Complete list of press releases

Gov. Hickenlooper, in partnership with conservation groups, industry representatives, and agriculture leaders, today requested recognition by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management to establish the Colorado Habitat Exchange – initially focused on the greater sage-grouse.

“It’s inspiring to see Colorado ranchers, conservationists and business leaders coming together to put forth a solution for this iconic bird,” said Hickenlooper. “The Colorado Habitat Exchange will create a new market for voluntary conservation that will help protect the greater sage-grouse and sustain Colorado’s robust energy and agriculture economies.”

The Colorado Habitat Exchange works to engage ranchers in voluntary conservation efforts by offering financial incentives to create, maintain and improve habitat on their property. Landowners earn conservation credits for these activities, which they can sell to industry to compensate for development, such as roads, oil and gas facilities and other infrastructure that impact species and habitat.

“Either way the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision falls, the Colorado Habitat Exchange sets a strong precedent for conservation, both in Colorado and nationwide,” said Eric Holst, associate vice president of working lands at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). “Through collaboration, innovation and robust science, this program will unlock the vast untapped potential of Western working lands to work also for wildlife. It sends a clear signal to federal agencies and to the 10 other sage-grouse states that Colorado is prepared to lead the way.”

Earlier this year, Hickenlooper issued Executive Order D 2015-004 directing state agencies to conserve the greater sage-grouse. One component of the order directed the Department of Natural Resources to work with stakeholders to launch the Colorado Habitat Exchange as a mitigation option for companies impacting greater sage-grouse habitat in the state. Recognition by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management provides certainty to program participants.

“The sooner we can get federal recognition of the Colorado Habitat Exchange, the sooner we will be able to unlock new opportunities for Colorado ranchers to make sage-grouse conservation a part of their business models,” said Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. “The habitat exchange is a win-win for sage-grouse and for ranchers, who are natural stewards of these vital working landscapes.”   

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service faces a Sept. 30 deadline to decide whether or not the greater sage-grouse requires protection under the Endangered Species Act.

“No one wants to see this bird on the Endangered Species List, and this program is our best chance of keeping the bird off the list, now and in the future,” Fankhauser said.

More information is available at: www.habitatexchanges.org/colorado.

(Los Angeles – September 15, 2015) Leading research and advocacy groups from the U.S. and China signed a new cooperation agreement in Los Angeles today, pledging to work together to address the threat of climate change.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Beijing Climate Change Research Centre, the Institute of Low Carbon Economy at Tsinghua University, and the Rocky Mountain Institute signed the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Addressing Climate Change. 

The groups will collaborate on research, training and technology to create low-carbon eco-cities, promoting urban sustainable development while also addressing climate change. Areas of cooperation include carbon emissions trading, urban low carbon planning and development strategies, low carbon architecture, low emission transportation, energy conservation and environmental protection.

EDF Executive Director Diane Regas with others at the signing ceremony 

(Washington, D.C. – September 15, 2015) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today hailed announcements by Chinese and U.S. cities to peak and mitigate climate pollution, saying it is further evidence of a new dynamic of climate cooperation between the world’s two largest polluters. Commitments to reduce carbon emissions at the municipal level ultimately make possible stronger national commitments, which can in turn lead to effective international action.

EDF president Fred Krupp lauded the announcements and the use of emissions trading programs.

“From Beijing to Los Angeles, we’ve seen the spread of successful cap and trade programs in both China and the U.S. Instead of arguing about who is to blame, these cities are taking constructive action,” said Krupp. “We are hopeful that from the cities, our nations will find inspiration to develop national market-based programs to cut climate pollution.”

Su Wei, China’s Chief Climate Change Negotiator affirmed China’s support for today’s actions and the use of carbon markets. “We are learning from our carbon emissions trading pilots. First and foremost is the political commitment to carbon markets. Secondly, it is fundamental to set the cap. Thirdly, markets can turn challenges into opportunities. Fourthly, a robust monitoring and compliance system is indispensable to the effectiveness and credibility of any carbon market.”

