Latest news with #DoE
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
White House moves to keep costly, dirty, unneeded Michigan coal plants open
The Trump administration is moving to keep open two Michigan coal plants that emit about 45% of the state's greenhouse gas pollution, which opponents say is an indication of how the US president plans to wield his controversial national energy emergency executive order. Already, the US Department of Energy (DoE) has ordered the JH Campbell coal plant on Lake Michigan to remain open beyond its 31 May closure date, while the administration is expected to prolong the life of the Monroe power plant on Lake Erie, currently scheduled to begin closing in 2028. Opponents say the order has little support in Michigan, could cost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and is ideologically driven. The state's utilities have said they did not ask for the plants to stay online, and the Trump administration did not communicate with stakeholders before the order, a spokesperson for the Michigan public service commission (MPSC), which regulates utilities and manages the state's grid, told the Guardian. Related: Trump promised riches from 'liquid gold' in the US. Now fossil fuel donors are benefiting 'The unnecessary recent order … will increase the cost of power for homes and businesses in Michigan and across the midwest,' the chair of the MPSC, Dan Scripps, said in a statement. 'We currently produce more energy in Michigan than needed. As a result, there is no existing energy emergency in either Michigan or [the regional US grid].' The massive and ageing facilities also release high levels of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter into the air. Meanwhile, their coal ash ponds leach arsenic, lead, lithium, radium and sulfate into local drinking water and the Great Lakes. The Monroe power plant is responsible for more arsenic water pollution than any other power plant in the US. The DoE in a statement told the Guardian the plan was about grid reliability, and added: 'Decommissioning baseload power sources such as coal plants would jeopardize the reliability of our grid systems. 'This administration is committed to ensuring Americans have access to reliable, affordable, and secure energy that isn't dependent on whether the sun shines or the wind blows,' a spokesperson added. However, Consumers Energy said in May said it did not need to keep the coal plant online to meet energy needs. It recently bought a nearby gas plant, and has begun building large-scale renewable installations. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which maintains the regional grid across 15 states, issued a report stating that while there is some risk for power disruption in the summer months, it is low, and 'adequate resources are available to maintain reliability'. That could set the stage for a lawsuit from Michigan's attorney general, Dana Nessel, who said in May she may sue over the order to keep the Campbell plant open, and labeled Trump's energy emergency 'fabricated'. The Campbell plant will initially remain open for 90 days, but the order is expected to be renewed, said Jan O'Connell, senior energy organizer with the Sierra Club Michigan. Michigan's climate law requires 100% clean energy for utilities by 2040. Consumers Energy, which owns the Campbell plant, has since 2021 been planning for the plant's closure as required by the state's energy plan. The company said the Campbell plant's closure would save ratepayers about $600m by 2040. The plant largely shut down for several days before reopening at the end of May, O'Connell said. She noted that many of the employees had already found other jobs, and purchasing coal on the spot is far more expensive than purchasing it months ahead of time, as is standard. The administration's order is costly and disruptive, and makes no sense for Consumers Energy or its customers, O'Connell said. 'This is going to cost the ratepayers a lot of money,' she added. The Trump administration's plans are also at odds with market forces, opponents say. Gas and renewables are generally cheaper and cause less pollution. Moreover, the nation's utilities are planning to reduce coal generation by more than 8GW by the end of the year, according to the US Energy Information Administration. O'Connell said it appeared to be an ideological move with no basis in the needs of residents or the energy market. 'This is part of their goal to get rid of renewables and bring back fossil fuels,' she added.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump news at a glance: Day of environmental setbacks across US after judicial and executive decisions
