"SC urged to take action vs 'dirty coal' projects", 30 June 2017

...Environmental advocates...urged the Supreme Court to stop government from issuing new permits for the construction and operation of coal-fired power plants until guidelines and standards for ambient air quality and emissions are thoroughly reviewed and revised, and air monitoring equipment put in place.

In a...petition, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Energy (DOE) were accused of failure to perform their respective mandates to lessen the country's dependence on fossil fuels and dirty energy.

The petitioners...urged the high court to compel the two government agencies to perform their duties and obligations to enforce environmental laws and rules and regulations as "the vanguards of energy security and environmental sustainability."

"As a direct result of the failure of DENR and DOE to do their duties specifically enjoined by law and their respective offices, the country has had to rely on dirty energy generated by coal plants that have been operating without proper standards, without accountability, and without regard to their adverse impact on the environment and the people's health," the petition read.