February 17, 2023
EPA confirmed that it is “appropriate and necessary” under the Clean Air Act to regulate mercury and other hazardous air pollution from power plants, reversing a 2020 decision by the Trump Administration.
In the United States, low income Black and Brown communities are already more likely to suffer the impacts from permitted pollution from petroleum facilities and other polluting industries. In addition to these known and well documented disparities, regulators have allowed for even more pollution to be released onto these overburdened communities through regulatory loopholes in the Clean Air Act known as Startup, Shutdown, Malfunction, (SSM) leaving communities exposed to dangerous levels of toxic air pollution from multiple sources. Sierra Club and partners are working to ensure EPA implements strong rule-making that eliminates SSM loopholes and prioritizes the most impacted people by upholding equal protection laws. Dozens of community and environmental groups have called on President Biden to close SSM loopholes and end free passes to pollute.
EPA allows facilities like power plants and factories to emit as much pollution as they like during periods of Start-up, Shutdown, and Malfunctions. The amount of pollution emitted during so-called “SSM events” can be 100s to 1000s of times higher than normal operations.
- Read how SSM loopholes can effect communities.
- Learn more about the SSM loopholes in this fact sheet.
- Read the letter to President Biden: Protect Fenceline Communities
Watch and Take Action
Did you know that there are deadly loopholes in the EPA and state Clean Air Act rules? The Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunction loopholes allow polluters to ignore their permitted emission limitations -- and of course they take advantage of this! The consequences are even more deadly air pollution dumped on communities near plants and factories -- who already suffer the greatest burden from these poisons. It's time to close the loopholes! The Sierra Club has partnered with Earthjustice and community activists to create a video to shed light on this issue, and galvanize action to close the SSM loopholes.
Press Releases
February 17, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, EPA proposed to eliminate loopholes in state plans during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) in Iowa, North Carolina, and Texas that allow harmful emissions of nearly limitless amounts of air pollution.
February 15, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Harmful and climate-destabilizing greenhouse gas emissions increased by 5.5 percent in 2021, EPA announced today in the Agency’s draft Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks.
10 de enero de 2023
La Comisión de Seguridad de Productos de Consumidor (CPSC) ha emitido la retirada de miles de fogones de gas debido a una grave preocupación sobre envenenamiento por monóxido de carbono procedente del compartimiento del horno.
January 6, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C.--Today, the EPA released its long-overdue and long-awaited draft proposal to update the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for soot, also known as particulate matter, and while this proposal demonstrates a positive step toward clean air for all, it falls far short of what public health demands, communities deserve, and science requires.
Sierra Club, EDF Sue EPA to Protect People from Pollution Discharged by New Gas-Burning Power Plants
December 8, 2022
Sierra Club and Environmental Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against EPA challenging the agency’s failure to satisfy its duty under our nation’s clean air laws to protect people and communities from the dangerous pollution emitted by new gas-burning power plants.
November 3, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C.
October 13, 2022
As part of an ongoing investigation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights found evidence that key Louisiana state agencies are failing to protect Black communities from toxic air pollution released by petrochemical companies, like Denka Performance Elastomers.
October 4, 2022
Salt Lake City, UT – In a new version of Sierra Club’s groundbreaking report, the Dirty Truth About Climate Pledges, PacifiCorp has earned a D grade for the way the utility has delayed the transition to clean energy from coal and gas that poisons the air, threatening the public health of communities, and exacerbating the climate crisis.
October 3, 2022
TEMPE, AZ. -- On Monday morning, local community members and clean energy advocates came together at Salt River Project (SRP) Headquarters to push back on the harm that the utility has caused by propping up fossil gas, and to