Boston, M.A.--Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker gave his State of the State address today highlighting the state’s 2018 priorities. In the address, Governor Baker touted the state’s #1 energy efficiency ranking in the county and mentioned various commitments to renewable energy initiatives including the largest renewable energy procurement in Massachusetts’ history and the beginning stages of a process that could lead to the construction of the largest offshore wind operation in the nation.
Memphis, Tenn. — A new report shows that the White Bluff and Independence coal-fired power plants operated by the largest utility in Arkansas, Entergy, emit enough pollution to raise the levels of unhealthy ozone smog in the Memphis area.
The Clean Power Coalition - Southeast Wisconsin is urging We Energies to improve both its air quality monitoring and data reporting to better protect the health of families living near the utility’s coal-burning Oak Creek and Elm Road power plants. On behalf of the Clean Power Coalition, Steve Slavens, Chair of the organization’s Data Committee, has sent a letter today to Kevin Fletcher, President of We Energies.
This is the third time Dynegy is seeking revisions to the Multi Pollutant Standard. The latest proposed changes come after eight months of backdoor talks between Dynegy and Gov. Rauner’s Illinois EPA, whose Director came under fire in the Chicago Tribune last week for his close ties to the company, highlighted by a lawsuit about Illinois’ failure to ensure conflict of interest safeguards are in place. Wednesday’s hearing is the first time the public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposal in front of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- In response to legal action by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Sierra Club, and Waterkeeper Alliance, DEQ today announced that it will no longer permit natural streams as pollution-carrying discharge channels at Duke Energy’s Marshall steam station.
Annapolis, M.D. – Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh with Senate President Thomas Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch hosted a public hearing today on the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, underscoring the critical notion that Maryland stands with people across the state and around the nation who are committed to a carbon-pollution-free future.
Conservation groups filed an amended complaint today to sue the US Environmental Protection Agency for failing to ensure that Illinois’ Clean Air Act state implementation plan includes measures to prohibit conflicts of interest on state boards and agency leadership overseeing regulatory matters on air pollution. The groups sued EPA this fall for failing to ensure the same protective measures are in place in Mississippi and Alabama.
The Sierra Club is debuting a new audio project and attendees will hear selected stories before participating in a short Q&A with experts and people personally affected by the climate crisis.
ATLANTA, GA —The state’s Public Service Commission today failed consumers by approving Georgia Power’s proposal to finish Plant Vogtle, a slipshod nuclear project plagued by multi-year construction delays, bankruptcy, and a cost that has ballooned to more than $25 billion.
This afternoon, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) chose not to vote to accelerate the closure of the Martin Drake coal plant, located downtown. Despite strong public and business support for early closure, the CSU Board said they need more details about the costs of operating the aging coal plant even as other cities and utilities throughout the country have begun transitioning to new, clean energy generation.
A new report demonstrates that two power plants operated by Entergy, the largest utility in Arkansas, are emitting enough pollution to make the unhealthy ozone smog problems worse in the St. Louis area. The report shows that smog-forming emissions from the Entergy White Bluff and Independence coal plants are elevating ozone levels by more than 4 times the amount public health agencies qualify as significant amount. Moreover, the plants are significantly impacting St. Louis ozone levels around 22 days per summer. These dangerous emissions of smog causing Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) could be reduced by 98% or more by installing Selective Catalytic Reduction, a widely used pollution control that has been around for more than 20 years.
This is more smoke and mirrors than an actual commitment to get off dirty fossil fuels, reduce climate pollution and meet our state’s climate goals. Puget Sound Energy is likely to exceed this commitment under the status quo, as previous commitments to retire some of its dirty coal plants go ahead in the coming years.