2015
Dec. 9 - EPA Moves To Protect Buffalo River, Other Wild Areas From Texas Air Pollution
Nov. 17 - Congressional Vote Against the Clean Power Plan Undermines Public Health
Nov. 3 - U.S. District Court Rules For Sierra Club; Sets Final Date For Clean Air Plan
Oct. 22 - AR Sierra Club Applauds Finalized Clean Power Plan; Responds To Latest Frivolous Attack By AG Rutledge
Sep. 8 - Sierra Club Moves for Summary Judgment in Lawsuit Against EPA; Works to Protect Arkansas's Air
- - - - - - (The Sep 8 Press Release is posted on the National Sierra Club web site)
Jun. 29 - ARKANSAS SIERRA CLUB STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION
Decision Supports Sierra Club Efforts to Stop Wasteful Coal Plant Retrofits in Arkansas
Jun. 22 - SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL LESLIE RUTLEDGE
- - - - - - - - - Of Eight Intervenors, AG Only Attempts to Stop Sierra Club From Participating
Apr. 8 - Sierra Club Receives $30M Gift From Bloomberg Philanthropies
Mar. 24 - Sierra Club Response To Attorney General Rutledge's U.S. Senate Committee Testimony
Mar. 11 - EPA Proposes New Haze Restrictions in Arkansas
- - - - - - (The March 11 Press Release is posted on the National Sierra Club web site)
Feb. 24 - Arkansas Sierra Club Response To Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Feb. 13 - Sierra Club Statement In Response To Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
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The following is the text of the December 9 press release:
EPA Moves To Protect Buffalo River, Other Wild Areas From Texas Air Pollution
Arkansas Sierra Club applauds plan to clear the air, improve public health
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Contact: Jessica Herrera, jessica.herrera@sierraclub.org, (520) 260-1725
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a plan today to address serious air pollution coming from Texas that is dramatically reducing visibility at the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area in Arkansas as well as the Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks in Texas. Pollution from Texas’s outdated coal-fired power plants drifts across state lines and affects visibility and public health from Colorado to Louisiana. Coal plants in Texas emit more pollution than coal plants in any other state.
Under a Clean Air Act protection called the Regional Haze Rule, states are required to develop plans to clean up pollution and improve air quality at national parks and wilderness areas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality put forward a do-nothing plan in 2009, now rejected by the EPA, that the commission admitted would not have cleared the air for more than 140 years and did not require a single Texas power plant to install pollution controls. The amount of haze-forming SO2 pollution the EPA’s plan will reduce is as much as the total amount of SO2 pollution from all the power plants in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana combined.
The clean-air protections put in place today require pollution reductions from Luminant’s Big Brown, Martin Lake, Monticello, and Sandow coal plants; NRG’s Limestone plant; the GDF Suez Coleto Creek plant; Xcel Energy’s Tolk plant; and the San Miguel Electric Cooperative plant.
In response to the plan, Glen Hooks, director of the Sierra Club’s Arkansas Chapter, released the following statement:
“We’re glad to see the EPA holding Texas coal-fired power plants accountable for the haze they send to their neighbors.
“Haze pollution does more than mar the beautiful wilderness areas of The Natural State, it hurts our state’s economy and restricts our vibrant tourism sector. Worse still, sulfur dioxide, the pollutant that causes haze, harms people’s health. Sulfur dioxide reacts with other compounds in the air to form fine particles that penetrate sensitive parts of the lungs and can aggravate respiratory and heart diseases. Airborne fine particles are linked to increased hospital admissions, missed work and school and premature death.
“While coal plants in Arkansas still need to clean up their act, we’re glad to see the EPA taking strong action to clean up our air and create commonsense safeguards that will protect our health from Texas polluters.”
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The following is the text of the November 17 press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
501.744.2674 or glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
Congressional Vote Against the Clean Power Plan Undermines Public Health
Senators Boozman and Cotton Oppose Clean Air Protections
Polluter-backed Congressional resolutions to block the Clean Power Plan (Senate Joint Resolutions 24 and 23) passed the U.S. Senate today in spite of widespread public support for the policy’s life-saving steps to curb unlimited carbon pollution from power plants for the first time ever. These legislative efforts to block the policy are expected to be vetoed by President Obama.
The resolutions are an extreme and controversial legislative tool that fall under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress to nullify a final administrative rulemaking. According to the Government Accountability Office, lawmakers have only struck down one rule using CRA resolutions in 43 attempts and this tactic has been called extreme by both sides of the aisle.
