4/2/21 - Arkansas Sierra Club Urges Governor to Veto HB 1570
3/11/21 - Agreement to Close Entergy's Polluting Power Plants is Finalized
9/28/20 - Arkansas Sierra Club Endorses 14 State Legislative Candidates
7/14/20 - Sierra Club Endorses Joyce Elliott For Congress
9/10/19 - Trump EPA's Plan will Lead to Dirtier Air for Arkansas
3/5/19 - Toxic Coal Ash Polluting Groundwater Across Nation
Press Releases - Previous Years
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LATEST PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2nd, 2021
Contact: Glen Hooks
(501) 744-2674 or glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
ARKANSAS SIERRA CLUB URGES GOVERNOR TO VETO HB 1570
Transgender Arkansans Deserve Justice And Compassion, Not Attacks and Exclusion
LITTLE ROCK--In the wake of multiple pieces of legislation that negatively impact Arkansas's transgender community, the Arkansas Sierra Club today urged Governor Asa Hutchinson, in the name of justice and fairness, to veto House Bill 1570.
House Bill 1570 aims to ban transgender Arkansans under eighteen years of age from receiving medical treatment that is critical to their well-being. Specifically, this bill prevents Arkansas medical professionals from providing gender transition procedures or hormonal treatment, or from providing referrals for such procedures and treatments. House Bill 1570 has passed both the Arkansas House and the Arkansas Senate, and is now being considered by Governor Hutchinson.
The Sierra Club stands in solidarity and allyship with the transgender community, and issued a national statement to that effect on this week's International Day of Trans Visibility.
Locally, the Arkansas Sierra Club today affirmed its agreement with the national Sierra Club statement, and also issued the statement below from its Director, Glen Hooks:
"Our wonderful state of Arkansas should be a safe and just place for all people, including our transgender community. Unfortunately, many of our elected officials have chosen to use their power to attack, marginalize, and threaten the well-being of transgender children by passing House Bill 1570. Stripping away medically necessary health care that's supported by American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatricians is wrong. The Arkansas Sierra Club stands firmly in allyship with our transgender friends and neighbors, and urges Governor Hutchinson to veto HB 1570.
Healthy and safe communities require that we treat all people with justice and fairness, and do not deny any group of citizens the health care that they need. We should always resist the toxic urge to marginalize a group of Arkansans for political purposes. Governor Hutchinson, please stand on the right side of history and justice and veto HB 1570."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
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Glen Hooks, J.D. (he, him, his)
Director, Arkansas Sierra Club
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
501-301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
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Thursday, March 11, 2021
Agreement to Close Entergy's Polluting Power Plants is Finalized
Decision to conclude Clean Air Act lawsuit will save Entergy customers $2 billion
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Today, Sierra Club and the National Parks Conservation Association’s settlement with Entergy Arkansas to close two massive coal plants and a gas plant and build solar power was finalized by a judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas… CONTINUE READING https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/03/agreement-close-entergys-polluting-power-plants-finalized
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28th, 2020
Contact: Glen Hooks
501.744.2674 or glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
ARKANSAS SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES 14 STATE LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES
Endorsees Will Be "Champions" For Clean Air, Water, & Energy in the Natural State
Today, the Arkansas Sierra Club announced endorsements of fourteen state legislative candidates--three seeking an Arkansas Senate seat and eleven seeking a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives. These candidates received unanimous endorsements from both the Arkansas Sierra Club's Political Committee and its state board.
"The Natural State needs environmental champions in our legislature, and our endorsed candidates are ideal Arkansans to fill those roles," said George Wise, Chair of the Arkansas Sierra Club's Political Committee. "Each of these candidates cares about protecting our state's air and water, and also about moving Arkansas to a clean energy future. The Sierra Club looks forward to helping elect each of these outstanding Arkansans to the legislature."
The 2020 state legislative candidates endorsed by the Arkansas Sierra Club are listed below:
STATE SENATE
District 27: Keidra Burrell (Pine Bluff)
District 32: Clarke Tucker (Little Rock)
District 34: Alisa Dixon (North Little Rock)
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
District 26: Joyce Schimenti (Bismarck)
District 33: Rep. Tippi McCullough (Little Rock)
District 36: Rep. Denise Ennett (Little Rock)
District 38: Matthew Stallings (North Little Rock)
District 39: Kayla Applegate (Maumelle)
District 68: Lisa Hassell (Jerusalem)
District 85: Rep. David Whitaker (Fayetteville)
District 86: Rep. Nicole Clowney (Fayetteville)
District 93: Daisy Bonilla (Bentonville)
District 94: Jené Huffman-Gilreath (Rogers)
District 97: Suzie Bell (Eureka Springs)
"Sierra Club is proud to support candidates who know we can have both a healthy environment and a healthy economy," said Glen Hooks, Director of the Arkansas Sierra Club. "Arkansas, like the nation, is experiencing a boom in clean solar and wind energy usage--but we need legislators committed to continuing that work. Our list of endorsees understands the importance of progressive environmental policy, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help them win office in November."
