coal

April 28, 2020

While the report shows that Duke, the largest investor-owned electric utility in the country, is aware of the need to increase the use of renewable energy, the utility is falling short on addressing its role in the climate crisis: Duke plans to still have 9 gigawatts of dirty coal online in 2030; to expand its fracked gas buildout through 2030, including the over-budget, unnecessary Atlantic Coast Pipeline; and to make only minimal commitments to energy efficiency and demand side management programs, which would immediately lower costs for families and businesses.

April 23, 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- The Sierra Club announced a new national “polluter watchdog” program yesterday by issuing Freedom of Information ACT (FOIA) and state-based open records requests to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

April 23, 2020

SAINT LOUIS, MO -- The Sierra Club announced a new national “polluter watchdog” program yesterday by issuing Freedom of Information ACT (FOIA) and state-based open records requests to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

April 22, 2020

DOVER, DE -  State Senator Harris McDowell (District 1) unveiled critical legislation that would seriously increase Delaware’s utilization of renewable energy by expanding the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard and creating a new community solar market. 

April 21, 2020

The Sierra Club announced a new “polluter watchdog” program today, by issuing Freedom of Information ACT (FOIA) and state-based open records requests to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state regulators who are refusing to enforce public health safeguards during the pandemic.

April 17, 2020

Today, the Sierra Club and its environmental allies filed their opening brief in federal court to challenge the Trump Administration’s so-called “ACE” rule—also known as the Dirty Power Plan. Concocted by former coal lobbyist and current EPA chief Andrew Wheeler, this reckless and unlawful rule will allow fossil fuel-burning power plants to keep dumping carbon dioxide pollution into our air with essentially no restraints, driving dangerous climate change to ever more catastrophic levels.

April 16, 2020

Despite the presence of a global pandemic that’s risking the lives of millions of Americans, today former coal lobbyist and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced his final plan to undermine the basis of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).

April 14, 2020

Former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler rejected pleas from experts to increase the EPA’s protections for Americans from dangerous soot pollution released from power plants.

April 14, 2020

SANDERSVILLE, GA -- The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has denied a request for additional time to begin construction on the proposed Plant Washington, signaling the end of the troubled 12-year-old project. The now defunct consortium of electric membership corporations (EMCs) behind the project had 30 days to appeal the EPD decision which expired last week.

April 13, 2020

Annapolis, MD -  Today, the Sierra Club, along with 21 other community organizations and hundreds of concerned Maryland residents submitted comments urging the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to finalize a permit update for two of Maryland’s coal plants and establish the earliest possible compliance date for toxic discharge limits in order to protect families and waterways. The covered pollutants include mercury and arsenic both of which can be extremely toxic to humans and pose a serious threat to public health and waterways. 

April 7, 2020

Late yesterday, Sierra Club’s legal team challenged EPA’s plan to reopen the Startup, Shutdown, Malfunction (SSM) loopholes in Texas, which would allow dirty industrial facilities like coal plants and oil refineries to release massive amounts of dangerous air pollution into vulnerable communities already suffering from respiratory ailments.

March 27, 2020

Trenton, NJ - Today, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) responded to a new Federal rule from the Trump Administration, which will promote fossil fuel electricity generation at clean energy’s expense,  by opening an investigation into state regulatory options that will protect New Jersey’s clean energy economy.