Both U.S. Senators from Arkansas, John Boozman and Tom Cotton, voted in favor of the resolutions and against clean air protections.
In response, the Arkansas Sierra Club issued the following statement from its Director, Glen Hooks:
“We are very disappointed in Senators Boozman and Cotton, who today put the fossil fuel industry first by voting against the Clean Power Plan, which will save thousands of lives every year and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
“These legislative gimmicks are just distractions from the great benefits the Clean Power Plan will bring to Arkansas. The policy will protect our air and water from carbon pollution while promoting our transition to a clean energy economy, which will bring good jobs and more opportunities from 21st century energy technologies like solar and wind.
"Senators Boozman and Cotton should stop wasting time and start supporting common-sense safeguards that protect Arkansas from carbon pollution and help transition us to a clean energy economy.”
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
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The following is the text of the November 3 press release:
November 3rd, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Glen Hooks
501.744.2674/glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
U.S. DISTRICT COURT RULES FOR SIERRA CLUB; SETS FINAL DATE FOR CLEAN AIR PLAN
Order Dismisses AR Attorney General Rutledge's Argument That Sierra Club Lacked Standing to Sue
United States District Court Judge Leon Holmes today issued an order in Sierra Club's lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ruling that the EPA had failed to meet a statutory deadline for issuing a long-overdue regional haze plan for Arkansas. Judge Holmes ordered the EPA to finalize the Arkansas plan no later than August 31st, 2016.
The case at bar is Sierra Club v. McCarthy, NO. 4:14CV00643 JLH (E.D. Arkansas, Western Division)
Importantly, the order also dismissed the State of Arkansas's argument that the Sierra Club lacked legal standing to bring the lawsuit on behalf of its Arkansas members. Earlier this year, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge intervened in the case and attempted to block Sierra Club's ability to sue EPA over its failure to meet a statutory deadline for action on regional haze.
In response to the ruling, the Sierra Club of Arkansas issued the following statement from its Director, Glen Hooks:
"Sierra Club is very pleased with Judge Holmes's ruling in our favor. We now have a deadline for EPA to finalize a plan protecting our national parks and wilderness areas from haze pollution. EPA missed its statutory deadline to act, and EPA now has a court-ordered deadline to act as a result of Sierra Club's lawsuit.
"We believe the best way to do lessen haze pollution is by scheduling the retirement of the giant Entergy coal plants that contribute to haze in Arkansas and Missouri. As the CEO of Entergy Arkansas himself has stated, scrubbing 40 year old coal plants at a cost of hundreds of millions of ratepayer dollars would be the worst possible choice for Arkansas families. We encourage EPA to finalize a strong plan that eliminates the haze impact from both the White Bluff plant and Independence plants. Iconic places like the Buffalo River in Arkansas and the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri deserve clean air.
"Judge Holmes also wisely dismissed Attorney General Rutledge's flimsy argument against allowing Sierra Club to sue EPA. We have thousands of Arkansas Sierra Club members negatively affected by haze pollution, and they have the clear legal right to be heard. Arguments to the contrary ignore years of legal precedent, and Judge Holmes firmly ruled against Rutledge on her standing argument.
"Today's decision is a big win for Arkansas in terms of both our public health and our environment. Sierra Club will continue doing everything possible to protect our clean air here in The Natural State."
From EarthJustice Attorney Matthew Gerhart:
“EPA’s proposed standards would dramatically reduce air pollution from the largest sources of air pollution in Arkansas. These protections would prevent tens of thousands of tons of air pollution. EPA should finalize standards as soon as possible.”
The District Court order is attached to this email.
# # #
--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
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The following is the text of the October 22 press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22nd, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
501.744.2674 or 501.301.8280/glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
AR SIERRA CLUB APPLAUDS FINALIZED CLEAN POWER PLAN; RESPONDS TO LATEST FRIVOLOUS ATTACK BY AG RUTLEDGE
Clean Power Plan Is Great for Arkansas Economy, Health, and Environment
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency published the final version of its "Clean Power Plan", which establishes the first-ever federal protections from unlimited carbon dioxide emissions for existing power plants. The Clean Power Plan aims to reduce overall carbon emissions in the United States by 32% by the year 2030, and by 36% in the state of Arkansas. The new rule aims to help reduce carbon pollution, a greenhouse gas that is leading to global climate disruption.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today joined in a lawsuit to block the Clean Power Plan, inserting the state into a suit at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals led by the Attorney General of West Virginia. This same federal court has twice dismissed Rutledge's actions against the Clean Power Plan--once dismissing a challenge as "premature" since the suit was brought against a draft version of the rule, and later denying a Rutledge motion for a stay of the Clean Power Plan prior to it becoming final today.
