House Uses “Permitting Reform” to Give Polluters Permission to Contaminate our Water Resources
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act. The bill would significantly weaken several pollution controls in the Clean Water Act, shield polluters from accountability, and hamper the ability of states and Tribal governments to protect their water resources from well-documented pollution sources…
Read MoreRepublicans Seek to Weaken Clean Air Act Under the Guise of “Permitting Reform”
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment will mark up a package of bills that would weaken the Clean Air Act. Together, the bills would create new loopholes and procedures to fast-track permits for large industrial projects regardless of the risk of increased pollution. The markup occurs as Congress is voting…
Read MoreEarthjustice Action Statement on the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Jennifer McClellan (D-Va) introduced the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act. The bill would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to analyze and mitigate the impacts of methane gas pipeline approvals on climate change and environmental justice communities. Methane gas leaks from pipelines pose well-documented…
Read MoreHouse of Representatives Votes to Rubber-Stamp LNG Projects, Disregarding Thorough Public Interest Determinations
The Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act would increase energy costs, planet-warming emissions, and health burdens on frontline communities WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1949, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025. The bill would hamstring the federal government’s ability to determine whether liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are in the public interest. It would eliminate the Department of Energy’s…
Read MoreEarthjustice Action Statement on SPEED Act
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a markup of the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED). The bill, introduced by Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) would dramatically weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by limiting its scope and drastically limiting government accountability efforts when federal agencies fail to adequately consider the health, environmental, or economic impacts of decisions. The legislation,…
Read MoreCongress Helping Sell Off Alaska’s Arctic to the Highest Bidder
U.S. House of Representatives votes to overturn public lands protections in Alaska’s Western Arctic and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. House of Representatives used the Congressional Review Act to overturn protections enacted under the Biden Administration that safeguarded millions of acres of the Western Arctic and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil…
Read MoreFinalized USGS Critical Minerals List Another Corporate Giveaway
Earthjustice Action slams flawed addition of new minerals that will open more projects to expedited permitting and new taxpayer funds. WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. Geologic Survey published an updated List of Critical Minerals set to be finalized tomorrow. The finalized list includes the additions of metallurgical coal, uranium, copper, silver, lead, and potash. Projects for USGS-designated critical minerals get access to the expedited FAST-41 permitting process and…
Read MoreGroups of the Health Equity and Environment Action League Submit Comments to EPA Over Repeal of the GHG Reporting Program
WASHINGTON, DC—This week, organizations part of the Health Equity and Environment Action League (HEAL) submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opposing the repeal of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program. The GHG Reporting Program provides critical data on facility and source-level emissions that public health officials, advocates, and communities rely upon to assess health risks and inform mitigation measures. …
Read MoreEarthjustice Action Statement on American Energy Independence and Affordability Act Introduction
WASHINGTON, DC—This week, U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.), and Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee introduced H.R. 5862, the American Energy Independence and Affordability Act. The bill would restore clean energy and transportation tax credits and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act that were curtailed or weakened by President Trump’s big, ugly bill. The legislation would restore over a…
Read MoreEarthjustice Action Blasts Continuation of Industry Favors During Government Shutdown, Praises Congressional Action Denouncing It
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, House Natural Resources Chair Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins demanding answers on why the federal agencies they head have continued non-essential services that benefit oil, gas, mining, coal, and logging industries while furloughing other essential employees and services. “We write to express serious…
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