STATEMENT: Biden issues executive order to fast-track data centers for AI
Advocates urge incoming administration to maintain environmental, consumer protections
Media Statements
STATEMENT: Biden admin drafting a rushed, flawed plan to fast track data centers and power plants for AI
Environmental and consumer advocates express concerns about environmental harm and costs to consumers in “blind sprint” for AI dominance
STATEMENT: Junk fees ban to help consumers, businesses
Surprise fees cost us billions of dollars, tens of millions of hours every year
Why Maricopa County Voters Should Vote Yes & Urge Others to Vote Yes on Prop. 479
Prop. 479 provides a critical framework for the next generation of transportation infrastructure projects in Maricopa County --- without raising taxes. While there are many reasons to Vote Yes on Prop. 479, here are ones at the top of our list (data taken from the Maricopa Association of Governments and/or Valley Metro documents): • Prop. 479 fully funds regional commitments to on-going transit service and roughly doubles the amount available for expanded bus transit and/or more frequency on existing bus routes. • Prop. 479 continues funding for ADA paratransit regionwide to ensure the most vulnerable (e.g., elderly, disabled) have the ability to get to where they need to go. Approximately 400,000 individuals with a disability, who are more likely to depend on transit services, live along transit routes at risk of being discontinued if Prop. 479 does not pass. • In the Maricopa County region, 67% of transit riders do not have dedicated access to an automobile and will lose their transportation lifeline if Prop. 479 is not approved. This will impact over 77,000 residents and the 18 million trips they take each year. • K-12 students make over 1.2 million trips a year on routes that are at risk of being discontinued if Prop. 479 is not approved. • In the Maricopa County region, 47% of all transit trips serve riders traveling to work accounting for over 12.5 million on routes at risk of being discontinued if Prop. 479 is not approved. In addition to support for bus, dial-a-ride and vanpool services, Prop. 479 allocates money to arterial streets, intersection improvements and regional transportation infrastructure and freeways and other routes in the state highway system. If voters don’t approve Prop 479 this November and renew the transportation funding, it will expire on December 31, 2025. To learn more about Prop. 479: https://azmag.gov/prop479 Paid for by Arizona PIRG, Inc.
STATEMENT: Senate passes bill to expand nuclear power
Environment, public interest advocates urge support for cleaner, safer, less costly renewable energy
STATEMENT: Efficient water heaters will cut pollution, save money, save lives
Updated energy efficiency standards for water heaters are expected to save Americans $124 billion on energy bills
STATEMENT: EPA restricts toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
SCOTUS action will limit generic drug competition
U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a federal circuit court decision that imperils a critical method that many generic drug makers use to win approval. The court denied a petition of certiorari in Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. V GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Et. Al., allowing the divided lower court's decision to stand. This action can have dramatically limit competition from lower-priced generic and biosimilar medicines.
New Biden clean cars proposal will spur electric vehicle adoption, slash pollution
The Biden administration proposed Wednesday some of the most ambitious vehicle pollution limits in the world, following similar actions by many U.S. states. The pending rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is designed to ensure that all-electric cars make up as many as 2 out of every 3 new passenger vehicles sold in the United States by 2032.
STATEMENT: EPA acts to protect drinking water from PFAS
New proposal would create first national limits on dangerous ‘forever chemicals’