Earth Equity News-May 8, 2008

Sierra Club Threatens to Sue Coal Plants. By Bernard Woodall, Reuters, May 7, 2008. “The Sierra Club sent letters on Tuesday threatening to file suit to stop construction of eight coal-fired power plants in six states… ‘This is the first major ramification on the ground from the… D.C. circuit kicking out the Bush administration’s rules in February,’ said Bruce Nilles… of the Sierra Club… In February, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act in not setting mandatory cuts for mercury emissions… The suits would seek to require the plants to [be newly permitted to] meet the tougher emission standards… Owners of three plants under construction have already been notified of the intent to sue by the Sierra Club — Entergy… Peabody… and Louisiana Generating, a unit of NRG Energy… Another eight letters were sent on Tuesday… Among the plants involved are Duke Energy’s… Cliffside plant in North Carolina and Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp, for its proposed Oak Grove plant in Texas. The Sierra Club said it is considering whether to send intent to sue letters to owners of a dozen more plants.”