Celeste Gracia
Environment ReporterCeleste Gracia has been at ¼ª²ÊÍøÍøÕ¾ since September 2019. She moved over as environment reporter after starting off as morning producer. She's interested in covering several topics within her beat, including climate change and environmental justice.
Celeste graduated from the University of North Texas. She previously interned at CBS News Radio in New York and Morning Edition in Washington D.C.
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There are three groundwater standards for PFAS under consideration. Public comment overwhelmingly supports the proposed regulations, but is also pushing for more action. -
Duke Energy plans to rebuild three of its substations in western North Carolina after Helene’s catastrophic damage. Some resiliency factors include elevating facilities to higher ground and building flood walls. -
Clean energy advocates say the revised Carbon Plan moves away from fossil fuels too slowly. The plan also pushes back a state goal to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030. -
Helene destroyed farmers' land, crops and equipment. In Henderson County, widely known for its apple farms, damages could reach up to $50 million for the county’s 450 farms. -
The Moriah Energy Center is a liquified natural gas storage facility under construction in Person County. Some community members worry the project will cause toxic air and water pollution. -
Rising heat is making outdoor jobs more difficult, dangerous... and even deadly. -
The National Centers for Environmental Information, located in Asheville, is working to restore its services after suffering damage from Helene. While existing records are safe, the research institute has not ingested any new data since Sept. 26. -
With a quickly warming climate, the push to implement heat-related protections for outdoor workers is even more urgent. Worker protections are a central issue in this year's race for North Carolina's labor commissioner. -
Workers who labor on farms and construction sites experience extreme heat frequently in the workplace, but there are also service workers who face extreme heat. -
Recent deaths are setting off a wake-up call across North Carolina about the harsh conditions outdoor workers face amid rising temperatures and scant workplace protections.
