratepayers big. Now, amid a potential U.S. data center boom, could history rep...

In December, @quentingood.bsky.social explained how ratepayers might end up paying the price for high energy demand projections for data centers, even if that demand doesn’t materialize.
frontiergroup.org/articles/how...

PJM to ratchet down projected AI power demand for eastern US An updated analysis from the regional grid operator is expected to provide a reality check on data center growth.

@politico.com's E&E News reported that PJM’s upcoming forecast “is expected to provide a reality check on data center growth,” underscoring the high level of uncertainty of the forecasts used to guide billions of dollars in investments. 1/🧵 www.eenews.net/articles/pjm...

How energy experts missed the U.S. oil boom A decade ago, the U.S. lifted long-time restrictions on crude oil exports. Experts said it would be no big deal. They were wrong.

Ten years ago, Congress passed one of the most consequential climate and energy laws in U.S. history. Environmentalists issued dire warnings; experts offered reassurances. We look back at what happened when the U.S. lifted the crude oil export “ban.” frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

How data centers can drive up electricity prices…even if they’re not built In the seventies, high energy demand forecasts led to overinvestment in energy infrastructure that wasn't needed, costing ratepayers big. Now, amid a potential U.S. data center boom, could history rep...

The fallout from overly high energy demand projections in the 1970s and 1980s is a cautionary tale of how overestimating electricity demand can drive up rates – especially as utilities are forecasting skyrocketing demand from data centers. frontiergroup.org/articles/how...

How energy experts missed the U.S. oil boom A decade ago, the U.S. lifted long-time restrictions on crude oil exports. Experts said it would be no big deal. They were wrong.

Is allowing more fossil fuel production a worthwhile trade-off for speeding renewable energy? We look back at a 2015 oil-for-renewables deal in Congress and its unanticipated impacts. frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

How energy experts missed the U.S. oil boom A decade ago, the U.S. lifted long-time restrictions on crude oil exports. Experts said it would be no big deal. They were wrong.

“Energy policy analysts often know much less about the future than the clear lines on their graphs suggest – and that making decisions based on bad or incomplete models can have serious consequences.” frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

Trash in America Our throw-away economy harms our environment, health and climate. Trash in America outlines the costs of this system and a path to a zero-waste future.

About 16.5 million tons of plastic washes into the world’s oceans every year - harming aquatic life. Limiting the use of throw-away plastics can reduce that pollution – one of many steps highlighted in our Trash in America report. frontiergroup.org/resources/tr...

The health benefits of green spaces: How being outdoors helps humans thrive Green spaces improve our quality of life mentally, physically and socially. They are a catalyst for connections and a powerful public health solution.

Green spaces are not merely landscapes of trees and grass – they are crucial to fostering community and improving our physical and mental health. Sarah Collier highlighted the benefits of the outdoors in one of our top 10 articles you may have missed in 2025. frontiergroup.org/articles/the...

Buying LED bulbs: What to look for To get the right efficient lighting for your home, you’ll need to know how to pick the right brightness, color and bulb type from among the many LED options available.

Replacing an energy-wasting fluorescent or incandescent bulb with a more-efficient LED? In one of our top posts from 2025, Elizabeth Ridlington gives guidance on picking the right bulb for any occasion in any home. frontiergroup.org/resources/bu...