Compass

Coal Industry Loophole One Step Closer to Being Closed

This post is co-written by Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, and Lyndsay Moseley, Washington Representative for the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign.

Recently the Sierra Club, along with a coalition of more than 100 organizations signed a letter calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson to move quickly to develop strong regulations for the handling and disposal of coal combustion waste to prevent a repeat event like the December 2008 Tennessee Valley Authority coal ash disaster in Kingston, Tenn.

This disaster demonstrated first hand how the coal industry has enjoyed a giant loophole for far too long. Under this loophole, they get to store billions of gallons of highly hazardous waste in a less responsible manner than household waste has to be treated.

Our letter outlined 12 key principles including the phase-out of wet storage facilities all together. The coal ash storage sites like the one that breached in Kingston are a tremendous threat, as demonstrated in an extensive EPA report unveiled by the Environmental Integrity Project: “An EPA risk assessment documents excess cancer risks of up to 1 in 50 for residents living near unlined ash ponds.”

This week, we received a response from Administrator Jackson that outlines some of the steps EPA has already begun to take regarding coal combustion waste, including a survey of structural integrity of existing impoundments. Jackson reiterated her intent that EPA is committed to developing regulations by the end of the year, and indicated that she will consider our input in developing those regulations. 

What's New Online

Been a little quiet around here lately - Congress is in recess, we just had Memorial Day weekend. But that doesn't mean there's nothing happening in the world.

Barack Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. From an environmental standpoint, we believe this is a fantastic choice.

France is moving toward a Clean Energy economy - aiming to become the leader in solar power by installing 300MW by 2011. That's what bold action looks like.

And the Oil Drum has a interesting post on how Oil Shortages might not result in high oil prices - if we actually work to move to clean energy options.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Global Warming and the Places You Love

This is a guest post from fellow Sierra Clubber Jenny Coyle.

There's an old saying that residents of inland California may suddenly own waterfront property after the next big earthquake shakes up the state. Because, you know, the coast would fall off into the ocean. Climate change gives us a twist on that way of thinking. Sea-level rise would have ocean waves crashing onto land that is now well inland, and would submerge entire coastal communities in saltwater.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: "Landscapes will undergo radical alterations. Semi-arid regions will turn into deserts, coastlines will become saturated by rising sea levels, and the remains of the Amazon and other rain forests will turn into savannas."

Aside from cities and residential area, sea-level rise and the melting of glaciers would also have devastating effects on our wild places and wildlife. We're the stewards of the earth, and our actions -- or inaction -- have consequences for the planet and the flora and fauna we share it with and that we love to see along our favorite hiking trails.

And that subject gives me the chance to share with you a new social network we've launched, in which we celebrate all things related to being in the Great Outdoors. It's called Sierra Club Trails, and its centerpiece is a collection of trails -- both land and water -- along with discussion forums, tips, an events calendar, photo sharing, and much more. Compass readers are invited to sneak-preview the site and be among the first to add trails. We're in beta mode, getting Sierra Club Trails ready for the world -- but we need lots of trails added first. Click here for a sneak preview of this beautiful new website -- and add some trails!

Report From the Seattle EPA Global Warming Hearing

The huge mid-day rally in Seattle. Photo by Dan Ritzman.

Yesterday was the EPA's second public hearing on its global warming endangerment finding and we've got a great review of how it went over on our Big Picture Campaign blog. Go check it out! Sounds like everything went great!

Follow EPA Hearings Live...on Compass

Today's EPA Global Warming Hearing in Seattle

Just a reminder - today is the big day in Seattle. It's time for the second EPA public hearing on its global warming endangerment finding. If you can't be there in person, but you're on Twitter, then follow the hashtag #nocoal to get updates from our folks who are in the hearing and attending the huge mid-day rally. The hearing starts at 9am pacific time. More details here on the EPA hearing website.

Hundreds Tell EPA to Regulate Global Warming Pollution

Bruce Nilles is on vacation this week. This post is by Mary Anne Hitt, deputy director of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign.

