Today, Congressional Republicans passed H.R. 1, the “Polluters Over People Act, which would exacerbate the climate crisis, perpetuate environmental injustices, and jeopardize U.S. economic and national security by extending our country’s reliance on risky and volatile energy sources. The legislation would also undermine bedrock environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, by short-circuiting permitting processes and limiting valuable public input.
Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is hosting an environmental justice and equity roundtable. In a series of panels, FERC Commissioners will explore ways to better uphold these important values in their decisions, which include pipeline permitting, interstate transmission line siting, and liquefied methane gas export facility approvals. The impact of these decisions have historically had an outsized impact on low-income communities and communities of color who bear the burden of pollution and often experience the worst impacts of climate change. Sierra Club’s Executive Director Ben Jealous will participate in the first panel.
Today Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Barbara Lee and Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Cory Booker introduced the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, addressing environmental justice, health equity, and climate justice for underserved communities.
The House of Representatives held two markups on a package of bills that would exacerbate the climate crisis, perpetuate environmental injustices, and undermine US economic and national security by prolonging reliance on risky and volatile energy sources. The bills would also undermine bedrock environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, by short-circuiting permitting processes and limiting valuable public input.
WASHINGTON, DC– Conservation groups sued the Department of Energy (DOE) today for failing to timely respond to their
Newly-introduced bill it would strip away the federal government’s responsibility to consider how LNG exports negatively impact Americans by exacerbating climate change, raising domestic energy prices, and perpetuating environmental injustices. These factors must be taken into account when deciding whether to approve additional LNG export terminals.
In a couple of hearings in Midland, Texas this week, House Committees led by Congressional Republicans pushed harmful messages of the fossil fuel industry in an attempt to expand production in an area already overburdened by pollution from oil and gas companies.
Senator Whitehouse and Representative Khanna have reintroduced the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act, a bill that would provide relief to Americans struggling with price gouging by fossil fuel companies. This type of legislation has wide and bipartisan support amongst voters and Congress should work swiftly to pass it and send it to President Biden to sign.
WASHINGTON, DC -- The public comment period for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed supplemental rule aimed at cutting methane and other emissions from the oil and gas sector ends today.
EAST PALESTINE, OH -- Late Friday evening, a Norfolk Southern Railway train carrying five cars containing millions of pounds of vinyl chloride -- a potent carcinogen used to make PVC pipes, upholstery, plastic kitchenware, and more -- derailed near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, prompting thousands of residents within a two-mile radius to evacuate. Exposure to vinyl chloride is linked to liver cancer and when burned, vinyl chloride produces acutely toxic gases including hydrochloric acid and phosgene.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding public hearings on a new draft rule aimed at cutting methane and other emissions from the oil and gas sector. Hearings start today and will run through January 12. The agency will hear from people across the country urging it to further strengthen the draft rule, which was released late last year, and quickly finalize and implement it so communities can realize its emission reduction benefits as soon as possible.
The White House selected Commissioner Willie Phillips to be the Acting Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the nation’s independent energy regulator. Strong leadership at FERC, as well as a fifth commissioner, is crucial to advance climate and energy reliability issues and avoid gridlock.