Carbon trading markets figure into both countries’ strategies. California, nine U.S. states, and two Canadian provinces are already using the power of the market to limit pollution while growing their economies. Carbon markets are one of the best options available to U.S. states under Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. China has implemented cap and trade programs in five cities and two provinces, covering 25 percent of that nation’s economy. And it is working towards a 2017-to-2020 rollout of a national cap and trade program. 

EDF, which has had a presence in China since 1991, has been providing technical assistance to the Chinese government as they launch the carbon trading programs.

(SACRAMENTO – September 11, 2015) The California State Assembly approved a key bill today with bipartisan support aimed at advancing the state’s climate and clean energy leadership. Legislators approved a modified version of SB 350 (De León) to increase the state’s reliance on renewable energy to 50 percent and double energy efficiency by 2030. While 2030 and 2050 carbon reduction targets are set through executive order, a companion bill aimed at cementing these targets in legislation was held without vote. The bill will now go to the senate for a concurrence vote where it is expected to pass.

“Today, legislators upheld Governor Brown’s crucial goal to continue to build our clean energy economy by passing SB 350. Although they weren’t able to set firm targets to cut California’s massive dependence on oil, the governor and the Air Resources Board can and will continue to pursue this goal. Despite some setbacks, today’s bipartisan vote to advance clean energy and cut energy use is a significant step forward for the state. SB 350’s nation-leading energy targets will create jobs, spur innovation, and improve public health.”

·         Gavin Purchas, California Director, Clean Energy

On behalf of the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and Environment North Carolina, the Southern Environmental Law Center today announced a settlement in a lawsuit filed against Duke Energy after the company rebuilt a dozen coal-fired power plants without legally required pollution controls.   

Filed in December 2000, the case featured a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court landmark decision that prompted agreements to remove millions of tons of pollutants from the nation’s air.

Today’s settlement requires closure of three coal units at Duke Energy’s G.G. Allen plant west of Charlotte.  Last year, those units – Allen 1, 2, and 3 – emitted several thousand tons of harmful sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air, and over a million tons of climate changing carbon dioxide.  The settlement also calls for Duke to pay $4.4 million for projects to mitigate past pollution and a $975,000 penalty.

“This case is being resolved in a way that cleans the air breathed by millions of Carolinians,” said Blan Holman, managing attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center who represents the conservation groups in the case. “This case endured efforts by the Bush-Cheney administration to stifle the clean-up of coal plants, and underscores the essential role of citizen enforcement as a backstop to protect our nation’s air and water from illegal pollution.”

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2000 by the United States Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency.  The conservation groups intervened after the Bush Administration announced it would undercut the case and others by proposing weakened pollution standards for coal plants, allowing them to rebuild without ever installing modern pollution controls.

The case reached a climax after an appeals court in Richmond ruled for Duke on a key legal point.  Over the Bush Administration’s objections, the conservation groups sought – and got – U.S. Supreme Court review of that decision.  The Court’s subsequent 9-0 reversal triggered major settlements in parallel cases across the country, including a multi-billion dollar settlement with American Electric Power in 2007 to clean up nearly a million tons of air pollutants a year from Midwest coal plants.

“This decision is another turning point for clean energy solutions,” said Michael Regan, senior director at Environmental Defense Fund and former EPA manager. “Our nation is fortunate to have Clean Air Act programs that save thousands of lives every year while saving us billions of dollars in avoided medical and environmental damage. It’s been a good opportunity to work collaboratively with the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency to see that our laws are upheld and that the health of our families is defended and improved.”

Under the terms of today’s settlement, Duke Energy will close three old coal units (units 1, 2, and 3) at its Allen Steam Station by December 31, 2024.  Duke Energy’s Allen facility is a 1,155-MW coal-fired electricity generating facility, located on Lake Wylie and the Catawba River near Charlotte, NC.  The site also contains unlined, leaking coal ash pits that are the subject of litigation by conservation groups represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center seeking cleanup of Duke Energy’s coal ash pollution.