It was a day of environmental setbacks across the US on Friday after the Trump administration moved to keep two Michigan coal plants open and the US supreme court handed a win to fossil fuel firms in an emissions case. Already, the US Department of Energy (DoE) has ordered the JH Campbell coal plant on Lake Michigan to remain open beyond its 31 May closure date, while the administration is expected to prolong the life of the Monroe power plant on Lake Erie, scheduled to begin closing in 2028. The plants emit about 45% of the state's greenhouse gas pollution. Opponents say the order has little support in Michigan, could cost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and is ideologically driven. The state's utilities have said they did not ask for the plants to stay online, and the Trump administration did not communicate with stakeholders before the order, a spokesperson for the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities and manages the state's grid, told the Guardian. Here are the key stories at a glance: Fossil fuel companies are able to challenge California's ability to set stricter standards reducing the amount of polluting coming from cars, the US supreme court has ruled in a case that is set to unravel one of the key tools used to curb planet-heating emissions in recent years. The conservative-dominated court voted by seven to two to back a challenge by oil and gas companies, along with 17 Republican-led states, to a waiver that California has received periodically from the federal government since 1967 that allows it to set tougher standards than national rules limiting pollution from cars. Read the full story Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil was released from US immigration detention, where he has been held for more than three months over his activism against Israel's war in Gaza. The release came after an order from a federal judge who said during a hearing on Friday that Khalil was not a flight risk and 'is not a danger to the community, period, full stop'. Read the full story A teenage student and soccer standout was arrested by immigration authorities four days after his high school graduation ceremony in Ohio and deported to Honduras this week, his family has said. Emerson Colindres, 19, had no criminal record and was attending a regularly scheduled appointment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Cincinnati when he was detained on 4 June, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Read the full story Elizabeth Warren has confronted the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, over reports that the state department is considering redirecting $500m from USAID to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the Israel- and US-backed Gaza food delivery group. Read the full story California's challenge to the Trump administration's military deployment on the streets of Los Angeles returned to a federal courtroom in San Francisco on Friday after an appeals court handed Donald Trump a key procedural win in the case. Read the full story The president failed to mark Juneteenth, commemorating the ending of slavery in the US, until he posted on Thursday night that there are 'too many non-working holidays' in the country. Read the full story Experts fear the US is now in worse shape to respond to a pandemic than before 2020 amid controversial dismissals at health agencies and lacklustre responses to the bird flu and measles outbreaks. The Trump administration has terminated 639 employees and its parent organisation in the latest round of sweeping cuts that have reduced the international broadcasting service to a fraction of its former size. The US supreme court declined to speed up consideration of whether to take up a challenge to Trump's tariffs even before lower courts have ruled in the dispute. Catching up? Here's what happened on .
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
RM11.6mil in e-waste seized nationwide
Over 2,000 tonnes of e-waste worth RM11.6 million were seized in raids across 10 states. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : E-waste valued at RM11.6 million has been seized in a coordinated crackdown on illegal recycling operations led by the environmental department (DoE) across 10 states. Dubbed Op Hazard, 69 premises were inspected over two days. This operation revealed that 21 were operating without approval and 12 were located in non-designated areas. Only seven were licensed and 29 were scrap dealers. A total of 2,069.31 tonnes of e-waste were confiscated, DoE said in a statement. The operation was carried out with the support of 181 officers, as well as the general operations force, Federal Reserve Unit and the Wildlife Crime Bureau, all of which come under the police. A total of 24 premises were issued equipment operation detention (POK) notices under Section 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 for using machinery without pollution controls. An additional 59 notices were issued and 18 compound fines were handed out for various offences. Investigation papers have been opened on 25 premises, with suspected offences including unlicensed storage, failure to submit environmental impact assessment reports and disposing of scheduled waste without approval. The DoE said any scheduled waste management activity, including processing of e-waste, conducted without the approval of the department's director-general, constitutes a serious offence under the law.
