Weakening Protections for Air and Water

Critical environmental policies and regulatory safeguards are designed to protect the public. Most of these rules have been proposed and finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, such as the Clean Power Plan, National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation, and the Waters of the United States Rule. This UtilitySecrets.org page keeps track of the utility industry behind-the-scenes advocacy efforts to weaken safeguards, lobby policymakers to roll back regulations, and fund the inside the beltway law firms that sue EPA to prevent the rules from becoming federal law.

 
Recent Posts

FERC Commissioners received free travel to secretive beach conference, organized by FirstEnergy board member

Two months after being sworn in as Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Neil Chatterjee was enjoying a dip in the Atlantic…

How Will Utilities Vote On The Latest Climate Denial Model Resolution At ALEC?

In a test of where fossil fuel companies and electric utilities stand on climate denial in the Trump Era, some of the largest…

Utility Companies Quick To Fund Republican Governors and Attorneys General in 2017

The nation’s investor-owned utilities have been quick to help Republican governors and attorneys general maintain and expand their control of state capitals, according…

Emails show Wisconsin Commissioner Nowak’s relationship with utility industry players

Wisconsin Public Service Commissioner Ellen Nowak attended several private events at the behest of groups funded by the Koch Brothers and utility interests…

Wisconsin utilities helped stop the “Ratepayers First” measure introduced by state lawmakers

In 2017, Wisconsin utility companies were a driving force behind an effort to stop proposed legislation designed to save customers money according to…

Utility Industry’s Efforts to Prevent the “Waters of the United States” Rule

The Trump administration has moved to roll back an environmental rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…