A federal appeals court today ruled that the U.S. Forest Service broke the law by failing to consider an alternative that would protect the Gunnison National Forest’s Pilot Knob area from coal mining. The decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals directs the lower court to vacate an exception that allowed the Forest Service to approve coal mining in roadless forests in the Gunnison River’s North Fork.
RICHMOND, VA - The Birchwood and Chesterfield coal-fired plants are the latest coal plants to announce retirement among the hundreds to retire in the last decade. These coal plants are simply no longer viable in today’s energy market, and represent an outdated form of energy generation that fuels the climate crisis.
Former coal lobbyist and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler proposed another dangerous rule today that will allow unlined, toxic coal ash ponds to stay open longer, and even permit their owners to use toxic material as part of the structures they are developing to permanently close the ponds.
Today, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) asked the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) for permission to sell its 25% ownership stake in Colstrip Unit 4 to NorthWestern Energy, a Montana-based utility that intends to run the plant for the next 20 years. A copy of the filing is available HERE.
Today, the Trump-appointed, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expanded its disastrous energy pricing scheme into New York’s electricity market, a move that will drive up costs and undermine the state’s nationally recognized Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Following a multi-million dollar settlement with the owner of the E.D. Edwards coal plant, Peoria-area organizations met today at Mt. Zion Baptist Church to celebrate the grants being awarded as part of the settlement process. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit and three community partner organizations who advised during the selection process announced a wide range of projects that will help the community transition as the plant prepares to retire.
The Surface Transportation Board announced today that it will start a review to determine if the Clean Water Act still applies to rail cars that transport coal and other polluting products near and over America’s waterways.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Sierra Club this week launched a statewide radio ad campaign urging residents to demand that the state Senate reject HB 1414, a piece of dangerous and unnecessary legislation that would slow the retirement of Indiana’s aging, polluting coal fleets, lead to higher bills for families and businesses, and worsen the climate crisis.
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a public comment session on the state of Utah’s do-nothing regional haze plan. In April 2019, Utah submitted a regional haze proposal to the EPA for the third time in eight years to continue operation of the Hunter and Huntington coal plants without pollution controls.
This week the 37-year-old Sims coal fired power plant in Grand Haven will be shut down permanently in accordance with plans made one year ago by the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power after sustained advocacy by Sierra Club, its local volunteers along with many community members.
Today, NorthWestern Energy asked the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) for pre-approval to buy an additional 25% stake in Colstrip Unit 4 from Puget Sound Energy (PSE), potentially locking its customers into even higher electricity bills to pay for the aging, costly plant for the next 20 years.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House today passed HB 1414, a bill that would require the state’s utility regulatory commission to approve coal plant closures. The bill would also let electric utilities recover the costs for more coal, thereby incentivizing them to buy more coal and pass that cost onto customers.