Gillette, WY – The Biden administration announced today that it will end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the largest coal-producing region in the United States. The decision represents an historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing that the market has shifted away from coal as an electricity source as states and energy-consuming companies seek out cleaner and more affordable energy sources.
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved plans to stop coal mine expansions on public lands in the Powder River Basin, spanning Montana and Wyoming. The Powder River Basin is the source of 40 percent of all U.S. coal, and 85 percent of coal produced on public lands.
Washington, DC – Today, the Biden administration announced actions to boost domestic solar manufacturing and deployment of American-made solar panels, including closing the Trump-era Section 201 tariff exemption for imported bifacial, or double-sided, solar panels. These bifacial modules now account for more than 98 percent of US imports, resulting in less than 2 percent of imports being subjected to Section 201 duties.
Denver, CO -- Today the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) concluded deliberations on Xcel Energy's first Clean Heat Plan with a preliminary approval for a portfolio of resources that will substantially reduce emissions from the natural gas utility through investment in building electrification and energy efficiency. A final written order is expected in the coming weeks.
Montevideo, MN — On May 13, CURE, the Sierra Club, and Dakota Resource Council (DRC) submitted a joint comment challenging the findings of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) most recent environmental review of Project Tundra, a proposed large-scale Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in North Dakota. (Read CURE’s press release here.)
In response to the news that Vanguard has hired Salim Ramji as its next CEO, members of the Vanguard S.O.S. campaign, which consists of civil society organizations focused on climate risk and responsible investing, released the following statements:
New York - Today, BlackRock held its annual general meeting (AGM), where shareholders voted on the election or reelection of members to the Board and investor proposals, including on reviewing the company’s climate-related proxy voting record.
Washington, DC – Today, the Biden administration announced an increase in tariffs on imported goods from China to protect American workers and grow the domestic clean energy economy.
Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finalized its transmission planning and allocation requirements to unleash clean energy, improve the resilience of the power grid, and improve affordability. These new standards will require utilities to create smart long-term plans that consider all of the benefits that new transmission can provide for customers, like lower energy bills and increased reliability.
New York, NY — Released today, the 15th annual Banking on Climate Chaos (BOCC) report employs a new, expanded data set that credits each bank making financial contributions to a deal instead of only crediting banks in leading roles.