The Sierra Club is planning lawsuits to halt construction of coal plants in seven states, arguing that the mercury-spewing plants violate the Clean Air Act. Noting that a federal appeals court ruled in February that the Bush administration's mercury regulations were too lax, the green group seeks to require the coal plants to get new state permits meeting tougher emissions standards. "We want to give moms across the country some peace of mind this Mother's Day," says Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club. "That's why we're taking action ... to ensure that these coal plants make every effort to keep their toxic mercury pollution out of our communities."
sources:
source: Reuters, Sierra Club
Mountaintop removal defenders disrupt July 4th music festival in West Virginia
Denmark’s Hedegaard urges G8 to push ahead on climate talks
Comments View as Flat
Dragon Posted 5:22 am
08 May 2008
Seriously Sierra?
Ahh, the Sierra Club. Protecting people from power plants since 1892. Huh? How many power plants were there in 1892 anyways? Not many would be the answer. Weren't they formed to protect the forests and woodlands? How did you get so far away from your original mission? You may want to go back and re-read what your founders said. I digress, onto business...we need energy folks. Yes, coal is not the best way but it beats living in a cave. Trust me, I know. I will say this once...each and every means of making energy has both a plus side and a negative side. No one (other than possible Tesla) has ever invented anything that is all positive. Instead of continually fighting why not help energy companies in a positive direction by offering assistance, guidance, sweat and hard work? Seriously, you need to all be in this together. Otherwise, Mother Earth will send you the way of the Dragon. -Dragon
Permalink
Wolverine Posted 7:18 am
10 May 2008
Sierra Club's Mission
Sierra Club's mission is and was to protect and preserve as much of the natural environment as possible. Because power plants destroy the naturual environment by extracting & burning fuels, destroying natural habitat, and killing native plants and animals, it certainly is within Sierra Club's mission to oppose them.
Permalink
greenfire8 Posted 6:47 am
13 May 2008
dragon
Cool the firebreath buddy. Have you heard of mercury by any chance? Take a look at orca or maybe alaskan innuits and the salmon they rely on....some of the highest concentrations of mercury in the world, not b/c of any fault of their own. Sierra was very instrumental in informing people of Bush's ridiculous mercury rule and thankfully it has now been overturned. One less layer of BS to clean off our laws after this 8 years of hell is over. I hope the coal barons appreciate this mother's day gift. Go Sierra!
Permalink
davedenali Posted 10:26 am
15 May 2008
Coal sucks.
The Sierra Club must not only continue but dramatically increase this crucial work of stopping coal. All kinds of energy may have downsides, as Dragon notes above, but there's one helluva difference between degrees of evil, and it matters. Huge savings in efficiency can be achieved with some initial investment that will pay for itself over time. Wind and solar are vastly safer and cleaner than fossil fuel energy, and wind power is now cost-competitive. There is no reason in the world for this nation to be blowing up mountains and destroying streams to burn coal, the leading source of carbon dioxide emissions and neurotoxic mercury in the US. Finally, Dragon, global warming presents one of the largest threats to those wild places the Club was fighting to protect in 1892. And still is.
Permalink