HOLYOKE – Last night the Holyoke City Council passed a Resolution supporting statewide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). EPR is a new approach to reduce, reuse, and recycle that shifts the financial cost of managing discarded products and packaging from the cities and towns to the brand owners who design and market the products.

Councilor Rebecca Lisi, who introduced the Resolution, said, “Holyoke taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay to dispose of toxic or hard-to-recycle products. The companies that put these products into the marketplace should be responsible for these costs.”

Manufacturers’ Collection Falls Short

Hartford - Today Clean Water Action released a report, Turning Up The Heat documenting that thermostat makers have collected less than 5% of the thermostats coming out of service over the last 10 years. Therefore, Clean Water Action is calling on the Connecticut General Assembly to pass a state collection program that includes incentives to recycle and performance standards to ensure meaningful progress.

Providence – Today Clean Water Action released a report documenting that Rhode Island is below the national average for preventing mercury pollution from thermostats and far behind the national leaders. The report, Turning Up The Heat, also finds that thermostat makers have collected less than 5% of the thermostats coming out of service over the last 10 years. The House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is scheduled to hear a bill that would prevent mercury pollution from thermostats on Thursday, February 4 at the rise of the House in room 205.

Legislators, advocates, call for new, effective strategy

Boston--Thanks to the 2006 passage of the much acclaimed Mercury Management Act, you can no longer purchase a mercury-containing thermostat in Massachusetts, but thousands of them remain in use on the walls in the homes, businesses and institutions of the Commonwealth.  Today Clean Water Action released a report documenting that thermostat makers have collected less than 5% of the thermostats coming out of service in the United States over the last 10 years.

New toxics laws would make Americans healthier, wealthier

Worcester: Environmental health organizations and city officials celebrated the clean-up of diesel school buses to protect the health of school children and the public. The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition called for urgent action to clean-up diesel WTA buses, trash trucks, and construction vehicles.

Pittsburgh - A federal judge in U.S. District Court has approved a settlement between Clean Water Action and Horsehead Corp. concerning Clean Water Action's lawsuit alleging violations of the Clean Water Act at the company's zinc smelter in Monaca, PA on the Ohio River outside of Pittsburgh.

Key elements of the proposed settlement include:

• Horsehead will pay a penalty of $15,000 for past Clean Water Act violations. As additional mitigation for past violations, Horsehead will contribute to two local environmental projects.
  Published On: 

  12/29/2009 - 18:38

Groups Sharply Criticize Granholm-Cherry Administration Approval of Coal Plant

Today's DEQ Decision Strikes Blow to Clean Energy Jobs

Lansing, MI - Clean energy and environmental groups today criticized a decision today by Governor Granholm's Department of Environmental Quality approving a controversial permit for a coal plant project in Bay City, a move that strikes a blow to clean energy investments and jobs in Michigan. The DEQ is expected to put off a decision on a pending permit application for a smaller coal plant in Rogers City. 

CLEAN ENERGY NOW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Leigh Fifelski

Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 (248) 321.4579

Mich. Senate passes bill to gut coal regulations and raise utility rates

House should reject Senate's dangerous giveaway to dirty coal companies, environmental leaders say

LANSING - The Michigan Senate passed a bill today that would force the state to ignore critical environmental and economic factors when evaluating Clean Air Act permits, a move that is being roundly panned by leading environmental groups throughout Michigan.

A Response to Representative Walz and Paulsen’s press conference

Minneapolis, MN- Clean Water Action is disappointed with the statements made by Representatives Tim Walz and Eric Paulsen this morning urging for the repeal of Minnesota’s statewide nuclear moratorium. Minnesota is a national leader in renewable energy and allowing the construction of new nuclear reactors will ultimately slow progress on local clean energy and hurt the state’s economy. “Our leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate have committed to the 2007 Renewable Energy Standard and moving Minnesota towards clean and locally-grown renewable energy instead of dangerous and expensive nuclear power,” said Deanna White, State Director of Clean Water Action. Efforts to overturn the moratorium were defeated during the 2009 legislative session.