Washington, DC -- Questions surrounding Whitefish Energy’s, a company with deep and close ties to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s, $300 million contract continue to mount as the company’s contract was leaked late last night and as Zinke is set to meet with Donald Trump later today. The contract includes clauses stating that government bodies do not have the right to audit or review the costs and profits from the contract, and that the Puerto Rican government waives any claim against the company for delayed completion of work.
The Sierra Club and partner organizations filed a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over the renewed proposal for the Jordan Cove LNG export facility and associated Pacific Connector pipeline. The Jordan Cove terminal was twice rejected by FERC last year because its public interest value did not outweigh the project’s risks and negative effects, but has been revived yet again under the Trump administration.
Today, Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Steven Gardner, a coal industry insider beholden to polluters, to be responsible for protecting America’s land, air, and water from coal pollution as director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Today, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of the dolphin-saving U.S. labeling program for tuna after having repeatedly ruled against the program as a “technical barrier to trade.” As recently as April 2017, the WTO authorized Mexico to impose trade sanctions against the U.S. for the program. In today’s ruling, the WTO deemed that recent changes to the program bring it into compliance. The Mexican government has announced it will appeal today’s ruling.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the FY18 budget resolution (216-212) which advances drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
A leaked draft of the Interior Department’s five-year strategic plan for 2018-2022 showed the agency prioritizing increasing oil and gas drilling on national public lands.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, The Sierra Club is demanding an immediate demand for Congress to investigate the circumstances surrounding the awarding of a three hundred million dollar electric reconstruction contract to a small Montana firm of two employees, Whitefish Energy, from the hometown of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The Sierra Club’s demand joins calls from House Democrats, and comes on the heels of a demand from the Mayor of San Juan that the contract be canceled.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ford, Volkswagen and other automakers should live up to their promises and stop trying to undo popular fuel economy and vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards, known as clean car standards, a coalition of groups said today when announcing its “Forward Not Backward” campaign.
Today members of the Gwich’in Nation led a rally in Washington, D.C. to unite against the destruction of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The group traveled more than 4,000 miles to speak out against a Congressional budget that opens the door to drilling in the Arctic Refuge, including in its biological heart the coastal plain.
Sierra Club joined the rally, along with members of Congress, the Hip Hop Caucus, Green Latinos, veteran leaders, and Alaska Wilderness League among others. Solidarity events are being held nationwide throughout the week.
LOS ANGELES-- Sierra Club Ambassador Kiersey Clemons joined a three day Sierra Club Outing to Bears Ears National Monument in Utah to experience the extraordinary red-rock terrain and deep history of Tribal Nations tied to this area. The monument is at the center of the Trump administration's plans to roll back protections for iconic lands across the country.
Watch the just released video from Clemons’ trip here: https://youtu.be/WAQxN5DTmVU