Press Releases
Dominion’s Wise Co. coal-fired power plant violates federal law, clean energy advocates tell court
Lawyers for the Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition told a state judge today that Dominion Power's 585-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Wise County violates the Clean Air Act on several grounds, and asked the court...
EPA Clears Up Stormwater Program
An audit by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that Shelby County's stormwater management program falls far short of numerous federal requirements aimed at keeping polluted runoff from reaching streams, rivers and ground water.
Groups Seek to Delay Charleston Port Construction
The Southern Environmental Law Center and S.C. Coastal Conservation League today asked a federal court in Charleston to delay construction of a container cargo terminal until the Federal Highway Administration evaluates whether 10,000 vehicles a...
Judge Rules in Tri-State Water Wars that Atlanta Can’t Take Water from Lake Lanier
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson issued a decision today in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint phase of the years-long tri-state water wars between Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
Board Denies Proposed Relicensing of Duke Energy’s Dams on the Catawba-Wateree River
The S.C. Board of Health and Environmental Control today denied Duke Energy LLC’s requested certification for decreased water flows into South Carolina from hydroelectric plants on the Catawba-Wateree River.
Immediate Action Needed after NC Tops EPA’s List for High Hazard Coal Ash Waste Sites, says SELC
EPA’s recent finding that North Carolina has the most coal combustion waste sites posing a high hazard to the public—12 of the 44 sites nationwide.
Proposed Naval Warfare Training Range Near Only Nursery for Endangered Right Whale Poses Threat
The U.S. Navy's plans to use a marine area comprised of a protected area for snapper-grouper and adjacent to the only known calving ground for endangered North Atlantic right whales as an undersea warfare training...
House Passes First U.S. Effort on Climate Change
Passage of this House bill signals a seismic shift in U.S. policy on climate change—from ignoring the problem to attempting to solve it—but the bill needs strengthening by the Senate.
SELC lauds action by Kaine Administration to improve Virginia’s air quality
SELC lauds a new initiative announced by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine today in which the state Department of Environmental Quality is beginning a systematic review of certain industrial facilities built decades ago that may be contributing to violations...
Senate committee passes compromise version of key water protection bill
In a major step toward reversing years of attacks on wetlands and water protections, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today passed the Clean Water Restoration Act (S.787) by a 12-7 vote.