The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) finalized a rule change that alters the process for designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act. This will weaken the ability to designate critical habitat for at-risk species and prioritize economics over science. The rule gives increased weight in decision making to developers to prioritize oil and gas development and other industries over safeguarding and restoring habitat for endangered species.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM. -- President-elect Biden today nominated Rep. Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Interior. The Department of the Interior manages the country’s national parks and approximately 450 million acres of public lands, oversees wildlife and other conservation efforts, and upholds Federal trust responsibilities to Indigenous communities.
President-elect Biden today nominated Rep. Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Interior. The Department of the Interior manages the country’s national parks and approximately 450 million acres of public lands, oversees wildlife and other conservation efforts, and upholds Federal trust responsibilities to Indigenous communities.
Washington, DC -- Today, it was announced that President-elect Joe Biden intends to nominate Michael Regan to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
For the past four years, Regan has led the North Carolina Department of Environment Quality. Regan assumed this role as the department grappled with a devastated morale following budget cuts and staff reductions, not unlike the current state of the EPA.
JACKSON -- Today the Mississippi PSC held a special meeting and unanimously approved a new order in Docket No. 2018-AD-145, governing Mississippi Power Company’s Reserve Margin Plan. Recognizing that Mississippi Power is generating far more power than is needed by consumers -- and that rate-payers are paying for the extra costs -- the Commission ordered Mississippi Power to present a plan for reducing its electricity-generating capacity by 950 MW by 2027.
On December 15, the news broke that President-Elect Joe Biden will select former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to be his Secretary of Energy.
Today, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted to reverse its decision to accelerate the retirements of three Colorado coal units by 2028. On November 20, the AQCC made a preliminary final decision in Phase 1 of Colorado’s Regional Haze Plan, requiring utilities to retire several coal and gas plants no later than December 31, 2028. Today’s vote also reverses the AQCC’s November request to the Air Pollution Control Division to shutter Hayden coal units 1 & 2 by 2028.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, it was announced that President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate Brenda Mallory, current head of regulatory affairs at the Southern Environmental Law Center, to lead the Council on Environmental Quality. Mallory brings more than three decades of experience working on environmental policy issues to the role.
In response, Sierra Club President Ramon Cruz released the following statement:
Charleston, WV -- Today, the West Virginia Public Service Commission approved a settlement involving the West Virginia Energy Users Group, West Virginia Citizens Action Group, Solar United Neighbors, and the Sierra Club with Monongahela Power Company (MonPower) that will compel the utility to provide transparent accounting of their uneconomic coal plants and justification for continuing plant operations.
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, it was reported that President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Pete Buttigieg to serve as secretary of the Department of Transportation. If confirmed, Buttigieg will be the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet Secretary.