On Monday, close to 300 Sierra Club members and activists, clergy and people of faith, scientists, health professionals, and even a former 007 turned out for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) global warming endangerment hearing in Arlington , VA.

Support for the endangerment finding and further regulation of cars and coal plants overwhelmed any opposition, with an unofficial estimate of more than 90% of testimony in favor of the endangerment finding.

The day began with a representative from the State of New York speaking on behalf of Gov. David Paterson, and a representative from the Association of Clean Air Agencies – and from then on it was one excellent speaker after another all urging EPA to take action on regulating global warming pollution.

We heard doctors talk about the health impacts, scientists discuss the climate models, regular citizens tell personal stories, and many clergy people talking about why we should take action and why their faith communities are involved.



"(They) were really amazing," said one Sierra Club staffer. "To hear perspectives from almost every major tradition on the importance of acting on global warming was a powerful experience-- one that the EPA panel was still talking about during one of the breaks."

Keely and Pierce Brosnan also showed up to testify and really enjoyed themselves. We were all appreciative of the willingness of the Brosnans to stay through additional testimony after they spoke, spend some time afterward talking to hearing attendees, and take a few pictures.

(Then the paparazzi chased the Brosnans’ car - which I was riding in - from the hearing all the way back to DC, and then the cameras followed us into a Barnes and Noble, where security finally chased them away. The good news is that I loaded the Brosnans up with good books on coal and global warming.)

EPA moved very quickly through all the testimony, and the hearing wrapped at 8pm.

We agree whole-heartedly with David Bookbinder, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel, who said Monday that  “it's clear, from the crowd of people who turned out today, and the thousands of people who have already submitted comments, that there is broad public support for strong action on global warming."

Tomorrow in Seattle is the second EPA public hearing on the global warming endangerment finding. You can sign up to attend our mid-day rally, and if you can’t make that – then be sure to send your comments to the EPA about why they should regulate global warming pollution.

President Obama Announces Two Great Vehicle Decisions

This is a guest post from Ann Mesnikoff, director of the Sierra Club's Green Transportation Campaign.

The White House Rose Garden is the perfect place to be on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, especially when the President is announced a fabulous deal on achieving higher fuel economy standards and a national greenhouse gas standards for new cars and trucks. I was there today for this announcement and it was truly historic.

Sierra Club can be very proud of decades of work to raise fuel economy standards in Congress and our hard work to support California's Pavley greenhouse gas tailpipe standards, which 14 other states have adopted – it all came together today. 

Report from the 1st EPA Global Warming Endangerment Hearing

 
The crowd at our mid-day EPA hearing press conference.

I had the pleasure of attending much of yesterday's first public hearing from the Environmental Protection Agency on its global warming endangerment finding. This hearing was held at the EPA office in Arlington, VA, and featured a great crowd of people who want the EPA to do the right thing and regulate global warming pollution.

While I only saw the speakers from the hearing's start at 9am until noon, it featured a good variety of people from all types of backgrounds. There were many activists and staffers from the Sierra Club, as well as from many other environmental organizations. There were state environmental employees, faith leaders, business leaders, professors, scientists, doctors, and more - almost all of which were on our side.

The testimony from the day's speakers ranged from scientific findings to personal stories, and to inspirational calls to action.

EPA Global Warming Endangerment Hearings

Phew - just got back from today's first big public hearing on the EPA's global warming endangerment finding. Today's was held at the EPA office in Arlington, VA, and it drew a great crowd of folks who believe the EPA must take action against global warming. I will have a better wrap-up of it tomorrow, but for now, enjoy this photo of Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) who spoke at our big press conference during the lunch break of the hearings today. He's a great clean energy advocate!

Also, if you're on Twitter and you'd like a short recap of how it went as it happened, just search with #nocoal to see updates from our folks who twittered during the hearing. We'll also have folks twittering from Thursday's other hearing on this issue in Seattle.