ALBANY, NY – In a major win for the climate and public health, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized four separate standards today that will slash air, water, and carbon pollution from power plants. These critically needed safeguards will improve air and water quality for families, particularly for New York communities suffering from air pollution produced by coal plants in neighboring states and regions, such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Department of the Interior announced it will restart an analysis of the climate, health and economic impacts from mining and burning coal from public lands -- a review that began during the Obama administration.
In response, representatives of Sierra Club released the following statements:
Boston, MA -- Today, Mayor Kim Janey announced Reverend Mariama White-Hammond will be Boston’s new Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space. An environmental justice advocate for years, Rev. White-Hammond will be responsible for leading the Cabinet in achieving its mission of enhancing environmental justice and quality of life for Boston residents by protecting air, water, climate, and land resources. The position which includes preserving and improving the integrity of Boston's architectural and historic resources was previously held by Chris Cook who has been named the next Executive Director of The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.
Hartford, C.T.--Governor Lamont’s Council on Climate Change released their final Phase 1 report on how the state can meet its climate goals of 45% carbon reductions by 2030.
Killingly, CT -- Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), tasked with protecting the state’s waterways and environment, issued a draft determination approving the water quality certification for a pipeline that would fuel the controversial Killingly fracked gas plant. The proposed 2.8 mile pipeline would tear through vital wetlands and streams, including a native brook trout stream, and would destroy habitat for state-listed endangered species including the Northern long-eared owl and American bittern.
Harrisburgh, P.A. - Governor Wolf vetoed House Bill 2025 today, which would have removed the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) legal authority to regulate carbon dioxide pollution from any source within the Commonwealth. The bill would’ve prevented Pennsylvania’s participation in the "cap-and-invest" program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
Harrisburgh, P.A. - The Environmental Quality Board (EQB) approved the proposed draft of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) rule today, the nation’s first regional program that sets a declining limit on carbon dioxide pollution, and generates funding for clean energy by requiring owners of fossil fuel power plants to pay for their climate changing pollution.
Philadelphia, PA — The Third Circuit Federal Court of Appeals rejected the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of a weak air pollution rule today that would allow coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania to exceed pollution limits.
Boston, M.A.-- The Massachusetts House voted on H.4912, a proposed rewrite of a Senate bill passed in January. The bill would create carbon emissions targets for 2030 and 2040, requiring the state to reduce emissions by 50% and 75% below 1990 levels respectively. The bill also would establish a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, create a clean energy equity workforce, and fund energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades for public housing, just to name a few. It was amended to include essential protections for environmental justice communities that are already suffering from environmental pollution and climate impacts.
Harrisburg, P.A. - Today, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released the modeling analysis results for Pennsylvania’s proposed draft rule to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The draft rule would eliminate 180 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution from power plants by 2030, while keeping the state a leading exporter of electricity.
Pittsburgh, P.A. - Former coal lobbyist for Murray Energy and current EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced another rollback of a key water safeguards today -- a move that will allow the vast majority of coal plants across the country to dump their toxic industrial sludge into the drinking water of millions of Americans.
Hartford, CT -- Thirty-five Connecticut-based organizations delivered a letter today to Commissioner Katie Dykes of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) urging her to stop the construction of a recently approved fracked gas power plant in Killingly and impose a moratorium on all new gas and oil infrastructure until DEEP develops a plan for energy development that is consistent with the state’s climate goals.