Last week Texas based energy giant, Dynegy announced that it has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Cubs to become the Official and Exclusive Energy Provider for the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. Since Dynegy completed a $1.74 billion merger with Vistra Energy, the Texas-based corporation is the largest electric sector polluter not only in Illinois but nationally. Coal power plants are major contributors to climate change, and release toxic air and water pollution that is extremely dangerous to human health.
Today, Minnesotans and allied organizations with over 17,000 petition signatures from over 460 towns, cities, and municipalities across Minnesota gathered at Governor Tim Walz’s office in the State Capitol to urge his administration to stop the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
WASHINGTON -- Yesterday, the Trump Administration’s Department of the Interior (DOI) released a plan to expedite the mining of critical minerals and rare earth minerals in America that doesn’t seriously consider the impacts these mining practices will have for frontline communities, tribes, and the environment.
In response, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, issued the following statement:
On Monday, the District 197 School Board passed a resolution establishing the goal of transitioning the school district to 100% clean electricity by 2020. District 197 has made great strides toward 100% clean electricity and this resolution formalizes the district’s commitment.
Today a House Natural Resources Subcommittee is holding a hearing on the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act. The bill would permanently protect 1 million acres of public lands around the Grand Canyon from new uranium mining claims. It follows the release late yesterday of recommendations from Trump’s Interior Department that clear the way for a vast expansion of dangerous mining on public lands.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This morning, in an interview with Piers Morgan on the show “Good Morning Britain” following Donald Trump’s meeting with Charles, Prince of Wales, Donald Trump stated “I believe that there’s a change in weather, and I think it changes both ways.”
Hartford, CT -- The Connecticut State Senate passed a bill yesterday significantly increasing the state’s offshore wind commitment. Within 14 days of final passage of the bill, the state will put out a bid for up to 2000 megawatts of offshore wind energy--which could power over 800,000 households. The turbines will be located in federal waters 40 to 60 miles from the Connecticut coastline and utilize the State Pier in New London as well as skilled labor from the state in the project. The bill also includes strong labor and environmental protection provisions.
Today, Sierra Club joined U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; leaders from Indigenous nations; local elected officials; veterans; and conservation groups in supporting H.R.1373 - Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act. The Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act, will make the 20-year mining moratorium established in 2012 permanent. All told, the legislation would protect approximately one million acres of public lands north and south of the Grand Canyon from toxic mining.
On June 3, the State College Borough Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution establishing a goal of 100 percent clean, renewable energy no later than 2050.
Yesterday the Bureau of Land Management released a new environmental review of the largest coal mine expansion in the history of federal coal leasing - Arch Coal’s Black Thunder and Peabody’s North Antelope Rochelle mines in Wyoming.