The Chair of the Arkansas Public Service Commission (Ted Thomas) and the Director of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (Becky Keogh) have already begun working with community stakeholders in our state to draft the Arkansas steps toward complying with the Clean Power Plan.
In response, the Arkansas Sierra Club released the following statement from its Director, Glen Hooks:
"Sierra Club supports the Clean Power Plan and applauds the EPA for taking this important step. Reducing carbon pollution is a critical step in cleaning up our air quality in Arkansas and the nation. The EPA has given Arkansas a great deal of flexibility in how to meet our carbon reduction goals. If we do it intelligently, we can improve our state's air quality, our health, and our economy.
"While Arkansas's utilities, state agencies, and environmental groups are already working to reduce carbon pollution, Attorney General Rutledge is engaged in yet another attack on clean air protections. Since assuming office in January, Rutledge has lined up against every single clean air protection she can find. Endless and expensive legal fights against clean air are not what we should get from our Attorney General, but it's sadly what we have come to expect. I fully expect that her latest anti-clean air filing, like her previously unsuccessful challenges to the Clean Power Plan, will be rejected by the courts.
"Sierra Club looks forward to continuing its work with other Arkansas stakeholders to craft a smart carbon pollution reduction plan, and to helping to usher in the era of clean energy for Arkansans everywhere."
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
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The September 8 press release from Glen Hooks is on the national Sierra Club web site:
Sierra Club Moves for Summary Judgment in Lawsuit Against EPA; Works to Protect Arkansas's Air
The latest re Sierra Club's federal lawsuit against EPA--we will not rest until the law is followed and our important Arkansas treasures are protected. Cleaning up our air in The Natural State can't wait. [Glen Hooks}
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The following is the text of the June 29 press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29th, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 301-8280 or (501) 744-2674
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
ARKANSAS SIERRA CLUB STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION
Decision Supports Sierra Club Efforts to Stop Wasteful Coal Plant Retrofits in Arkansas
In a 5-4 decision this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standard ("MATS"). This rule placed reasonable limits on the amount of mercury and other toxic air pollutants that can be emitted from dirty coal-fired power plants. The Court ruled that the EPA should have considered the financial cost of coal plant retrofits as part of the rulemaking process.
The MATS protections, which were finalized in 2012, require coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions of toxic mercury by 91 percent and strongly curtail the emissions of other toxic pollutants, like arsenic, chromium, and hydrochloric acid gas, that are connected with a litany of health problems. These protections are largely aimed at protecting young children and expectant mothers, since exposure to mercury in the womb can lead to lifelong neurological damage and severe delays in cognitive development.
Sierra Club was among the public health, civil rights, and environmental groups who joined EPA in defending MATS against industry’s challenges in the Court of Appeals and before the Supreme Court .
In response to the ruling, the Arkansas Sierra Club issued the following statement from Chapter Director Glen Hooks:
"As a father, I am appalled by today's decision. Instead of ensuring that our children grow up safe, healthy, and protected from pollution, the court chose to reject common-sense protections. As a result, our children are at higher risk to suffer from lifelong neurological damage brought on by exposure to toxic mercury, and we will see up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks annually.
“Practically speaking, today’s decision won’t revive the flagging fortunes of the dirty coal industry or slow down our nation’s transition to clean energy. Most utilities have long since made decisions about how to meet the standard. Only a few dozen coal plants are still operating today with no pollution controls for mercury and air toxics and no clear plans to install them.
“However, this flawed decision does raise concerns for our children and pregnant women, as utilities may further delay compliance decisions, or use this as an excuse to refuse to run their pollution controls. That’s why the EPA and the Obama Administration must now quickly propose revised safeguards that restores at least the same level of protections. It’s time to act to ensure progress made in cleaning up noxious pollution isn’t stalled any further, so that children across the America can grow up safe and healthy.
