Environment

H.R. 145: Congress has taken the first step toward unleashing a true clean energy revolution with June 26’s historic passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. While imperfect, this legislation sets forth a set of goals America must achieve -- and exceed. Most importantly, it puts the United States on a path to reduce carbon emissions some 80 percent by 2050. An unprecedented coalition of environmental, faith, community, labor, veterans, business, and other groups mounted one of the most vigorous grassroots campaigns in decades to move this critical legislation through the House. The vote for the American Clean Energy Security Act on the House floor came to an ultimate margin of a mere seven votes, 219-212.

We have to push even harder to improve the bill as it goes on to the Senate and then comes back to the House for reconciliation.  Before the President signs this bill into law, it must include a mechanism for cleaning up the oldest and dirtiest coal plants. We also need to boost the bill's investments in energy efficiency, hasten our transition toward clean energy sources like wind and solar, and steer more of the bill's investments toward the public benefit—not polluters.

Click here to find out how your Representative voted and write a letter thanking them if they voted in favor or expressing your disappointment if they voted against the bill.

Coal Ash Pollution Standards: The tragic Tennessee coal disaster that flooded hundreds of acres with toxic coal ash containing lead, mercury and other hazardous wastes late last year brought the need for enforceable regulation to television screens in living rooms across America. As efforts to truly safeguard our communities from toxic coal pollution get underway, Senators Brownback and Conrad, at the coal industry's bidding, are already trying to prevent progress by putting pressure on the EPA to relax standards to protect communities from this toxic waste. Coal industry lobbyists would treat coal ash like household trash, rather than the hazardous pollution it is. The existing patchwork of state regulations does little to safeguard communities, the environment and our water sources from the hazards posed by arsenic, mercury, selenium, and other coal ash toxins. According to the EPA, communities close to these coal ash sites face a very high, 1 in 50 risk of cancer - we can't let King Coal continue with business as usual.

Send a message to your Senators asking them to reject Senators Brownback and Conrad's sign on letter that seeks to preserve the dangerous status quo of relaxed coal ash pollution standards. (Source: Sierra Club)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is drafting a renewable fuel standard that will ramp up the use of biofuels 400% by 2022.  Increasing our use of renewable fuels means growing more crops for fuel.  It is essential that we address the full environmental and social implications of this change, not just the emissions that come from vehicle tailpipes.

Tell the EPA to take a Big Picture approach to renewable fuels and calculate their full impact, including production, refinement, and burning.

Tell the EPA to establish a strong, science-based renewable fuel standard that fully accounts for all contributions to global warming. (Source: Sierra Club)

The Fight For a Clean Energy Economy and To End Our Reliance on Coal Heats Up: Coal accounts for over 30% of our global warming pollution.  We need to take on the coal industry and the millions of dollars they spend lobbying Washington to build a clean energy economy that will create jobs and fight global warming. 

That's why we're asking you to join us this summer as we fight back through messages and phone calls to decision makers, rallies, hearings, town halls, and district meetings.

We need to keep the momentum going this summer - pledge to help protect communities from dangerous coal ash sites, clean up dirty coal plants, and end mountain top removal mining

In Reversal, the EPA Releases List of 44 "High Hazard" Coal Ash Sites; Recently we learned that the Department of Homeland Security designated 44 massive coal ash ponds as 'high hazard,' meaning they present a clear and present danger to existing communities, but they refused to disclose their locations to nearby residents.  Thanks to pressure from activists like you, the EPA released the locations Monday. Now communities can take measures to protect themselves and we can pressure the industry to clean up these sites. Do you live near a 'high hazard' site? Check out our map to find out.
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The National Campaign to End Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining Kicks Off; 14 people were arrested in Coal River, WV for protesting mountain top removal coal mining at an elementary school only a few hundred yards from a recently erected toxic coal sludge impoundment.  The arrested include retired coal miner and former Congressman Ken Hechler, NASA climate scientist James Hansen, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Judy Bonds, and actress Daryl Hannah.  Bonds was actually assaulted by a Massey Coal employee, who was in turn arrested for battery.
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We have an opportunity now to make a clean energy future a reality; we cannot afford to let the coal industry hold us back by blocking cleanup efforts and the transition to renewable energy. The Wheaton Franciscan have joined the Joliet Diocese for years in this advocacy effort against mountain top removal.

The next step is fighting back against King Coal this summer.  Sign the pledge and spread the word!  (Source: Sierra Club)

Developing nations refused to agree to a global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of 50 percent by 2050. The G5 (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa) and Egypt met with G8 countries during the summit in L’Aquila, Italy. G8 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) all agreed to an 80 percent reduction by 2050, but did not have specific plans for reducing GHG emissions. 

“This is a huge missed opportunity. With new leadership in the U.S. there was great optimism. It could have been a dramatic turning point,” said Anantha Guruswarmy of Greenpeace.

UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon criticized the GE leaders. “The policies that they have stated so far are not enough, not sufficient enough… The G8 missed a unique opportunity on climate change,” Ki-moon said.