Sierra Club applauds Calif. Energy Commission for squelching gas plants

The Sierra Club praised a recent decision by the California Energy Commission (CEC) to terminate the certification of three proposed gas plants for NRG Energy. 

The three plants were Sun Valley in rural Riverside County, San Gabriel in San Bernardino County and Willow Pass in Pittsburg, California. 

"The Sierra Club and activists from around Southern California applaud the California Energy Commission’s vote today to approve the termination of the certifications for three proposed NRG Energy gas plants,” Sierra Club My Generation Senior Campaign Representative Sarah Friedman said. “Since the certifications were originally submitted up to nine years ago, California has undergone monumental changes in air quality, traffic and water resources. It was a common sense decision for the CEC to close the book on these dirty proposals, and the health of citizens located near the proposed sites in the Bay Area and Inland Empire will be far better off as a result.”

Even as she commended the CEC, Friedman’s statement still pointed out that there is more work to do in the region.

“However, there continues to be serious air quality issues in the Inland Empire region affecting the health of thousands of families,” Friedman said. “While today’s decision will not make the situation worse, leadership from the Air Quality Management District is needed to reduce air pollution to secure clean air for the people of the Inland Empire.”