“Retiring three dirty, outdated coal units at Allen means Charlotte-area residents will breathe easier,” said Kelly Martin, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in North Carolina. “North Carolinians deserve clean energy and the benefits of clean air, clean water, and a stable climate.  Given the rapidly declining cost of solar and wind power and recent advancements in battery storage technologies, Duke Energy should utilize low-cost clean energy options when these units cease burning coal.”

Of the Duke coal plants still subject to the enforcement lawsuit prior to the settlement, only the Allen units are still operating.  Targeted units at the Buck, Cliffside Dan River and Riverbend have already shut down.  

“Today’s settlement is good news for children, the elderly, asthmatics, and anyone who has trouble breathing on smoggy summer day,” said Dave Rogers, Environment North Carolina director. “Shutting down these dirty coal units from the past will help make our climate safer for the future, and drive North Carolina leaders to tap more of our vast potential for pollution- free wind and solar energy.”

The agreement calls for stricter emissions controls for the Allen units before they are shut-down.  In addition, to the $975,000 penalty, Duke will pay $4.4 million for specified mitigation projects including charging stations for electric vehicles and energy efficiency measures that may include a program to help low-income households save energy and money.

The proposed consent decree and its terms has been agreed to by all parties in the case and filed with the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. 

(Washington, D.C. – September 9, 2015) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today denied two petitions seeking an emergency stay of the Clean Power Plan, the historic clean air standards that will reduce climate-disrupting air pollution from power plants – America’s largest source of such pollution.  

Today’s ruling from the three-judge court of appeals panel states:

“[T]he petitions [are] denied because petitioners have not satisfied the stringent standards that apply to petitions for extraordinary writs that seek to stay agency action.” 

Read the court’s ruling here.

“We are gratified, though not surprised, that the court has rejected another attack on the Clean Power Plan,” said Sean Donahue, counsel for EDF, which is participating in the case. “The Clean Power Plan itself is flexible, measured, and firmly rooted in science and law.” 

The requests for an emergency stay of the Clean Power Plan came from a group of 15 states led by West Virginia, and from Peabody Energy Corporation, a coal company.

The same two groups filed lawsuits against the Clean Power Plan earlier – before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had finalized it. In June, the D.C. Circuit Court rejected that unprecedented effort to obtain review of a proposed rule, saying they cannot review a federal standard before the conditions specified by Congress for judicial review have been satisfied.   

Read more about the Clean Power Plan and litigation concerning it on our website.

(OHIO – September 9, 2015) Ohio Energy Future Tour today released a report on the findings from six statewide forums, which were open and free to the public and designed to ignite conversation about how Ohio can move forward in the new clean energy economy. The report outlines policy recommendations and five goals that can pave the way for a 21^st century energy system in Ohio.

“This new report shows how much Ohioans crave a new clean energy vision – one that will create thousands of jobs and bring millions of investment dollars to the state,” said Dick Munson, Director, Midwest Clean Energy. “It’s time Ohio’s leaders recognize that prioritizing clean energy means building a better future for the state’s people, businesses, and environment.”

• Dick Munson, Director, Midwest Clean Energy

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sept. 2, 2015) Ohio Governor John Kasich and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency this week issued new proposals for controlling harmful air pollution at natural gas compressor stations. The policy aims to limit the amount of smog-forming volatile organic compounds escaping from oil and gas infrastructure and, at the same time, will achieve important reductions of methane and other harmful air pollutants.

“Once again, Ohio is leading the way on reducing pollution from oil and gas operations,” said Matt Watson, Associate Vice President of EDF’s Climate and Energy Program. “The proposal serves as a powerful example that strong regulations to protect communities from harmful oil and gas emissions are feasible, cost-effective and necessary.”