Al Etihad
4 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi to offer 100 free energy efficiency audits for industrial buildings in retrofitting drive: DoE
18 June 2025 00:40 KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI)The Department of Energy (DoE) on Tuesday announced plans to offer 100 free energy efficiency audits for industrial buildings as part of its broader push to promote sustainable development. The initiative also aims to meet demand-side management targets by improving building efficiency through updated regulations and retrofitting older at the RetrofitTech and Sustainable Buildings summit in Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Al Hadhrami, Energy Efficiency Sector Executive Director (Acting) at the DoE, highlighted how this initiative fits within Abu Dhabi's wider sustainability goals."Building retrofits and efficiency form one of the most important pillars of our demand-side management programme," Al Hadhrami told Aletihad on the sidelines of the summit."It supports Abu Dhabi's goal to reduce electricity consumption by 22% and water consumption by 32% by 2030."The audits, known as walk-through energy audits, will target key industrial sectors, including cement, food and beverage, glass, paper, steel, and heavy metals. Al Hadhrami explained that these audits will provide building owners and operators with clear insights into potential savings opportunities and help guide them towards more efficient energy practices."We want industrial owners to identify where they can reduce consumption, cut costs, and contribute to our collective environmental objectives," he said."So, the Department of Energy is trying to lead efficiency in the industrial sector by having this project, which we hope will enlighten industrial owners on how to improve their consumption." Cooling SolutionsAccording to Al Hadhrami, among the standout technologies being promoted as part of the retrofitting efforts are cooling solutions. Cooling accounts for 60-70% of energy consumption in most buildings across Abu Dhabi due to the region's hot climate, he said."The weather dictates our cooling needs, but we can still enjoy good cooling services while reducing electricity load significantly," Al Hadhrami said."This is where efficient cooling solutions come in, and we see enormous potential in scaling these technologies."One promising model gaining attention in the emirate is Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). While globally recognised, the concept is still in its early stages in Abu Dhabi. According to Al Hadhrami, the DoE sees CaaS as a powerful tool for improving efficiency and reducing capital expenditure for building owners."Instead of purchasing and maintaining air-conditioning systems, building owners can essentially rent these services from private sector providers," he said."The provider ensures the system runs at optimal efficiency, typically delivering at least 30% savings on energy consumption or cost, while the building owner focuses on their core business."Al Hadhrami emphasised that CaaS represents a major opportunity for the private sector to partner with property owners and play a key role in the emirate's green transition."We already have successful cases of this model being implemented in Abu Dhabi, and we're looking to empower more providers and accelerate adoption across the commercial and industrial sectors," he free audit initiative and the promotion of advanced cooling solutions are part of a broader, deliberate strategy to help Abu Dhabi achieve significant reductions in energy Hadhrami revealed that the DoE aims to cut at least 6.7 terawatt-hours of electricity consumption through retrofitting and related efficiency measures by 2030."We are leading by example, but we need building owners and businesses to step forward and work with us," he said. "These free audits are a starting point, and we are calling on industrial players to register and seize this opportunity." Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Delhi's ordinance to raise school fees is a preposterous move
The Delhi government recently issued a circular, which requires private unaided schools that have been granted land by government entities to obtain prior approval from the Directorate of Education (DoE) before raising their fees for the 2024-25 academic year. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta warned of action against private schools that have increased fees arbitrarily. She said: ... no school has any right to harass parents and children. They have no right to threaten children and hike fees abnormally. ….' It was strongly opposed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, who alleged that the state government had succumbed to pressure from private school lobbies by introducing a school fee ordinance without legislative oversight or public consultation. The Congress also opposed the 'ordinance' with the party's Delhi unit chief Devender Yadav blaming the BJP's decision 'to approve the ordinance without consulting stakeholders' as 'undemocratic' as it betrayed and stifled the voice of lakhs of students and their parents, 'who have been protesting against the arbitrary fee hike by private schools for months'. In a subsequent development many parents challenged the circular in the Delhi High Court. The circular has led to confusion and worries among parents, as many private schools have used these orders to almost double the tuition fees. The parents' group said that the High Court, by allowing such fee hikes without approval from the DoE, has gone against its own earlier decisions and also against the Supreme Court's past directions. The petitioners pointed out that allowing such fee increases without proper checks could lead to further misuse of power by private schools. Earlier judgments of SC: The Supreme Court had earlier this month