Press Releases

Media outlets reported that Steven Gardner, a coal industry insider beholden to polluters, has withdrawn his nomination to Direct the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).

Duke Energy, the country’s largest electric utility, has filed new long term energy plans for Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress that set earlier closure dates for some polluting coal units, but still bank on climate disrupting fracked gas as a mainstay for electricity generation.

FirstEnergy Solutions notified PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM) today that it plans to deactivate two uneconomic coal plants unless the Trump Administration forces taxpayers and electricity customer to spend billions of dollars to bail them out.

Pittsburgh, PA -- FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. announced today that the 42-year-old Bruce Mansfield coal-fired power plant would retire by June 1, 2021. The 2,510 megawatt coal-fired power plant, located in Beaver County, is the largest in Pennsylvania and until recently, burned over seven million tons of coal annually.

The Trump administration and former coal lobbyist and acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, officially announced today that they are reconsidering the life-saving Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).

Denver, CO – This afternoon, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) provided its initial approval of Xcel Energy’s Colorado Energy Plan (CEP) to close coal-fired units 1 and 2 at the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo ten years ahead of schedule. Colorado’s largest utility will replace that coal generation with a $2.5 billion investment in mostly renewable energy and battery storage that is estimated by Xcel to save ratepayers at least $213 million. The PUC will formalize their support in a written decision, which is due by Tuesday, September 4th.

BOSTON, MA -- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced today that the City of Boston will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on August 27 for submissions from consulting firms to assist the City’s development, implementation, and administration, of a municipal electricity aggregation program.

Albany, NY-- Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that New York will join the Powering Past Coal Alliance, an international group of governments, businesses and organizations dedicating itself to ending the use of coal-fired power. Today’s announcement comes as former coal lobbyist and acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler released an unlawfully weak carbon pollution policy that pales in comparison to the Obama Administration’s ambitious policy to work with states to dramatically reduce carbon pollution, promote economic and environmental justice, protect public health, and remove barriers to create a national clean energy economy.

College Park, MD - Former coal lobbyist and acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler released an unlawfully weak carbon pollution policy today that would gut the Clean Power Plan’s life-saving standards and do next to nothing to fight the climate crisis.

Pittsburgh, PA - Former coal lobbyist and acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler released an unlawfully weak carbon pollution policy today that would gut the Clean Power Plan’s life-saving standards and do next to nothing to fight the climate crisis.