December 9, 2020
Former coal lobbyist, and soon to be former EPA Administrator, Andrew Wheeler finalized new requirements today which change how EPA calculates the costs and benefits for its clean air protections.
Press Releases
December 8, 2020
Kansas City, MO -- The spread of COVID-19 is raging, but utility disconnect moratoria in Kansas and Missouri have expired. While the near-term distribution of vaccines means the end of the pandemic may be in sight, in the meantime elected and utility leaders need to do everything possible to ensure the very real suffering of people is eased until the pandemic is under control.
December 8, 2020
Today a coalition of Seattle-area climate organizations sent a letter to King County Executive Dow Constantine, the County Council and the head of King County Metro, asking that the county stop letting the fossil fuel industry use county transit for advertising. Partnership for Energy Progress, an industry front group pushing for the expanded use of fracked gas in the Pacific Northwest, has paid the county to use the sides of buses for advertising since this summer.
December 7, 2020
Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released a proposed authorization that would allow for the harassment of threatened polar bears as part of destructive seismic testing for oil in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Much of the Arctic Refuge is designated as critical habitat for polar bears because mother bears den and nurture their cubs there during the winter.
December 7, 2020
Lansing, MI - Despite a coalition of 15 stakeholders opposing the bill, the Michigan House passed HB 6233 on Wednesday, legislation that would stifle the state’s ability to reach its climate goals by banning electric vehicle manufacturers from providing direct sales and service on their products.
The Senate is expected to consider the bill this week.
December 7, 2020
Former coal lobbyist turned EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler ignored the recommendations of EPA scientists and public health experts today by finalizing his proposal to not correct the legal limit for dangerous particulate matter pollution, also known as soot.
December 6, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors (AVRO) Act was signed into law as part of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act (H.R.8247), a package of bills addressing healthcare and suicide prevention for veterans.
December 4, 2020
In the final text version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) released today, Congress has denied the Defense Department’s request to seize more than 1.7 million acres of land in Desert National Wildlife Refuge and other public lands for military bombing ranges. The decision comes after Tribal Nations, conservationists and communities joined to push back on the proposal.
New York Establishes Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) to Accelerate Clean Energy Development
December 3, 2020
New York — New York created the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) as per the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act that passed in the 2020 NYS budget. ORES will keep local communities at the center of developing local zoning policy, preserves local participation, and provides towns with the funding needed to meaningfully engage in the siting process. The state recently released the draft rules that will establish how ORES evaluates wind and solar projects.
December 3, 2020
Charleston, WV -- Today, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC), Appalachian Voices, and the Sierra Club filed a settlement with Bluestone Coal Company that will hold the company responsible for releasing illegal levels of toxic selenium pollution into the Tug River from its Red Fox coal mine located in McDowell County, West Virginia. The settlement compels Bluestone to take actions to come into compliance with selenium limits in its Clean Water Act permit and pay $270,000 to the West Virginia Land Trust.