EDF is reviewing the proposal in detail and looks forward to working with the Kasich administration and other stakeholders to strengthen the measures before they’re finalized.  Upon initial reading, however, it’s clear that the OEPA has taken a thoughtful approach and has incorporated several nationally-leading industry practices into its proposal, including: requiring operators use an infrared camera or other hydrocarbon detection device to scan compressor stations and other equipment for leaks on a quarterly basis; requiring the use of vapor recovery units and other control measures when operators perform pipeline maintenance activities; and placing strong overall limits on emissions from compressors.

(BOULDER – August 27, 2015) New data released today by the Environmental Protection Agency indicates air quality in one of Wyoming’s most active oil and gas drilling regions is improving. The data indicates ozone levels in the state’s Upper Green River Basin decreased to 64 parts per billion in recent years putting the region on track to again comply with national health-based standards.

“Today’s EPA determination shows that the strong actions taken by the State of Wyoming to improve air quality are working,” said Jon Goldstein, Senior Policy Manger with EDF’s Climate and Energy Program. “The state’s robust, sensible and cost-effective pollution control requirements are a success story that can be replicated by other regions in Wyoming and nationally that are facing smog problems from oil and gas development.”

In past years ozone measurements in the rural Wyoming town of Pinedale have rivaled levels in Los Angeles, leading to the area being listed as in nonattainment for ozone pollution under the federal Clean Air Act. This listing triggered a series of actions by the state to improve local air quality including passing nationally leading requirements to reduce emissions from new and modified oil and gas sources in the basin in 2013.

More recently, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead in May 2015 signed a new rule from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality that extends many of the same nationally leading pollution controls (including requiring quarterly, instrument based inspections for leaks) to existing sources of oil and gas pollution in the basin. This rule received unanimous approval from the state’s Environmental Quality Council and broad support from local citizens as well as the major producers in the basin.

“Wyoming serves as a great case study of what can happen when conservation groups and industry work together with the state to develop solutions for protecting air quality from the impacts of drilling,” said Bruce Pendery Chief Legal Counsel of Wyoming Outdoor Council. “However, the state must remain vigilant to ensure the area continues to enjoy healthy air quality.  The existing source rules recently passed by the Environmental Quality Council and signed by Governor Mead are a critical part of making sure this success story continues into the future and that the area can comply with Clean Air Act requirements for the next ten years and beyond.” 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a four-year strategy to invest more that $200 million in greater sage-grouse conservation efforts. According to USDA, the strategy, known as Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0, will build on successful public and private conservation efforts to improve sage-grouse habitat. The new plan will provide additional assistance for ranchers to make conservation improvements to their land, which provide mutual benefits for the grouse and for cattle operations.

“It’s encouraging to see USDA remaining at the forefront of federal efforts to move sage-grouse protection forward,” said Eric Holst, senior director of working lands at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). “This funding is a huge boost for sage-grouse, but there are opportunities through emerging programs for impact industries to do even more to protect this iconic bird.”

“Ranchers are absolutely essential to the success of the greater sage-grouse,” Holst said. “They have proven to be willing and committed partners in conservation, so investments like this that tap into the abundant potential of private, working lands deliver the best strategy for recovery. But we need more.”

EDF has partnered with ranchers, energy companies and conservation groups to develop an innovative program called habitat exchanges that provides farmers and ranchers the opportunity to earn new revenue for activities that improve greater sage-grouse habitat. Farmers and ranchers earn conservation credits for these activities, which they can sell to industry to compensate for development, such as roads, transmission lines and other infrastructure that impact species and habitat.

“Now is not the time to be complacent,” Holst said. “We need to build on this momentum to make sure private industries and the 11 sage-grouse states are doing everything they can to ensure sage-grouse success.”

“An investment in sage-grouse is an investment in America’s rural economy,” Holst added.

(NEW ORLEANS, LA—Aug. 26, 2015) As President Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush prepare to visit New Orleans to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this week, national and local conservation groups working together on Mississippi River Delta restoration – Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana – issued the following joint statement:

“In the coming days, President Obama, two former U.S. Presidents and other leaders will honor the thousands of lives lost and bring well-deserved attention to the progress Louisiana and the Gulf Coast have made since the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina a decade ago.

