Orphaned well Credit: BLM Measure Ramps Up Plugging Duties for Oil Industr March 18, 2024 – SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced a bill that would substantially increase oil companies’ requirements to plug and clean up idled oil and gas wells across the state. California currently has more than 40,000 wells that sit idle, but existing laws do little to force operators to plug these dangerous wells. The bill is sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity. It’s backed by more than 100 public health, labor and environmental groups, who sen ..read more

April 12, 2024 Want to spare your gently used eclipse glasses from the landfill? Eclipse Glasses USA collects donated solar eclipse glasses to send around the world for others to enjoy upcoming eclipses and primarily benefits schools and children. Glasses must have no scratches, punctures, tears, or any other form of damage that might compromise the protective quality of the glasses. Ship to: Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC, P.O. Box 50571, Provo, UT 84605 ..read more

April 13, 2024 Communities across the U.S. experiencing the most significant effects of poverty represent a quarter of applications received  WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), last December announced remarkable demand in the initial application period for solar and wind facilities through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program.  During the initial 30-day application window, the program received more than 46,000 applications for new energy facilities ..read more

April 4, 2024 The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice Program, the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history when it was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. Under this program, EPA was provided $3 billion to award grants and fund related technical assistance to benefit disadvantaged communities. The Community Change Grants accepts applications until November 2024. To help organizations with capacity issues, EPA inaugurated 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Cente ..read more

BOEM finds no competitive interest in proposed wind energy research area 03/14/2013 As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above strategy to continue to expand domestic energy development, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced today that it has taken an important step toward issuing a wind energy research lease to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME), after finding that there is no competitive interest in the area where the state agency proposes to conduct activities.  “We look forward to continued collaboration with the ..read more

03/15/2024 In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced it will initiate the environmental review of a proposed wind energy project offshore New Jersey, which would deliver clean renewable energy to the region. On March 18, BOEM will publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submitted by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores). This is the 12th offshore wind e ..read more

March 13, 2024, by Adnan Memija The Japanese Government has passed an amendment to the “Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas”, expanding the area for setting up offshore wind to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Japanese government aims to deploy 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 30-45 GW by 2040, including floating wind, as part of its target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The new legislation would allow wind farms to be installed further out to sea from current territorial and internal waters, according to a joint statement by the government, the Mini ..read more

February 4, 2024 So far, over $15. 5 Billion has been allocated to California from the Biden Administration. The funding comes through President Biden’s signature pieces of legislation, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act – the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever in US history. The amount is anticipated to increase as the Administration announces additional awards in the coming years. In the past month alone, California has received: $425+ million to build offshore wind and create manufacturing jobs at the Port o ..read more

February 17, 2024 Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog published a new Consumer Alert video today taking on a deceptive television ad by a group called Californians For Energy Independence, which records show is funded with more than $3 million from Chevron.  The ad falsely claims that California’s efforts to limit community oil drilling due to health risks will increase gasoline prices and doesn’t mention it is paid for by an oil company.  “The ad claims that shutting down unproductive oil wells is endangering our energy supply,” said Jamie Court, presi ..read more

EPA inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts February 1, 2024 BOSTON (Feb. 1, 2024) — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced on Tuesday EPA’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts. Assistant Administrator Fox made the announcement at Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities, which was co-hosted by the White House and National Endowment for the Arts to recognize the profound impac ..read more