WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump proclaimed that he had “ended the war on American energy,” the Washington Post reported Trump will be asking for a 72 percent budget cut for clean energy and energy efficiency programs. At the same time, notorious climate denier and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s home state of Oklahoma has now become the number two state for wind power in the country. Pruitt has previously backed Trump’s budgets that contain cuts to both the EPA and clean energy research.
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.
RICHMOND, VA - The Sierra Club announced today that it and the other parties have reached a settlement on Rappahannock Electric Cooperative’s rate case, pending final approval from the State Corporation Commission.
Citing a lack of economic viability, a city-owned electric utility in Mississippi will close the Henderson Station coal plant in May 2018. The announcement highlights that consumers are continuing to choose clean energy as a superior alternative to dirty, expensive coal-fired electric power plants.
The Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania on Wednesday became the 45th municipality in the United States and second in Pennsylvania to commit to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. The Borough Council voted unanimously to establish a goal of moving West Chester to 100 percent clean and renewable energy just a week after nearby Phoenixville made a similar 100 percent commitment.
The Borough of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania on Tuesday became the 44th municipality in the United States and first in Pennsylvania to commit to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy, showing that communities in the Keystone State are ready to embrace solar, wind, and all forms of renewable energy.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Sierra Club launched a radio advertising campaign this week highlighting how Senate Bill 309, pending in the Indiana House, gives monopoly utilities control of solar power across Indiana. The Indiana House of Representatives will vote on the bill as early as Tuesday.
Moab, Utah – Moab, Utah became the 23rd community in the United States to commit to 100 percent clean, renewable energy on Tuesday.
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).
PUEBLO, Colo. – The Pueblo City Council on Monday approved a resolution committing the city to transition entirely to clean, renewable energy by 2035. Pueblo represents the third city in Colorado and 22nd city in the nation commit to 100% clean, renewable energy.
Boston, MA -- Seventy-four city and town conservation commissions across Massachusetts today urged Governor Charlie Baker to drop his support for wasteful and costly fracked-gas pipelines in Massachusetts.
Ina joint letter, the conservation commissions say new pipelines impede the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals in the Global Warming Solutions Act and Baker’s Integrated Climate Change Strategy.
COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio House of Representatives just passed House Bill 114, which is eerily similar to legislation vetoed by Governor Kasich in December 2016. The legislation dramatically weakens utility requirements to conduct energy efficiency programs, which have been proven to provide big savings for customers, while also making renewable energy requirements completely voluntary.