WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced today that coal production dropped 18 percent in 2016, putting it at its lowest levels since 1978. The announcement comes at historic levels of clean energy growth in the American energy market, with solar and wind outpacing fossil fuels in new capacity additions for the past two years and clean energy jobs far exceeding fossil fuel jobs in 2016, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
Lansing, MI - Today, the Michigan Public Utilities Service Commission issued a decision allowing Consumers Energy to increase their customer's electricity bills. In approving that rate hike, the Commission required that Consumers Energy run a cost/benefit analysis on its aging coal fleet and provide that detailed analysis on their next general rate case filing. EarthJustice and Olson, Bzdok, & Howard represented the Sierra Club in this rate case.
This week, Myron Ebell, the former head of President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team, said he expects the agency to see significant cuts in its budget and workforce-- by up to at least half to begin with.
Washington, DC -- Today, just after Donald Trump signed an executive order meant to undermine U.S. climate policy, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signed a Secretarial Order cancelling the moratorium on new and modified coal leasing on public lands. The temporary pause was put in place by the Obama Administration in 2016 as taxpayers were losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year while public lands, critical water resources, and the climate were being threatened and damaged.
WASHINGTON D.C. -- As a result of an Open Records Act request and lawsuit filed by the Center for Media and Democracy, on Tuesday night the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office released a batch of more than 7,500 pages of emails and other records it withheld prior to Scott Pruitt’s nomination as EPA Administrator last Friday.
The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) voted today to formally approve the development of New York’s first ever, and the nation’s largest, offshore wind farm, located off the east end of Long Island.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Donald Trump signed an executive order today to begin the process of repealing several Obama-era executive actions tackling the climate crisis and protecting clean air and water. Trump’s order includes steps to begin the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan and attacks on protections to clean air and clean water.
The Clean Power Plan protects the health of Oklahoma’s families and communities by curbing dangerous carbon pollution and reducing other toxic pollutants like mercury, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide.
Oakland, Calif. - Today Earthjustice, representing San Francisco Baykeeper and the Sierra Club, filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit from Oakland Bulk & Oversized Terminal, LLC, owned by private developer Phil Tagami, challenging Oakland’s ban on handling and storage of coal in Oakland.
Today, President Trump issued a freeze on all new grants and contracts awarded to states through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This decision will cut off financial support for states wanting to clean up air and water pollution. Jobs in the west could also take a hit as grants and contracts given to communities for clean up efforts create thousands of remediation jobs in the region.
Austin, TX - Donald Trump signed an executive order today to begin the process of repealing several Obama-era executive actions tackling the climate crisis and protecting clean air and water. Trump’s order includes steps to begin the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan and attacks on the Clean Air Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Donald Trump signed into law a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that scrapped the Stream Protection Rule (SPR) and put the health of thousands of Americans living near coal mining sites at serious risk.
Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri issued a decision holding Ameren Missouri liable for violations of the Clean Air Act at its Rush Island coal plant in Jefferson County, Missouri.