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
July 14th, 2020
Glen Hooks
501-744-2674
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES JOYCE ELLIOTT FOR CONGRESS
Nation’s Largest Grassroots Environmental Group Praises Work to Protect Arkansas’s Environment
[LITTLE ROCK]: The Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of State Senator Joyce Elliott in the 2020 election for the state’s 2nd Congressional District seat.
"We are pleased to announce today that the Sierra Club officially endorses Joyce Elliott for Congress," said George Wise, Chair of the Arkansas Sierra Club’s Political Committee. "We are confident that she will continue work to protect Arkansas families’ health, air and water, and build a clean energy economy that works for the Natural State.”
Senator Elliott added, "I am grateful for the support of the Sierra Club and for its work in preserving the natural beauty of Arkansas. I will work with leaders across the political spectrum to promote clean energy jobs that help our community and environment flourish."
Given the current administration’s continued threats to our clean air and water and public lands, it is more important than ever to elect environmental champions like Joyce Elliott. She has been a consistent voice in favor of promoting clean energy jobs in Arkansas, protecting iconic places like the Buffalo River from pollution, and ensuring that our drinking water is not put at risk by developers.
"We are deeply grateful to Joyce Elliott for her support in promoting solar energy in Arkansas during the last legislative session. Her support was critical in making sure that Arkansans have access to affordable clean energy, which has led to good-paying clean energy jobs across the state. When she gets to Washington, the people of Central Arkansas will have a Congresswoman who understands that we can have a healthy economy and a healthy environment,“ said Uta Meyer, Chair of the Arkansas Sierra Club. “She is a true environmental champion who will fight to protect Arkansas’s clean air, clean water, and special places.”
Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend its volunteer strength to Elliott's campaign.
"We pledge to do all we can to help ensure Joyce Elliott is elected," said Glen Hooks, Director of the Arkansas Sierra Club. "Scores of Sierra Club volunteers will contact voters on her behalf and we will speak to the public as often as possible about her exemplary environmental record. We look forward to a victory for Joyce Elliott on election night and to her fighting for the environment as a U.S. Representative.”
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About the Sierra Club:
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Paid for by Sierra Club Political Committee and authorized by Joyce Elliott for Congress
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Glen Hooks, J.D. (he, him, his)
Director, Arkansas Sierra Club
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
501-301-8280 (office)
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
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SIERRA CLUB/NPCA: TRUMP EPA'S PLAN WILL LEAD TO DIRTIER AIR FOR ARKANSAS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Contact:
Glen Hooks, glen.hooks@sierraclub.org, 501-744-2674
Vanessa Ramos, vanessa.ramos@sierraclub.org , 512-586-1853
SIERRA CLUB/NPCA: TRUMP EPA'S PLAN WILL LEAD TO DIRTIER AIR FOR ARKANSAS
Replacement Regional Haze Plan Less Stringent On Polluters; Fails to Protect Parks & Wilderness Areas
Little Rock, AR. -- Today, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has finalized a “regional haze” plan for Arkansas. This plan replaces a much stronger plan approved by EPA in 2016 that would have resulted in much more effective air pollution protections for certain national parks and wilderness areas in Arkansas and Missouri.
Arkansas was required by federal law to draft a plan to reduce haze pollution and improve visibility in the Upper Buffalo River area and the Caney Creek Wilderness by 2007. The state did not even submit a complete plan until 2011, which was partially rejected, and then failed to submit an approvable follow-up plan. .When EPA failed to meet its ensuing obligation to draft a federal plan for Arkansas, Sierra Club sued EPA in 2014, resulting in an Arkansas federal court ruling requiring EPA to draft a federal haze reduction plan for Arkansas. EPA’s subsequent draft plan went through a public comment period, was the subject of a public hearing in April 2015, and was eventually finalized in August 2016. The State of Arkansas and others sued EPA to block the plan.
After the 2016 presidential election, the new Trump Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Arkansas began drafting a new haze reduction plan to replace the previously-approved plan. Today’s much weaker haze reduction plan is the result.
In response to today’s news, Glen Hooks, Director of the Sierra Club’s Arkansas Chapter, released the following statement:
"We are disappointed that the Trump EPA has embraced a plan that will result in dirtier air for Arkansas. The previous plan was much stronger and would have led to clearer air in our parks and wilderness areas", along with improved health for all Arkansans." Sierra Club will consider all of our options, including a possible appeal of the weaker plan. Arkansans deserve our strongest efforts at reducing air pollution and we will never stop fighting to make this happen."
