Charleston, WV -- Today, West Virginia governor and perennial legal defendant Jim Justice attacked thousands of grassroots activists and everyday West Virginians working to address the climate crisis and harmful pollution by moving America off of fossil fuels. Meanwhile, policy that would support coal communities in transition and ensure workers have a pension sits on a shelf. Justice decried Michael Bloomberg’s “Beyond Carbon” initiative, suggesting that West Virginia continue to rely on deadly, outdated fossil fuels such as coal, as the United States quickly moves to a clean energy economy.
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved Consumers Energy long-term resource plan that includes significant investments in clean energy. Environmental organizations including Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Sierra Club, represented by Olson, Bzdok & Howard and Earthjustice, advocated for significant increases in energy efficiency programs, renewable energy investments and the retirement of the utility’s coal fleet.
Last week Texas based energy giant, Dynegy announced that it has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Cubs to become the Official and Exclusive Energy Provider for the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. Since Dynegy completed a $1.74 billion merger with Vistra Energy, the Texas-based corporation is the largest electric sector polluter not only in Illinois but nationally. Coal power plants are major contributors to climate change, and release toxic air and water pollution that is extremely dangerous to human health.
Yesterday the Bureau of Land Management released a new environmental review of the largest coal mine expansion in the history of federal coal leasing - Arch Coal’s Black Thunder and Peabody’s North Antelope Rochelle mines in Wyoming.
Today, 125 locals and activists gathered to oppose Governor Herbert’s energy agenda by convening their own People's Response to the Governor's Energy Summit in support of just transitions away from fossil fuels for rural, coal-dependent communities, ratepayers, and communities suffering from environmental injustices.
Governor Jared Polis of Colorado signed seven major new bills into law today that will significantly transform Colorado’s energy and environmental landscape, and guide the state towards the Governor’s 100% clean, renewable electricity goals.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Following a weekend of heavy storms and record flooding, the Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club has formally requested that both the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conduct a field investigation as soon as possible to determine whether unpermitted discharges of coal ash are occurring.
Monday the Illinois Legislature passed SB9, the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act, which now heads to the Governor’s desk. The groundbreaking bill addresses the many waste pits filled with coal ash, the toxic byproduct of burning coal, located all over the state. Illinois is now the third state in the country to pass legislation providing significant coal ash protections above and beyond federal requirements.
Rockville, MD -- A Maryland Circuit Court ruled in favor of local community members and environmentalists on a power plant owner’s efforts to block safeguards protecting clean water in the state at the Chalk Point power plant in Prince George’s County.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- At noon on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, the Sierra Club will hold a rally opposing OG&E’s proposed rate hike. OG&E is requesting to force ratepayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for excessively costly work on OG&E’s Sooner coal-burning power plant. The rally will take place prior to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's (OCC) hearing on the rate increase, the afternoon of Tuesday, May 28, and there will be space for media.
esterday, media outlets reported that former coal lobbyist and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a memo to several EPA offices, directing them to change how they calculate cost and benefits for environmental protection in an effort to undercut the agency’s use of peer reviewed science in the development of new rules.