News Release | Environment Rhode Island

Obama Administration to Protect Americans’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Carbon pollution fuels global warming, which scientists predict will lead to more devastating floods, more deadly heat waves, and the spread of infectious diseases. There are currently no federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants, yet coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the United States. The standard proposed today will correct that for new power plants by limiting their emissions of carbon pollution.

News Release | Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center

New report: Every Rhode Island county hit by multiple recent weather disasters; research says global warming to bring more extreme weather

With bizarre weather patterns this winter and recent years in which many parts of the country have experienced scorching heat, devastating wildfires, severe storms, and record flooding, a new Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center report documents how global warming could lead to certain extreme weather events becoming even more common or more severe in the future.

Report | Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center

In the Path of the Storm

This Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center report finds that every Rhode Island county has been hit by multiple federally declared weather-related disasters since 2006. The report also details the latest science on the projected influence of global warming on heavy rain and snow; heat, drought and wildfires; and hurricanes and coastal storms. Finally, the report explores how the damage from even non-extreme weather events could increase due to other impacts of global warming such as sea level rise.

News Release | Environment Rhode Island

Environment Rhode Island Announces Legislative Priorities for 2012

Environment Rhode Island’s main priorities include reducing air pollution and spurring our economy through supporting a plan to reduce Rhode Island’s dependence on petroleum, keeping our waterways clean by banning single use plastic checkout bags, and supporting a suite of environmental policies to preserve open spaces and protect Narragansett Bay.

News Release | Environment Rhode Island

President Obama & EPA Protect Public Health, Announce Landmark Mercury Standard for Power Plants

President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants. Exposure to mercury and other air toxics is linked to cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, birth defects, asthma attacks, and premature death.

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Cutting Mercury, Protecting Children

The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently took an important step to safeguard the air we breathe and protect our kids from harm by finalizing the nation's first-ever Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for power plant emissions. Before MATS, there were no national standards to limit the amounts of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases power plants across the country could release into the air we breathe.  

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'Too dirty to fail'?

Americans must once again stand up for their right to clean air and clean water. In 2011, Republicans in the House averaged roughly a vote every day the chamber was in session to undermine the Environmental Protection Agency and our nation's environmental laws. They have picked up the pace recently and it appears their campaign will continue for the foreseeable future.  

News Release | Environment Rhode Island

New Report: Rhode Island still has days too smoggy to be outside

According to a new report from the Environment Rhode Island Research and Policy Center, the Providence metropolitan area and South County combined last year for a total of six days with smog levels above the 75 parts per billion ozone standard set by EPA.

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Group finds RI smog exceeded limits six days in 2010

There were six days last year between the Providence and New London-Norwich metropolitan areas when concentrations of ground-level ozone--the main component of smog -- exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standard, the Environment Rhode Island Research and Policy Center reported.

Report | Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center

Danger in the Air

Pollution from power plants and vehicles puts the health of our nation’s children and families at risk. Ground-level ozone, the main component of smog, is one of the most harmful and one of the most pervasive air pollutants. There are millions of people living in metropolitan areas around the country, including in Rhode Island, exposed to multiple days each summer when the air is unhealthy to breathe. This report ranks metropolitan areas for their unhealthy air days in 2010 and 2011.

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