Sierra Club

Southern California air regulators can proceed with new limits on gas-powered appliances, including water heaters, after a 2-1 ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld restrictions in four Los Angeles-area counties. The decision impacts approximately 1.3 million water heaters and industrial boilers in L.A., Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, with the Sierra Club listed as a defendant.

National Democrats are urging Maine's Graham Platner to withdraw from the Senate race after a former girlfriend alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2021. Key figures including Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have called for his resignation, with multiple endorsements and resources withdrawn. Platner has denied the allegations but may step aside by July 13, as the race is critical for Senate control.

Wyoming is urging a federal judge to split two lawsuits challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s reduced protections for greater sage grouse and transfer the Wyoming-related claims to Wyoming. Conservation groups from seven organizations filed suits in Montana federal court, alleging the BLM weakened habitat protections by expanding oil and gas leasing, while Wyoming argues its management plan is distinct and merits a separate venue.

Environmentalists sued Barstow, California, to block the approval of the Barstow International Gateway, a 4,500-acre rail yard in the Mojave Desert. The lawsuit claims the project's environmental impact analysis is flawed, citing increased diesel pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and harm to local wildlife. The city approved the $4 billion BNSF Railway project, which aims to streamline container transport from Asian ports but faces criticism for its environmental and health impacts.

The Department of Energy has ordered certain generating units to remain operational during tight grid conditions, incurring approximately $550 million in annual costs, according to the Sierra Club. The emergency orders aim to maintain grid stability but raise questions about their benefits.

The U.S. Department of Energy ordered the Orlando Utilities Commission to keep its 39-year-old Stanton Energy Center coal plant operational for 90 days, citing an energy emergency linked to potential data centers. The Sierra Club criticized the decision as federal overreach, and Orlando's air quality was listed as 'poor' on June 5.

A former munitions testing site in Bridgeport, Connecticut, known as Remington Woods, is being redeveloped as an urban forest after decades of cleanup. Activists and environmental groups pushed for conservation, leading the property owner, Sporting Goods Properties, to preserve 368 acres as open space and develop a solar and battery-storage facility on the remaining land.

The Michigan Senate Energy and Environment Committee is examining the impact of the Trump administration's cancellation of rural energy grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Affected businesses, including Harvest Solar and Westcroft Gardens and Farm, argue that the USDA created a 'Catch-22' by rescinding funds for projects that required a finalized agreement after completion, leaving 18 businesses unable to secure reimbursement.

The US is set to hold an oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, with opponents citing climate change impacts and prior lack of industry interest, while supporters argue it could boost production and jobs. Conservation groups have urged major companies like ConocoPhillips and Hilcorp to avoid participating due to legal risks and public opposition, though the Trump administration has mandated lease sales in multiple Alaskan regions. The USGS estimates the refuge's coastal plain may hold significant oil reserves, but drilling remains inactive there.

Power the Future, a pro-energy advocacy group, is urging Congress to investigate opposition to data centers, alleging that millions in funding from billionaires and potentially foreign sources are fueling environmental nonprofits' campaigns. The group highlights organizations like the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, which it claims are misallocating resources to block data center construction, arguing such infrastructure is critical for U.S. economic and national security.

Power the Future, an energy advocacy group, urges Congress to investigate opposition to data centers, alleging it is funded by billionaires and foreign-backed entities. The group cites nonprofits like the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, which have received millions in donations to oppose data center expansions, arguing such infrastructure is critical for U.S. economic and national security.

Power the Future, a pro-energy advocacy group, alleges that wealthy foreigners and billionaires are funding anti-data center campaigns in the U.S. through nonprofits, urging Congress to investigate. The group claims these efforts threaten critical AI and infrastructure development, while environmental organizations argue data centers harm local communities.