"Here in Arkansas, ratepayers are already being billed nearly half a billion dollars to retrofit the aging and dirty Flint Creek coal-fired power plant so that it may comply with MATS. In 2013, Sierra Club intervened and strongly opposed this cost as an unnecessary and expensive step to prop up an old coal plant--today's decision overturning MATS proves our point that this enormous cost was unwarranted. Even today, Entergy Arkansas is seeking to increase our Arkansas power bills to, in part, pay for MATS upgrades to its dirty coal fleet.
"The Arkansas Public Service Commission should be very skeptical of utility rate increase requests to retrofit dirty coal plants. Coal is dirty, and no amount of scrubbers or retrofits will ever make them clean. Instead of billing Arkansas ratepayers to prop up an aging and dirty coal fleet, Sierra Club calls on the PSC to develop a plant to gradually phase out coal and replace it with clean, renewable sources of energy."
# # #
--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org | [TOP]
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The following is the text of the June 22 press release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22nd, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 744-2674/ glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL LESLIE RUTLEDGE
Of Eight Intervenors, AG Only Attempts to Stop Sierra Club From Participating
Entergy Arkansas, Inc., currently has a "rate case" pending before the Arkansas Public Service Commission, seeking approval for a rate increase on consumer electric bills to pay for various costs. Six entities have successfully sought approval to intervene in the case and represent their interests: Wal-Mart Stores Arkansas, LLC; Arkansas Electric Energy Consumers, Inc., Evergreen Packaging, Inc., Federal Executive Agencies, Hospital & Higher Education Group, and Kroger Company. Intervention requests by the Sierra Club and the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association are still pending.
Today, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge formally opposed the intervention request of Sierra Club, arguing that the AG's office would adequately represent the interests of Sierra Club. She did not oppose the intervention requests of any of the other six groups already approved, nor has she opposed the pending request by the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association.
In response, Arkansas Sierra Club Chapter Director Glen Hooks issued the following statement:
"The Arkansas Sierra Club has every right to represent our Arkansas members in this case, and we intend to do so. Attorney General Rutledge's attempt to selectively stifle public participation in this important matter is exactly the wrong approach for a public official to take. Out of numerous intervenors, she has chosen only to oppose the Sierra Club's participation. I'm not sure what she's afraid of, unless it's our proven ability to intelligently represent the positions of our Arkansas members."
"Sierra Club regularly participates in utility proceedings around the country and brings a level of expertise that will be very helpful. Further, our members have an interest in ensuring that Entergy's rate increase request is handled in a way that promotes clean energy, does not unnecessarily prolong our reliance on dirty coal power, and responsibly deals with pending transmission issues. These are critical issues for our Arkansas members and for our state's energy future."
"In her six months in office, Attorney General Rutledge has aggressively opposed several progressive environmental protections in Arkansas and Washington, D.C. Accordingly, despite her statement that she can adequately represent the views of Sierra Club, we'll plan to be at the table representing our own members."
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201 | [TOP]
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The April 8 press release from Glen Hooks is on the national Sierra Club web site:
Sierra Club Receives $30M Gift From Bloomberg Philanthropies
Really big news today, as Sierra Club receives a $30M investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to continue our work to replace dirty coal with clean energy. Very exciting stuff! See the following press release:
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The following is the text of the March 24 press release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24th, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 744-2674
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL RUTLEDGE'S U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE TESTIMONY
This morning, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge testified before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry. Her testimony centered upon opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's draft "Waters of the United States" rule, which aims to clarify which of our country's waterways are covered by the Clean Water Act's protections.
This makes the third EPA proposal opposed by Rutledge since taking office in January 2015:
*the proposed Clean Power Plan, which seeks to reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants;
*the proposed Ozone rule, which seeks to reduce the allowable levels of harmful ozone pollution; and
*the Waters of the United States clarification, which is the subject of today's U.S. Senate committee hearing.
In response to Rutledge's testimony, the Arkansas Sierra Club issued this statement from Chapter Director Glen Hooks:
"Attorney General Rutledge has been in office barely two months, and she has already publicly opposed three key clean air and clean water protections. Our state's top legal official should be embracing steps that lead to cleaner air and water, not fighting against them.
"The 'Waters of the United States' rule is simply an attempt to clarify which waterways fall under the Clean Water Act. Since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, there have been a series of court decisions that have left the public and regulators confused while leaving many key drinking water sources and much wildlife habitat unprotected. In response, the EPA seeks to clear up confusion and protect drinking water from pollution. Simply put, the proposed rule clarifies not only which waters fall under federal jurisdiction, it also specifically states which ones do not. This will be helpful to everyone who engages with our nation's waterways.
