There s a new resource for Nebraska communities and organizations facing environmental justice issues: the Heartland Environmental Justice Center (HEJC) at Wichita State University. WSU received one of 17 Environmental Protection Agency grants to establish an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center. The HEJC s region covers Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and nine tribal nations. .
Xcel Energy says its latest proposal before the Public Utilities Commission will help Colorado reach it s clean energy goals - by adding more wind and solar power, more energy storage, and a new biomass facility. But critics are crying foul over plans to construct three new gas-fired power plants, one near Alamosa and two near Longmont. Ean Tafoya, director with GreenLatinos Colorado, said he is urging the commission to reject the plan to protect disproportionately impacted communities. .
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan extending a natural-gas pipeline in Virginia. The Virginia Reliability Plan and Transcot s CEC project calls for compressor stations and a natural-gas pipeline extension in communities already harmed by these impacts such as Petersburg. The city ranked as the least healthy according to the University of Wisconsin s County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. .