“However, the job here is far from finished. Louisiana’s coastal wetlands – its first line of defense against future storms and a key driver for the health of the Gulf – continue to vanish at the stunning rate of one football field an hour. We look to President Obama to prioritize restoration of Louisiana’s disappearing coast for the remainder of his term and in doing so, leave a legacy of lasting resilience for the region.

“President Obama and leaders across government must maximize the impact of restoration efforts by protecting existing revenue streams for restoration, ensuring that the parties involved are working together effectively and prioritizing funding for large-scale ecosystem projects that will most significantly benefit the region. The pending BP settlement provides a tremendous immediate opportunity to do that, with billions of dollars that can  be dedicated now to the most critical ecosystem projects Gulf-wide, including substantial investments in the Mississippi River Delta.  

“This is not just a Louisiana crisis, it’s a regional and national issue: Louisiana’s coast and its communities are powerful economic engines for shipping, energy, seafood and other industries that feed and fuel the nation and support millions of jobs across America.

“Katrina was the wake-up call. We certainly hope the Gulf Coast never has a repeat of that level of devastation. But unless meaningful coastal restoration moves forward and is funded for the long-term, we leave the people, wildlife and industries across the Louisiana coast at immense risk.  And because of the flow of funds resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the President and his Administration have the opportunity to act now, to turn these twin disasters into a positive, lasting and meaningful legacy in the Gulf.”

Background:

1)      On July 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice and BP announced an agreement in principle on a global settlement that will resolve all remaining federal and state litigation relating to BP’s role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil disaster. BP will pay a total of $18.732 billion to settle these claims with $7.332 billion designated for Natural Resource Damages (in addition to the $1 billion BP already paid for early restoration efforts), $5.5 billion in Clean Water Act penalties and $5.9 billion will cover economic damages to states and localities on the Gulf Coast. For more information on the agreement in principle, click here.

2)      If the agreement in principle with BP becomes final, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, an independent federal entity established by the RESTORE Act, will have more than $1 billion dollars to dedicate to critical ecosystem restoration projects across the Gulf in the near-term.

3)      Additionally, the Louisiana Coastal Area Program (LCA) represents another opportunity to construct large-scale ecosystem projects that increase coastal resilience. The Administration has requested U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) funding for the Louisiana Coastal Area Program (LCA) in previous years, and Fiscal Year 2017 is an opportune time to refocus on this critical program to maximize synergies with RESTORE Act funding and increase the overall impact of coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. 

(WASHINGTON – August 24, 2015) President Obama announced today a comprehensive set of actions to speed up America’s transition to a clean energy economy. These executive actions and private sector commitments range from clean energy financing tools and a challenge to put more solar energy on military bases, to the creation of an interagency clean energy task force and funding for states to develop renewable energy technologies.

“The President should be applauded for moving our country toward a safer, healthier energy future. These bold, new actions and commitments will boost energy innovation and job creation, while making it easier for people to choose clean energy, waste less, and save more – especially those who need it most.”

• Jim Marston, Vice President, Clean Energy, Environmental Defense Fund

Part I: Press Release
Part 2: Additional Quotes

(NEW ORLEANS – August 20, 2015) The international Changing Course design competition today announced its winning teams and the teams’ 100-year visions for restoring and sustaining the Mississippi River Delta for the people and industries that call it home. The winning teams – comprised of some of the world’s top engineers, coastal scientists, planners and designers – are Baird & Associates, Moffatt & Nichol, and Studio Misi-Ziibi.

“We challenged the world’s top experts to find the most innovative ways to make sure that New Orleans and southeast Louisiana aren’t held hostage to worsening storms, rising seas and a disappearing delta,” said Steve Cochran, Associate Vice President of Ecosystems at Environmental Defense Fund and a member of the Changing Course Leadership Team. “We hope the winning ideas will help citizens, communities, industries and governments engage in real conversations about what it’s going to take to make this important region more resilient and prosperous.”