In response to today’s news, Stephanie Kodish, Clean Air Program Director for the National Parks Conservation Association, released the following statement:
“Nearly every single one of our national parks is suffering from serious air pollution problems, and Arkansas’ parks are no exception. But today’s action by the EPA only puts Arkansas’ public lands and communities at greater risk. EPA’s attempt to implement a plan that will do nothing to clean up the air in Arkansas is unacceptable, and NPCA will continue to stand up for the health of our parks and the millions of people who visit and live nearby.”
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Glen Hooks, J.D.
Director
Arkansas Sierra Club
(I use the he/him/his pronouns)
P.O. Box 1158
North Little Rock, AR 72115
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
(501) 301-8280
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Director
Arkansas Sierra Club
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NEW REPORT: TOXIC COAL ASH POLLUTING GROUNDWATER ACROSS NATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5th, 2019
Contact: Glen Hooks
501.744.2674 or glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
NEW REPORT: TOXIC COAL ASH POLLUTING GROUNDWATER ACROSS NATION
Multiple Arkansas Coal-Burning Power Plants Self-Report Unsafe Levels of Dangerous Pollutants
A new report issued by the Environmental Integrity Project reveals that the groundwater underneath 91% of coal-burning power plants has unsafe levels of dangerous coal ash contaminants, such as arsenic, cobalt, molybdenum, and lithium, among others. The report is based on data that was self-reported by coal-burning utilities from groundwater monitors, as required by federal law.
The report (see Appendix A, pp. 52-53) cites four of Arkansas's five coal-burning power plants as having unsafe levels of various dangerous pollutants, including:
*SWEPCO's Flint Creek coal-burning plant in Benton County, which reported exceeding safe levels of arsenic, cobalt, and molybdenum;
*Entergy's White Bluff coal-burning plant in Jefferson County, which reported twice the safe levels of beryllium and boron, five times the safe level of cobalt, six times the safe level of lithium, four times the safe level molybdenum, along with an excessive level of sulfate;
*SWEPCO's Turk coal-burning power plant, which reported three times the safe level of lithium.
*Entergy's Independence coal-burning plant in Independence County, which reported excessive levels of boron
In response to this report, the Arkansas Sierra Club issued this statement from its Director, Glen Hooks:
“This report underscores what the Sierra Club has been saying for years: dirty coal is destructive across the entire fuel cycle—from the time it’s mined, to the time it’s burned, and to the time its coal ash is disposed of.
“Toxic coal ash is a big problem across the country and right here in Arkansas. Four of our five dirty coal plants, by their own self-reported data, show that they have created serious groundwater contamination problems. Three of those plants—SWEPCO's Flint Creek along with Entergy's White Bluff and Independence--are almost forty years old and all three of those have unsafe levels of toxic pollutants found in nearby groundwater.
“Incredibly, despite all these problems, the Trump administration is trying to roll back coal ash protections. Our communities need more protections from toxic coal ash, not less--this report shows that definitively.
"Mammoth coal ash disasters have happened multiple times in our region in recent years. Today's report is no less dramatic. Nearly every coal burning power plant in the country has polluted nearby groundwater.
"We call on our leaders to act immediately and to protect our communities with an urgency. While coal-burning power plants are retiring at a rapid pace, their toxic legacy remains in dangerous coal ash storage dumps. We need action to properly regulate these toxic sites, increase monitoring to include nearby wells and surface water, and keep our communities safe."
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--
Glen Hooks, J.D.
Director
Arkansas Sierra Club
(I use the he/him/his pronouns)
P.O. Box 1158
North Little Rock, AR 72115
glen.hooks@sierraclub.org
(501) 301-8280
(501) 744-2674 (cell)
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PRESS RELEASES - PREVIOUS YEARS
Note: 2016 to 2018 Press Releases are located on Press Releases 2016 - 2018 page
2018
Sep 26 - Sierra Club Launches Nationwide Effort to Elect Environmental Champions
Sep 18 - Sierra Club endorses Clarke Tucker for Congress
Sep 11 - Fayetteville AR Recognised as Clean Energy Leader in New National Report
Jul 13 - AR Sierra Club Press Release: Big Win at the Arkansas PSC
Jul 5 - Arkansas Sierra Club statement on resignation of EPA administrator Scott Pruit
May 17 - Arkansas Sierra Club Endorses Ross Noland for State Representative in House District 33 Democratic Primary
2017
Oct. 9 - Repealing the Clean Power Plan Will Threaten Thousands of Lives
2016
Jan. 21 - Federal Court Rejects Fossil Fuel Industry Effort to Delay Clean Power Plan Implementation
Jan. 21 - Arkansas Sierra Club Response to AG Rutledge's "Mats" Opposition
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Note: 2015 Press Releases are located on Press Releases 2015 page
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 September 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 [ TOP ]