skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Chicago EPA Session Asks for Public Input on Carbon Pollution

play audio
Play

Friday, November 8, 2013   

CHICAGO – It's the next step in fulfilling President Barack Obama's plan to fight climate change – the EPA is hosting a listening session in Chicago today to gather community input on carbon pollution from existing power plants.

The new rule will be issued in June 2014 and will come on the heels of the recently updated proposal for the regulation of carbon pollution at new power plants.

Kady McFadden, organizing representative with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, says this time, the EPA is asking for the public's ideas before going to the drawing board.

"The EPA is involving communities in a different way before they even write the rule,” McFadden explains. “So we're excited about this, because it means that we can have a little more input into what this rule looks like."

Currently, there are no Clean Air Act limits on the amount of carbon pollution released into the air by power plants and McFadden says today's feedback will play an important role in helping leaders develop smart, cost-effective guidelines.

Today's session wraps up a total of 11 held around the country.

The EPA is also accepting input online at carbonpollutioninput@epa.gov.

McFadden says the new rule needs to be strong so it's hitting the president's goal of reducing economy-wide carbon pollution by 17 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.

She says it also needs to be a just rule that protects the health of people in all communities, including low-income areas.

"We want to make sure the standard doesn't leave room for polluters to avoid the responsibility to protect all communities from pollution, including cleanup and remediation as necessary," she says.

McFadden adds there's been an overwhelming response on the issue from a wide array of people, including those in the public health field, as well as environmental justice, faith, youth and parenting organizations. She expects almost 500 people at the session today.

"We have folks coming from Wisconsin, Michigan, across Indiana as well as downstate Illinois,” she says. “We have van fulls of people coming up to really show EPA that folks across the Midwest really support a just and strong carbon rule."

Strong opposition to the rule is expected from those in the fossil fuel industry who claim the rules will kill jobs and hurt the economy.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021