Boise, ID -- Today the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against the City of Boise challenging a 70-year-old ordinance that unconstitutionally restricts the use of loudspeakers and megaphones in public spaces. The lawsuit asks Idaho’s federal court to halt enforcement of that ordinance and others like it because they violate First Amendment rights by restricting free speech and creating a "chilling effect" on protest.
Kansas City, MO - Despite much of the Midwest experiencing the warmest winter on record, Evergy is still dragging its feet on retiring expensive, coal-burning power plants and building out enough renewable energy. That’s what Evergy, the second largest electric utility in Missouri, announced when it filed its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with state regulators yesterday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Today, after years of dedicated community advocacy and activism, the Tennessee Valley Authority finalized its plan to retire the 1,700-megawatt Kingston coal plant in Roane County, Tenn. The federal utility issued the final decision to decommission all nine units in 2027. This is the 382nd coal plant to announce a retirement since the start of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign.
Helena, MT - On Thursday, March 28, 2024, the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) rejected a law passed by the 2023 Montana legislature that would have weakened water quality protections required of coal mines. OSM’s decision ensures the law will not go into effect in Montana. It found the new Montana law was weaker than minimum federal requirements in six significant ways. OSM only ruled on HB 576, one of two bills that were challenged at the legislature and in court by ranchers and conservation groups. The other bill, SB 392, is still awaiting a final decision by OSM.
Washington, DC — Today, the Ride for the Region Challenge launched to spur transit ridership and cut transportation pollution. Eight employers, including universities, non-profits, and companies throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia, are participating in a public transportation competition to get more folks enjoying regional bus and rail services.
Washington, D.C.: Last Friday, the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sustainable FERC Project filed a protest challenging Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) proposed capacity accreditation methodologies, arguing they threaten reliability by ignoring the facts of fossil fuel underperforming and renewables overperforming when power is needed most. Additionally, the groups filed a Federal Power Act Section 206 complaint challenging the existing accreditation methodologies for those resources that SPP is trying to replace.
Madison, WI - Today, Governor Evers vetoed SB139/AB137, a bill that would have forced the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish a wolf population goal.
In a landmark victory, the Sierra Club, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy have reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address the longstanding issue of ionic toxicity pollution in West Virginia streams caused by coal mining.
Washington, D.C – In response to legal action by Earthjustice, Environment Integrity Project, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Sierra Club, the Environmental Protection Agency published notice of a proposed consent decree that includes deadlines for the agency to take action on 33 states’ plans to reduce haze pollution that harms air quality in national parks and wilderness areas.
Today marks one year since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hosted an environmental justice and equity roundtable intended to explore ways FERC Commissioners could better uphold these important values in their decisions. To date, FERC has not taken further action.