SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the waning hours of the 2021-22 legislative session Wednesday night into Thursday morning, California lawmakers passed several hotly debated bills that could mitigate climate change and protect public health. This significant new legislation includes setting a goal for 90% of the state’s electricity to come from clean sources by 2035; prohibiting […]
Environment America
Posted inEnviro
Resource: The 100 most polluting power plants in the U.S.
PHILADELPHIA — Ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision on West Virginia vs Environmental Protection Agency, a case that will determine the EPA’s authority to regulate climate pollution, Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund are releasing a new factsheet ranking America’s dirtiest power plants. Though increased renewable energy generation has led to decreased emissions from the […]
Posted inCalifornia
Congressional Field Hearing in Orange County Shines Light on Recent Oil Spill’s Devastating Impacts
Washington, October 18, 2021 – The Congressional Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a joint field oversight hearing Monday in response to the recent oil spill in Orange County that devastated both wildlife and local coastal communities. Just over two weeks ago, an oil pipeline off the coast […]
Posted inEnviro
Trump administration officially pulls the U.S. out of the international Paris Agreement setting back climate progress
WASHINGTON, November 4, 2020 – The Trump administration officially pulled the United States out of the international Paris Agreement on climate change Wednesday. Although announced previously, the withdrawal could only be finalized as soon as the day after the presidential election. Andrea McGimsey, senior director for Environment America’s Global Warming Solutions campaign, issued the following statement: “This is […]
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166 members of Congress from across America call for swift action to update clean energy incentives
October 30, 2019 – A national cross-section of 166 Congressional members delivered a letter today to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer urging them to act on important federal clean energy incentives before adjourning for the year. The letter calls for updates and extensions of programs to support wind power, solar power, […]
Posted inLife
Swimming at beaches across America can make you sick
CHICAGO July 23, 2019 – With summer in full swing, beachgoers should beware: It might not be safe to go in the water. Nearly 60 percent of 4,523 beaches tested nationwide had water pollution levels that put swimmers at risk of getting sick on at least one occasion last year, according to a new report […]
Posted inCalifornia
Electric Cars are coming. Are we ready?
WASHINGTON, D.C. April 4, 2019 – In a few short years, there could be millions more electric vehicles (EVs) on America’s roads, with eight states collectively pledging to add 3.3 million EVs by 2025. But according to a new, California-focused report out today, in order to meet current and future demand for these climate-protecting vehicles, […]
Posted inEnviro
Proposed repeal of lighting efficiency standards a huge blow to the planet’s health
Boston February 28, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Energy is holding a public meeting today on its plan to revoke Obama-era rules that required higher energy efficiency standards for lighting. The regulations, which had been scheduled to take effect in January 2020, would have saved twice as much energy as any other efficiency regulation […]
Posted inEnviro
EPA “Dirty Water Rule” would drastically roll back pollution safeguards
Washington, DC December 11, 2018 – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveils its proposed replacement for the Clean Water Rule. The new rule would drastically roll back Clean Water Act protections from vast networks of streams and wetlands across the country. Bart Johnsen-Harris, clean water advocate for Environment America, issued the following statement: […]
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As Senate holds first hearing on PFAS, groups demand action to protect drinking water
Washington, DC September 26, 2018 – In the wake of widespread contamination of drinking water, today Environment America and its allies are urging the federal government to take strong action, as the U.S. Senate holds its first-ever hearing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. “These widely-used toxic chemicals are poisoning drinking water […]
Posted inLife
Environment America and U.S. PIRG praise Starbucks’ decision to ditch plastic straws
Denver, CO July 9, 2018 – Today, coffee giant Starbucks announced that it would eliminate single-use plastic straws from all of its locations globally by 2020. In a Tweet, the company said the move would eliminate more than one billion plastic straws per year from its stores. “Nothing we use for five minutes should be […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Environment America statement on the resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
Washington, DC July 5, 2018 – President Donald Trump announced today via Twitter that he has accepted the resignation of embattled Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt. In response, Christy Leavitt, the senior director of Environment America’s Campaign to Defend Our Environment released this statement: “It took an endless stream of ethical lapses for Scott […]
Posted inEnviro
Report: Coal Ash Ponds Put our Waterways at Risk
Washington, D.C. April 30, 2018 – Toxic ponds filled with billions of gallons of waste from coal plants across the United States pose a threat to hundreds of rivers and lakes, and millions of Americans who live near them. As the public comment period closes on the Trump administration’s proposal to weaken current rules protecting […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Environment America: President Trump Eliminates Protections for Treasured Public Lands
Washington, DC December 4, 2017 – President Donald Trump announced today that he is drastically cutting Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Not only is this decision environmentally irresponsible, it defies public opinion. Ninety-eight percent of the record-breaking 2.8 million public comments to the U.S. Interior Department asked the federal government to […]
Posted inEnviro
First bee in continental U.S. makes the endangered list
January 10, 2017 – Washington, D.C.— Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the rusty patched bumble bee as an endangered species. The native bumble bee is the first bee in the continental United States to be listed under the Endangered Species Act. Three months ago, the Obama administration designated seven species of bees […]
Posted inUS
Report: Children and the elderly at risk from “dangerous and close” fracking
BOSTON, MA, Oct. 13, 2016 – More than 650,000 kindergarten through twelfth grade children in nine states attend school within one mile of a fracked oil or gas well, putting them at increased risk of health impacts from dangerous chemicals and air pollution. The finding comes from a new study by Environment America Research & […]