Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
Omaha, NE – The Sierra Club released today the second edition of its ground-breaking report, The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges, that exposes how most major electric utilities greenwash their climate action commitments. The report grades utilities across the country based on their plans to retire coal plants, cease building new gas plants, and invest in clean energy. The report demonstrates if, and to what extent, each utility’s plans and operations make the necessary changes to confront the ongoing climate crisis by curbing CO2 emissions.
In the 2021 report, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) both received a failing grade. In The Dirty Truth, Version 2, OPPD improved its grade by 18 percent, raising it to a ‘D,’ but is held back considerably by continuing plans to build new gas plants in Omaha. Both parent companies ranked among the lowest of the 50 utilities examined in the report.
“Since the first report came out, our state has not seen the kind of commitment to clean energy that some other utilities have shown. Both OPPD and NPPD have set a decarbonization goal of net-zero by 2050, but this falls far short of the decarbonization target we need to combat the climate crisis before its effects are irreversible,” said John Crabtree, Nebraska Campaign Representative, Beyond Coal Campaign.
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy will be hosting two public hearings regarding the intent to issue a construction permit to Omaha Public Power District’s proposed gas power plants, Standing Bear Station and Turtle Creek Station.
The Standing Bear Station public hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, beginning at 6:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, located at 11818 Miami Street, Omaha, Nebraska. More information regarding the public hearing can be found here.
The Turtle Creek Station public hearing will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2022, beginning at 6:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, located at 16175 Stevens Point Circle, Gretna, Nebraska. More information regarding the public hearing can be found here.
“We should be moving away from fossil fuel energy in Nebraska, not investing further in it,” said Graham Jordison, Senior Organizing Representative, Beyond Coal Campaign. “Burning coal and gas is not helping our environment, nor our pocketbooks. Clean energy is economical– it’s cheaper, creates more jobs, and stimulates our state and local economy. We need folks to turn out at the public hearing and share their thoughts on the proposed electric generation facility.”
Background
The Dirty Truth, Version 2, scores the largest 50 utility parent companies and 77 utility operating companies based on their plans for coal retirements, new gas generation, and clean energy commitments. The report highlights the massive discrepancies between the climate pledges utilities make publicly and their actual plans meeting those pledges. Dirty Truth exposes the “greenwashing” tactics many companies use to make false, misleading, or untrue claims about utility impacts on the environment. The report also highlights the unprecedented potential of the newly-passed Inflation Reduction Act, which includes nearly $370 billion in clean energy incentives that utilities should tap into in accelerating their response to the climate crisis.
Accompanying the report is an updated interactive website which allows the public to look up their utility’s grade, how much coal their utility is retiring, its planned gas plant capacity, and its investments in clean energy. The website also includes a national map to help users look up their utility service area and a digital dashboard for researchers, energy analysts, and media partners to keep track of each utility’s progress over the next decade.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.