Press Releases
SELC announces finalists for the 2024 Phil Reed Environmental Writing Award
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) announced the finalists for the 2024 Phillip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award today. The work of this year’s finalists explores a wide array of environmental topics,...
Groups challenge South Carolina agency’s illegal rules for major water withdrawals
Loophole allows removal of all water from rivers, harming wildlife, communities, and businesses CHARLESTON, S.C. — Today, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a challenge to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s...
New methane safeguards will cut climate pollution and protect communities
Federal action comes as Southern utilities are pushing for a massive investment in methane gas that will worsen climate crisis CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Today the Biden Administration released a new rule, expected to be the...
Groups applaud new federal rule creating unified standard for transportation climate pollution
WASHINGTON — A new Federal Highway Administration rule will unify the way State departments of transportation (state DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) track climate-changing transportation pollution. This commonsense approach enhances the existing tools transportation...
SELC statement on EPD permitting Plant Hammond’s coal ash closure plan
ATLANTA— Today Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division issued final permits to close Georgia Power’s Plant Hammond Ash Pond 3 in Floyd County. The state issued permit calls for capping more than 1 million tons of toxic...
Commission approves Dominion Energy plans to double down on fossil fuels in long term plan
Utility’s resource plan includes major new gas plant COLUMBIA, S.C. — This week, in a 6-1 vote, the South Carolina Public Service Commission approved Dominion Energy South Carolina’s long range power plans (its Integrated Resource...
SC agency violated Clean Water Act by proposing toxic discharge permit, groups say
Pollution could reach drinking water sources for nearly 300,000 South Carolinians CHARLESTON, S.C. — In late October, the Southern Environmental Law Center petitioned the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control to reverse...
RGGI case transferred to different circuit court
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In a ruling issued on Friday, November 3, 2023, the Fairfax Circuit Court dismissed three clients–Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Appalachian Voices, and Virginia Interfaith Power & Light–from the Southern Environmental Law...
New Report: Solar Siting in the South
WASHINGTON – The Southern Environmental Law Center released a new report today on solar siting for solar developers, impacted communities, and farmers interested in siting utility-scale solar projects with related land use, conservation, and community...
BOEM Approves Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Today the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved Dominion Energy’s proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project off the Virginia Beach coast. At a time when urgent climate action is needed,...