Washington, D.C. — With the public comment period for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s, or EPA, Clean Power Plan set to close today, Center for American Progress Distinguished Senior Fellow Carol M. Browner issued the following statement:
If we are serious about taking action to address climate change, cutting carbon pollution from power plants must be part of that equation. The EPA’s Clean Power Plan will set the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants and set important goals for energy efficiency and conservation while spurring clean energy innovation; more carbon-free energy sources such as wind, solar, and existing nuclear power; and economic growth.
More than 8 million public comments supporting cutting carbon pollution from power plants have been collected and submitted to the EPA since 2012. With the closing of the public comment period today, EPA has heard loud and clear that the strongest possible limits on carbon pollution have tremendous public support.
The past few days have been important in the fight for clean air. