Say No to Coal Ash!
In Louisiana, the Beyond Coal team has tirelessly worked to challenge new coal-fired power facilities from being built across the state. In the past two years, we have successfully stopped the Little Gypsy coal-fired conversion and the Big Cajun II coal-fired expansion. Currently, we are working to stop the development of dirty industries, such as the Nucor coal-fired iron plant in Saint James Parish and the Leucadia petroleum coke synthetic natural gas plant in Lake Charles, and stop the expansion of coal ash landfills in the state. In conjunction with stopping dirty energy, the Sierra Club is working with state agencies to develop clean energy projects, including a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the state of Louisiana.
Tell the EPA to Regulate Toxic Coal Ash
Recent Happenings
Texas Pollution Affects Louisiana Air Quality
Texas is considering adding 14 new coal plants to its power grid. However, how much of their pollution is going to stay in state? The reality is, pollution doesn't mind state lines and Louisiana is expected to see an increase in bad air days - along with Arkansas and Oklahoma.
In a study recently conducted by the Sierra Club shows that Texas's proposed coal plants will harm various areas along its boards. Contact the Department of Environmental Quality and tell them to tell Texas to clean up its act!
Nucor Annouces Move to Louisiana -
At What Cost?
Letter to the Editor: Reprinted from The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
In a recent editorial ("Positive News on Job Front"), the staff congratulates the state of Louisiana for courting Nucor to Louisiana. But as usual, the ultimate question remains, "At what cost?"
For decades, Louisiana has chased smokestacks in the hopes of achieving economic prosperity. However, we continue to sit at the bottom of the economic barrel, reaching toward polluting industries as an answer to our economic plight.
Nucor has played a game of cat and mouse since the beginning, keeping the public in the dark as to what they really intend to bring to the table. One one hand Nucor is playing up an iron facility that would burn natural gas, leaving little discussion of their ultimate plans to build a coal-fired iron plant that would cause Louisiana to emit more benzene, a known carcinogen, than 30 states combined.
Nucor should be upfront and disclose its complete plans so we may understand the cumulative impacts to our communities, instead of playing a piecemeal game with missing parts.
Louisiana is at a crossroad. We can continue to support jobs that will not shape our communities, and potentially cause increased harm, or we can advocate for jobs that will lead us into the new, clean energy economy. It's our decision, Louisiana.
Which way will we go?
Citizens Rally to tell EPA
to Regulate Toxic Coal Ash
On September 8th, a delegation of energetic Louisiana citizens joined the Sierra Club in Dallas to tell the EPA to regulate toxic coal ash.
Volunteers took the stand to urge the EPA to carry out its mission of protecting human and environmental health by regulating coal ash as a hazardous waste and force industry to internalize the cost that has been a burden on so many communities.
Currently, Louisiana has 11 coal ash landfills across the state, which pose significant harm to surrounding communities. In a recent report, In Harm's Way, all 11 coal ash landfills showed contamination of surrounding groundwater and/or public wells. These risks are avoidable, and with proper regulation, surrounding communities could be alleviated of one less worry.
Join use and send message to the EPA and let them know you support strong regulation of coal ash. action.sierraclub.org/coalash
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