Washington, DC -- EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s taxpayer-covered tab continues to skyrocket, even surpassing embattled Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. Since taking office in January, Pruitt has spent at least close to $60,000 on private planes, nearly $25,000 on a soundproof privacy booth in his already secure EPA office, and more than $830,000 in only a three month period on unprecedented of around-the-clock security, totalling close to a $1 million tab for the American taxpayers.
Widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Illinois could bring the state up to $43 billion in cumulative benefits by 2050 stemming from reduced utility bills, Illinois driver savings on fuel, vehicle expenses, and carbon pollution reduction, according to a new analysis by M.J. Bradley & Associates that was commissioned by the Charge Up Midwest coalition.
Beallsville, MD--Today the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) hosted the second of three hearings this week allowing for public comments on their proposals to update water pollution permits for the Morgantown, Dickerson, and Chalk Point coal-fired power plants. The Sierra Club with local residents and allied organizations spoke out for stronger protections to keep coal waste and toxins out of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s drinking water.
WASHINGTON, DC - In a statement to Reuters, a DHS spokesman revealed that the Trump Administration is refusing to waive the Jones Act, a shipping restriction, in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Last month the DHS waived this restriction for the areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to assist in recovery by providing increased access to resources such as gasoline. Their decision to withhold these same provision from the victims of Hurricane Maria has been met with pushback from several members of Congress, including Rep. Keith Ellison, and Sen. John McCain.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks will hold a hearing today focused on encouraging the next generation to visit national parks.
Washington, DC -- EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt appears to be seeking to one-up Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price as he comes under fire for racking up hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on private plane use.
Today, Prairie Rivers Network, Springfield Branch of the NAACP and the Sangamon Valley Group of the Sierra Club announced a joint filing of a complaint with the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) against City Water, Light and Power’s (CWLP) Dallman Coal Plant for over 600 cases of self-reported groundwater violations since 2010. These include violations for arsenic, lead, boron, chromium, manganese, iron and other pollutants.
Last week, Citigroup and JPMorgan announced their commitments to power all their operations with renewable energy by 2020. However, both banks continue to invest in dirty fossil fuel pipelines and other projects that contribute to climate change and threaten human rights.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, the Sierra Club filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a challenge to Florida Southeast Connection’s (FSC) request for fast-track authorization to extend the fracked gas Sabal Trail Pipeline, in what is called the Okeechobee lateral project. The project would supply a massive new gas-burning power plant that FSC’s affiliate, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), wants to put into service in 2019.
Longview, Washington – The Washington Department of Ecology denied a necessary water quality permit for the proposed Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export facility in Longview today, citing the project’s negative impacts on climate, clean air and water. Absent a successful legal challenge to the decision, the denial renders the project formally dead. The decision can be found here: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/fed-permit/pdf/201001225WQC15417.pdf