"The proposed rule actually shrinks Clean Water Act jurisdiction from the scope that existed prior to confusing court decisions that began in 2001. EPA is working to protect critical waterways and tributaries that lead to those waterways, which is exactly what the agency should do.
"Citizens, businesses, and farmers need clarity and certainty, and this rule helps provide that. Unfortunately, Attorney General Rutledge is once again offering a knee-jerk negative response to common-sense environmental protections. Well-crafted environmental protections help everyone, and we are ill-served by an Attorney General who reflexively opposes any and all attempts to protect our natural resources."
Sierra Club is the nation's oldest and largest environmental advocacy organization, working to protect our nation's environmental resources since 1892. Our 2.4 million members and supporters in all fifty states, Puerto Rico, and Canada aim to "explore, enjoy, and protect" our air, water, forests, and special places. For more information about Sierra Club, go to www.sierraclub.org or to www.sierraclub.org/arkansas for more information about the Sierra Club's Arkansas Chapter.
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org | [TOP]
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The following is the text of the February 24 press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24th, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 744-2674
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
ARKANSAS SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE TO ATTORNEY GENERAL LESLIE RUTLEDGE
Today, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge issued a press statement, announcing that she will testify on Thursday before the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Subcommittee on the Interior. Specifically, Rutledge will be detailing her opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed "Clean Power Plan", which aims to reduce pollution from the nation's existing power plants.
In her release, Rutledge said the following:
“Arkansas is uniquely positioned on this topic because of our rich natural heritage. In the Natural State, we place a high value on clean air and clean water as we protect our state for future generations, and as Attorney General, I will not sit idly by while this administration pushes policy objectives that will ultimately hurt job growth and Arkansas’s ability to compete across the country and the globe.”
Glen Hooks (Director of the Arkansas Sierra Club) issued the following statement in response:
"It is difficult to understand how Attorney General Rutledge can simultaneously profess to value our state's clean air while opposing a plan to reduce power plant pollution. Arkansas old and dirty power plants emit tens of millions of tons of pollutants into our air every year, negatively affecting the health and environment of our people. Cleaning up our state's aging power plants and moving to cleaner sources of energy is an absolute necessity.
"If the Attorney General wants to improve job growth in Arkansas, then she should enthusiastically support the Clean Power Plan, not oppose it. Building our state's plan intelligently will result in thousands of good paying jobs for Arkansans. Arkansans by the thousands can be employed building and installing solar panels, wind turbines, and energy efficiency upgrades that improve our environment and our economy. However, we will need our elected leaders to have the courage and political will to embrace progress.
"States across our region and nation are reaping the benefits of the clean energy economy. Arkansas can either join in, or just watch the world go by while the jobs go elsewhere."
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Sierra Club is our nation's oldest and largest environmental protection organization. Formed in 1892, our 2.7 million members and supporters work tirelessly to protect our nation's air, water, forests, and special places. For more information, go to www.sierraclub.org or www.sierraclub.org/arkansas
--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
"Never Forget--Mother Nature Bats Last"
Join the Sierra Club today! Head on over to www.arkansas.sierraclub.org and click JOIN | [TOP]
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The following is the text of the February 13 press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13th, 2015
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 744-2674
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
SIERRA CLUB STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO ARKANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL LESLIE RUTLEDGE
Today, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced that she would seek to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed "Clean Power Plan", which aims to reduce harmful carbon emissions from our country's existing power plants.
In response, the Sierra Club of Arkansas issued the following statement from Chapter Director Glen Hooks:
"Suing the EPA might make for good politics, but it's not good for Arkansas.
"The EPA's Clean Power Plan can be a boon for Arkansas's economy if we have the courage to handle it right. Our outdated power system in Arkansas is heavily dependent on burning dirty coal and gas. By transitioning away from dirty fuels, ramping up clean energy, and focusing on energy efficiency, we can create thousands of good-paying jobs right here in Arkansas.
"Attorney General Rutledge has a choice to make: either embrace a future with clean energy jobs for Arkansas, or hold on to the same tired and dirty system that sends $675 million dollars out of Arkansas each year to buy Wyoming coal. Sierra Club urges our elected leaders to envision an Arkansas with cleaner energy, healthier citizens, and a booming economy. We have the opportunity--all we need now is the political will to make the smart decisions."
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Arkansas
1308 West 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org