The climate advocacy group Evergreen Action wants the Environmental Protection Agency to take a good, hard look at the 10 crucial rules it must finalize in order to hold the power sector accountable. According to Evergreen Action’s latest report, six rules—including carbon standards for new and existing power plants, stronger standards for air toxins, and stronger national smog and soot standards—have been delayed. No action has been taken on two rules concerning haze and coal ash. Just two rules—one on toxic water pollution and a Clean Air Act provision known as the “good neighbor rule,” regarding interstate air pollution—are on track.
“If [the EPA doesn’t] start proposing these important rules by the end of this year, they will not be able to finish these rules by the end of the first term, which would be extremely detrimental to meeting our climate and environmental justice commitments,” Evergreen Executive Director Jamal Raad told the Washington Post, which was the first outlet to obtain this report. The EPA claimed it will release a proposed rule draft for power plant pollution discharge by next month. It is so far on track.
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It’s one thing for the EPA to roll out and enforce rules meant to protect frontline communities and broaden protections for communities downwind or downstream of polluting facilities. It’s another for the power sector to actually make meaningful changes. A recent Sierra Club report found that a majority of utilities are talking a big game but putting very little action behind their climate pledges. Few utility companies will come close to reaching clean energy goals for 2030. Per the Sierra Club:
Those scores operate on a 0 to 100 system, making these figures even more depressing to look at. Even if the EPA gets its act together and better enforces carbon standards for existing power plants, the Sierra Club stresses that the clock is ticking before many of those plants must be shuttered in order to meet net-zero goals. In addition to the environmental group’s report, the Sierra Club also offers a tool to break down their report by utility. My home utility, Entergy New Orleans, somehow scored a 52—considered a B by the Sierra Club—through this latest report. How does yours stack up?
Democrats can build a blue wave if we get out every voter. Click here to find out all the ways you can help in the last days before Election Day.
“If [the EPA doesn’t] start proposing these important rules by the end of this year, they will not be able to finish these rules by the end of the first term, which would be extremely detrimental to meeting our climate and environmental justice commitments,” Evergreen Executive Director Jamal Raad told the Washington Post, which was the first outlet to obtain this report. The EPA claimed it will release a proposed rule draft for power plant pollution discharge by next month. It is so far on track.
Campaign Action
It’s one thing for the EPA to roll out and enforce rules meant to protect frontline communities and broaden protections for communities downwind or downstream of polluting facilities. It’s another for the power sector to actually make meaningful changes. A recent Sierra Club report found that a majority of utilities are talking a big game but putting very little action behind their climate pledges. Few utility companies will come close to reaching clean energy goals for 2030. Per the Sierra Club:
Those scores operate on a 0 to 100 system, making these figures even more depressing to look at. Even if the EPA gets its act together and better enforces carbon standards for existing power plants, the Sierra Club stresses that the clock is ticking before many of those plants must be shuttered in order to meet net-zero goals. In addition to the environmental group’s report, the Sierra Club also offers a tool to break down their report by utility. My home utility, Entergy New Orleans, somehow scored a 52—considered a B by the Sierra Club—through this latest report. How does yours stack up?
Democrats can build a blue wave if we get out every voter. Click here to find out all the ways you can help in the last days before Election Day.