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The Denver Post •

Colorado’s landfills leak climate-warming methane into the air. What’s the state going to do about it?

Landfills in Colorado release millions of metric tons of greenhouse gasses each year as organic waste including food, paper and yard trimmings decomposes into the soil, contributing to global warming and harming human health.Colorado, as part of its multi-pronged approach to eliminate 90% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, is planning to address those landfill emissions next year with rules that could require operators to install new equipment to curb the amount of methane they rel...
WDIV •

Methane leaks from Michigan landfills pose environmental threat

DETROIT – Methane gas is leaking from Michigan landfills and it poses an environmental threat that goes far beyond our state. But there’s good news: technology is already available to help fix the problem - it’s just not being used. At 80 times the potency of carbon dioxide, methane is a potent greenhouse gas. A new study found significant methane leaks at landfills across the country, “including several in Michigan,” according to Katherine Blauvelt, campaign director with Industrious Labs, th...
Canary Media •

Is the EPA about to get serious about methane pollution from…

Landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions both in the U.S. and globally. These emissions heat the atmosphere at about 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide over 20 years, but the methane that rises from the decomposing food and organic waste that ends up in landfills has thus far received much less attention in the fight against climate change than methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure. Under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with d...
Chicago Tribune •

Landfill study shows flawed detection methods, higher methane emissions in Illinois, other states

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s method of detecting methane leaks at landfills is flawed, and emissions of this powerful heat-trapping gas are likely much higher than what is being reported, according to a new study analyzing landfills in Illinois and seven other states.Released Thursday by the environmental nonprofit Industrious Labs, the study is the most recent of several reports that show landfill operators are likely understating their annual emissions to the federal government a...
Orange County Register •

Tech meets trash in Orange County’s landfill future

Last month, Tom Koutroulis, director of Orange County Waste & Recycling, signed off on a grant request that he hopes could fundamentally change how America handles one of the oldest but least understood drivers of global warming: garbage.It isn’t a huge ask as these things go; $25 million from a $5 billion fund overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency. The money would pay for what Koutroulis calls the “Smart Landfill System,” essentially a cluster of new technologies (specially equipped d...

Ghostwritten Op-Eds

The Mercury News •

Opinion: California must lead way in slashing methane emissions from landfills

Most Americans are unaware that reducing methane emissions is the single most impactful action we can take right now to slow global warming.This super-pollutant’s ability to trap heat and warm the planet is about 80 times greater than carbon dioxide. When people think of methane, it’s often of belching cows or leaking pipes, but our trash piling up in landfills is actually the third largest source of human-caused methane pollution in the United States.The California Air Resources Board (CARB) se...
pv magazine USA •

Equity-centered regulation is vital to a clean energy future for all

When it comes to clean energy policy, legislative solutions are often in the spotlight. While legislation has a vital role to play in advancing our energy transition, there is an equally crucial, and often much less visible, path away from fossil fuels and toward a brighter, cleaner future. That path runs directly through state energy regulatory bodies, like public service or utility commissions. Regulation is where some of the most impactful decisions on energy generation, costs, and consumptio
MinnPost •

Why the Public Utilities Commission must reject Great River Energy’s permit change

From passing a landmark 100% carbon-free commitment to expanding solar access, Minnesota has stood out this year as a national leader in advancing clean energy. These legislative victories were years in the making and have the potential to usher in a resilient, clean energy future for Minnesota. But passing bills — no matter how transformative — is only one piece of the pie. Building on our clean energy momentum also requires leadership from the state’s energy regulatory body, the Public Utilit

Organizational Statements

Vote Solar •

Senate Signals a New Dawn For Solar

The U.S. Senate today passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, an historic investment in our economy that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create high quality jobs, and lower monthly energy costs for working families across the nation. Vote Solar applauds the Senate and the many Americans who advocated passionately and persistently for meaningful climate action at the federal level. Once enacted and implemented, this bill will make clean energy more affordable, accessible
Vote Solar •

Condemns ‘Disastrous’ SCOTUS Decision in West Virginia v. EPA

As a team driven by people-centered climate solutions, Vote Solar is deeply saddened and frustrated by the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision to strip the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its necessary authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The EPA and other federal regulatory bodies have crucial roles to play in limiting air pollution and safeguarding the health of communities. By ceding that authority to a Congress unable to agree on environmental policy and
Vote Solar •

Vote Solar’s Statement on the overturning of Roe v. Wade - Vote Solar

Vote Solar is heartbroken by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, stripping away the constitutional right to abortion, which has been a source of freedom and security for nearly fifty years. In times like these, it’s difficult to know what to say – but saying nothing isn’t an option. Friday’s ruling will have immediate and devastating implications for members of our team, our partner organizations, and the communities we aim to serve. We have a moral imperat...
Vote Solar •

Research Finds that Expanding Local Clean Energy is Key to Hitting Michigan’s Decarbonization Targets

Research Finds that Expanding Local Clean Energy is Key to Hitting Michigan’s Decarbonization Targets New data shows that distributed energy resources could save Michigan families nearly $800 annually A report released today by Vote Solar reveals that Michigan’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050 is achievable — and that investing in distributed energy resources like solar is the lowest-cost path to get there. According to the new analysis by grid modeling experts Vibrant Clean Energy, buildin