APRIL 25, 2024 – Today, leaders within the environmental justice movement responded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plan to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants in new EPA Power Plant Rule Updates.  Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice shared, Our communities have been burdened by the adverse health impacts of fossil fuel power plants, which have been disproportionately sited in communities of color, for decades. With these final rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from the power sector, we ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 25, 2024 Contacts: Ashley Sullivan, ashley.sullivan@weact.org, & Jama Joseph, jama.joseph@weact.org WASHINGTON – The Clean Air for the Long Haul cohort (CAFLH) acknowledges the final power plant rules to drive down emissions and pollutants announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. These updates, especially the Greenhouse Gas Standards for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal-fired power plants are much awaited, and will cut carbon emissions and deadly air pollution from the sect ..read more

  The New York State Assembly Once Again Blocks Crucial Climate Legislation that Would Lower Energy Bills and End Wasteful Subsidies to Fossil Fuel Companies, Leaving Working-Class New Yorkers Burdened by Energy Debt and Air Pollution     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 18, 2024 Contact: Chris Dobens, 718-679-8542, chris@weact.org   ALBANY, NY — As Earth Day approaches, Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Assembly continue to hide behind pledges of climate leadership while failing to deliver meaningful action for New Yorkers. Both the Governor, and the Assembl ..read more

FUTILE ATTEMPT PLAYS WITH NEED TO PASS KEY GOVERNMENT FUNDING, COUNTERS CLEAN AIR PROGRESS & PUBLIC INTEREST  By Annika Larson with contributions from Ashley Sullivan As Republican interference repeatedly threatens the basic functions of government, House GOP members once again advanced their preformative, out-of-touch agenda; this time, over gas stoves. Their passage of a “rider” – or condition – attached to the $1.2 trillion spending package (appropriations bill) marked the end of the tumultuous process for the 2024 fiscal year. The rider was part of a precarious and unnecessary fig ..read more

WASHINGTON – WE ACT for Environmental Justice shares its support, reinforces calls for transparency, and the overall importance of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) for communities in response to the eight awardee selections under the GGRF’s $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund and $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator. On April 4, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the awardees as part of the larger $27 billion program. WE ACT, in coalition with partners including the Equitable and Just National Climate Forum, strongly supported the creat ..read more

April 2, 2023  WASHINGTON DC – The Clean Air for the Long Haul (CAFLH) Cohort shares that the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated Standards for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for Heavy-Duty Vehicles falls short of the needs of our communities, and continues to delay important changes that will save countless lives. While these standards represent critical actions to address greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from the heavy-duty vehicle sector, we are disappointed in the lack of ambition that delays much needed truck pollution reductions and quality of life improvemen ..read more

WASHINGTON –  As we begin Earth Month, over 130 organizations join together to write to Congressional appropriators to advocate for high topline funding levels for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in particular their environmental justice investments, in fiscal year 2025 Appropriations. After cuts to environmental funding in the 2024 appropriations bills, this call from dozens of organizations emphasizes the need to invest in climate mitigation, public health, and the environment. Astrid DuBois, Government Affairs Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice responds: “WE ACT for E ..read more

WASHINGTON DC – On March 29, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission held the first FERC Equity and Environmental Justice Roundtable. The Commission-led Roundtable was intended to “discuss environmental justice and equity in its jurisdictional infrastructure permitting processes.” FERC “regulates interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil, and also regulates hydropower projects and natural gas terminals.” As we reflect back on the one-year anniversary of the Roundtable, the recent hearings on FERC nominees hosted by Senate Energy & Natural Resources, and the pause ..read more

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION NOMINEES LACK EXPERTISE AND DEFLECT RESPONSIBILITY ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE  MARCH 22, 2024 – This week, the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee attempted to erase this simple truth: ENERGY is ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.  Yesterday, the United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a Committee Hearing for FERC Nominees: David Rosner, Judy Chang, and Lindsay See. For the entire hearing, the Committee and candidates FAILED to mention environmental justice. Further, the nominees plainly avoided answer ..read more

  GENEVA — Today, as the United Nations highlights “the urgent need to address the harmful effects” of mercury added skin lightening products (SLPs) on the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, advocates are calling on governments to enforce bans and collaborate globally to end the toxic beauty trade. “The skin-lightening industry is rooted in racism and colonization” said Micaela E. Martinez, Ph.D., Director of Environmental Health, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Much of this comes from the normalization of Euro-centric beauty st ..read more