Hartford, C.T.--The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must respond to a “Good Neighbor” petition to reduce air pollution (also known as a §126 petition under the Clean Air Act) by holding a public hearing on the issue and responding within 60 days.
FirstEnergy subsidiaries Monongahela Power and Potomac Edison have rejected conditions that the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) imposed for the transfer of the Pleasants Power Station. Additionally, the companies will not seek rehearing of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order that rejected the transfer for not being consistent with the public interest. These decisions put into the question the fate of the coal plant, raising the possibility that it could soon retire.
Albany, N.Y.— New York State released their Offshore Wind Master Plan today which lays the framework to develop a scalable offshore wind program. Through the Master Plan, the state has identified port facilities for turbine infrastructure development, areas off of Long Island for future offshore wind sites and established a procurement standard for the industry that focuses on state-based job creation -- all the elements to position New York as a regional hub for the offshore wind industry and supply chain. Additionally, the plan estimates that at least 5,000 jobs will be added to New York by the mid to late 2020s through the growth of a robust offshore wind industry.
Boston, MA - Governor Baker’s administration announced the results of a clean energy procurement process today as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to reduce carbon pollution by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. The state is proposing contracts with Canadian based hydroelectric power, rather than bids including renewable energy that create jobs in New England.
Today, the Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and West Virginia Rivers Coalition filed a lawsuit against Southeastern Land, LLC, and Fola Coal Company, LLC.,for polluting streams from two of their surface coal mines in West Virginia, the Peachorchard and Ike Fork mines.
Boston, M.A.--Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker gave his State of the State address today highlighting the state’s 2018 priorities. In the address, Governor Baker touted the state’s #1 energy efficiency ranking in the county and mentioned various commitments to renewable energy initiatives including the largest renewable energy procurement in Massachusetts’ history and the beginning stages of a process that could lead to the construction of the largest offshore wind operation in the nation.
Memphis, Tenn. — A new report shows that the White Bluff and Independence coal-fired power plants operated by the largest utility in Arkansas, Entergy, emit enough pollution to raise the levels of unhealthy ozone smog in the Memphis area.
The Clean Power Coalition - Southeast Wisconsin is urging We Energies to improve both its air quality monitoring and data reporting to better protect the health of families living near the utility’s coal-burning Oak Creek and Elm Road power plants. On behalf of the Clean Power Coalition, Steve Slavens, Chair of the organization’s Data Committee, has sent a letter today to Kevin Fletcher, President of We Energies.
This is the third time Dynegy is seeking revisions to the Multi Pollutant Standard. The latest proposed changes come after eight months of backdoor talks between Dynegy and Gov. Rauner’s Illinois EPA, whose Director came under fire in the Chicago Tribune last week for his close ties to the company, highlighted by a lawsuit about Illinois’ failure to ensure conflict of interest safeguards are in place. Wednesday’s hearing is the first time the public will have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposal in front of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- In response to legal action by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Sierra Club, and Waterkeeper Alliance, DEQ today announced that it will no longer permit natural streams as pollution-carrying discharge channels at Duke Energy’s Marshall steam station.
Annapolis, M.D. – Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh with Senate President Thomas Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch hosted a public hearing today on the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, underscoring the critical notion that Maryland stands with people across the state and around the nation who are committed to a carbon-pollution-free future.
Conservation groups filed an amended complaint today to sue the US Environmental Protection Agency for failing to ensure that Illinois’ Clean Air Act state implementation plan includes measures to prohibit conflicts of interest on state boards and agency leadership overseeing regulatory matters on air pollution. The groups sued EPA this fall for failing to ensure the same protective measures are in place in Mississippi and Alabama.