The winning teams’ designs are based on a 100-year planning horizon and focus on maximizing the Mississippi River’s natural and sustainable land-building potential while taking into the account of needs of navigation and other industries, flood control and sustainable community development – a challenge raised by the state of Louisiana’s master planning process.

“Because of the quality of the work, the State has committed to bringing the technical work from Changing Course into its process of analyzing the management scheme for the Lower Mississippi River,” said Kyle Graham, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Executive Director. “We look forward to working with the teams.”

Over the last century, nearly 1,900 square miles of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands have vanished. Every hour, a football field-sized swath of land drowns in the Gulf’s advancing tides. At this rate, by 2100, Louisiana’s protective coast will be gone. The solutions proposed by the winning teams focus primarily on the Mississippi River south of New Orleans.

While each of the winning teams offered a different vision, all three identified three major themes as critical to sustaining the Mississippi River Delta today and into the future:

• A clear focus on a sustainable delta through using the natural forces of the Mississippi River;
• Maximum integration of navigation, flood control and restoration, including consideration of ideas for a better and more sustainable navigation channel;
• Consideration of a gradual transition of industry and communities into more protected and resilient communities, over time.

“As sea levels rise, communities around the world, particularly in major river deltas, need novel approaches to find sustainable solutions. Changing Course is a great example of how world-class expertise can be combined with local wisdom to produce ideas that work,” said Dr. Don Boesch, Changing Course Leadership Team member and Professor of Marine Science and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Read more about the teams and see their designs at ChangingCourse.us.

To set up interviews or for more information, contact Molly Moore at molly@sandersonstrategies.com.

Changing Course is a design competition aimed at developing innovative solutions to rebuild and protect the Louisiana coast. It is led by a leadership team of prominent leaders in Louisiana’s civic, industry, and academic communities along with national experts in coastal resiliency, engineering, and design. It is supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, blue moon fund, Greater New Orleans Foundation, Shell, The Kresge Foundation, The Selley Foundation and The Walton Family Foundation; with leadership support from Van Alen Institute, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes the power of design to transform cities, landscapes and regions to improve people’s lives, and Environmental Defense Fund, which has 30 years of experience in the Mississippi River Delta region; and with technical support from BuroHappold Engineering, a worldwide consulting and engineering firm. Learn more at www.changingcourse.us and follow Changing Course on Twitter and Facebook.

Additional Quotes

“A challenge as pressing as Louisiana’s disappearing coastline is best approached through a design competition,” said Van Alen Institute Executive Director David van der Leer, “as this method brings together multidisciplinary expertise, resulting in a highly innovative set of solutions.”

“The thinking behind Changing Course reflects the future of large-scale environmental management and the key to tackling climate change at a substantive level. By engineering to harness the river’s natural forces and cycles, rather than fighting them, we can restore a vital, living Delta where individuals and communities will thrive for generations to come,” said Kate Ascher, Partner at BuroHappold Engineering.

“The quality of work and technical rigor of the Changing Course teams is the reason these ideas are being seriously considered by the State, Corps and Restore Council. Starting with options that have solid engineering and science behind them, along with a consideration of the economic and community possibilities, will allow the conversation to weigh implementable options,” said Clint Willson, Changing Course Leadership Team member and Technical Team Chair and Mike N. Dooley, P.E. Professor in Civil & Environmental Engineering at LSU.

“It’s exciting to share the results of Changing Course with the world! Everyone’s worked so hard to get to this point including the three winning teams, the Leadership and Technical teams, and the many stakeholders we’ve shared this with along the way,” said Anne Milling, Changing Course Leadership Team member and founder of Women of the Storm.

“The people of coastal Louisiana are facing an uncertain future from land loss and flooding. Some people are moving inland, but many poor and elderly will be left vulnerable. Changing Course provides positive solutions to reduce risk and honor our coast’s rich cultural connection,” said Robert Gorman, Changing Course Leadership Team member and Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.