Blocking Dirty Oil Infrastructure

EPA Tasking Polluting Car Company With Agency’s Internal Review

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, during EPA administrator Scott Pruitt’s congressional hearing, Pruitt announced the EPA will be partnering with Toyota on an operational review. Toyota’s vehicles are regulated by the EPA under vehicle emission standards (clean car standards). Toyota is currently urging the EPA to weaken these standards. In March of 2003, the EPA reached a settlement with Toyota for failing to disclosure information about a faulty part that increased ozone pollution in 2.2 million vehicles sold in the U.S.

In Setback for Enbridge, PUC Rules Line 3 Review is Inadequate

In yet another setback for Enbridge, the company behind the proposed Line 3 tar sands pipeline, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ruled today that the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on the pipeline is inadequate. The Department of Commerce must answer narrow questions about Karyst Typography and clarify shortcomings in the analysis.

Virginia Fails to Protect Virginians from Fracked Gas Pipeline

Today, the Virginia State Water Control Board allowed construction of the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), despite public opposition and evidence the pipeline would irrevocably degrade pristine streams and waterways.

Trump and Zinke Give Another Handout to Polluters with Delay of BLM Methane Rule

In a notice to be published to the Federal Register tomorrow, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will finalize a one-year delay of a rule designed to limit methane pollution from oil and gas operations on public lands. The rule has already withstood legal attack from industry, as well as an attempted repeal in Congress.

Dereliction of Duty, Part II: WVDEP Abandons Responsibility to Review Another Fracked Gas Pipeline

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection again waived its opportunity to review the water quality impacts of a fracked gas pipeline, this time with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

API’s Methane Reduction Program is No Substitute for Federal Protections

Today, the American Petroleum Institute (API) is touting its new, voluntary program for its members to cut methane emissions from oil and gas facilities. Meanwhile, API is a driving force behind the Trump administration’s push to roll back common sense regulations that would limit methane pollution and other danger emissions from new oil and gas facilities and those on public lands.

Groups Call on Trump Administration to Evaluate New Keystone XL Route

A coalition of environmental groups filed letters today urging the Trump administration to analyze the environmental impacts of the approved route for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

Pruitt’s EPA to Waste Taxpayer Dollars on Redundant Truck Emissions Hearing and Review Process

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Scott Pruitt’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a hearing for the reconsideration -- with intent to repeal -- pollution limits from glider kit trucks (freight trucks with a used engine installed in an otherwise new frame). The repeal would declassify "glider kits" as new vehicles or engines, making them no longer subject to air pollution control requirements. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced his intent to revisit the glider loophole that was just closed in August of 2016.

Forest Service Issues Record of Decision for Fracked Gas Mountain Valley Pipeline

Today, the United States Forest Service issued a decision to allow the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) to cross the Jefferson National Forest. In addition to its role in exacerbating climate change, the Sierra Club opposes this pipeline on the grounds that the need for it does not exist, and there is no need to send it through undisturbed portions of the Appalachian Trail and Jefferson National Forest.

ICYMI: FERC Chairman: Environmental Groups are Slowing Down Fracked Gas Projects

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Neil Chatterjee told the American Gas Association’s Natural Gas Roundtable that more focused and sophisticated resistance from environmental organizations was slowing down the approval process for gas infrastructure.