criticised private schools in Delhi for hiking fees without prior government approval, particularly targeting schools constructed on government-allotted land, even as they were legally obligated to follow specific regulatory conditions. The SC noticed a violation of conditions and criticised that many elite private schools in Delhi operate on land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) at concessional rates. A condition of the lease mandates that these schools obtain prior approval from the Directorate of Education (DoE) before increasing tuition or any other fees. The apex court observed that schools violated this lease condition by hiking fees unilaterally. It held that the state government should be accountable and transparent. In some other previous judgments (like Modern School v. Union of India, 2004), the SC held that education is not a commercial activity and fee structures must be reasonable. It reiterated that school fees should not become an economic barrier that undermines the Right to Education under Article 21A. Thus, the observations reinforce the Delhi government's authority to regulate private school fees, particularly those on public land. It also legitimises audits and penalties imposed by the Delhi Directorate of Education on non-compliant schools. Several schools may be required to refund excess fees and face restrictions on future hikes. The Supreme Court criticised schools that hike fees without government approval, especially when they occupy government-allotted land. Earlier in April, the government issued show-cause notices to 11 schools and initiated audits after uncovering widespread fee-hike abuses. Upholding Right to Education: Thus, the ordinary students now have legal recourse against arbitrary hikes, and their selection process may favour uninformed participants. While school representatives dominate decisions, the Delhi government claims penalties and committees could improve accountability and transparent fee structures. It is a democratic deficit as the ordinance bypassed legislative debate and public consultation, raising concerns about legitimacy and inclusivity. Fee hikes that occurred between April 1 and enforcement of the ordinance may remain unaddressed, leaving parents in limbo. Notice to the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court has rightly issued notice to the Directorate of Education, the Delhi government, and the Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Private Schools regarding a plea challenging the order of the Delhi High Court. Unfortunately, this 'order' permitted private schools situated on government land to increase tuition fees without prior approval from the DOE. Will this 'order' order the possibility of education? It directly disturbs 'law and order'. The government should wait for the 'order'. This notice came in response to a petition challenging the Delhi High Court's April 2024 decisions, which allowed private schools built on government land in Delhi to increase their tuition fees without taking prior approval from the DoE. A vacation bench, comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, took up the hearing. The bench was responding to a petition filed by the Naya Samaj Parents Association, a group representing parents of students studying in private schools. The Supreme Court on May 29 issued notice to the Delhi Director of Education in a plea challenging the order of the Delhi High Court that allowed the increase of fees by private unaided schools on government lands. Delhi govt ordinance promulgated: The state cabinet on June 11 approved the issue of the ordinance aimed at regulating the fee structure of private schools in the national capital. The ordinance, titled the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, was ready to be forwarded to the President through the office of the Lieutenant-Governor for formal assent. Once enacted, it will operate retrospectively from April 1, 2025. Instead of empowering the common man, the ordinance 'empowers' the government, preferring to impose fines of up to ₹10 lakh per school for violating fee norms and to revoke a school's ability to propose further fee hikes. The question is whether this 'hurried' ordinance will regulate arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital. Will it indeed give major relief to lakhs of students studying in private schools and their parents in the city? Why the ordinance with a retrospective effect? The ordinance says that schools found charging fees more than the permitted limit will be mandated to reverse the hike and refund the surplus amount within 20 working days. Failure to do so will lead to escalating financial penalties. Specifically, the fine will double if the delay crosses 20 working days, triple after 40 days, and continue to rise with every 20-day interval. It was further added that 'for a first violation, the ordinance prescribes a monetary penalty ranging between ₹one lakh and ₹five lakh. In the event of repeated non-compliance, the fine may increase to between ₹two lakh and ₹10 lakh, depending on the severity and frequency of the offence. The ordinance claimed that it is designed to bring greater transparency and fairness to the fee structures adopted by private schools and provide relief to parents burdened by abrupt and arbitrary fee hikes. The Delhi and other states, too, must ensure that fee committees are transparent, diverse, and balanced school and parent representation. Violations are penalized, and past arbitrary fee hikes (April–June 2025) are properly redressed, and Legislative procedures and public consultations are honored in future amendments or laws. It's a case of misusing the power of promulgation of an ordinance and, in essence, violence against the right to education, unfortunately. (The writer is Advisor, School of Law, Mahindra University, Hyderabad)
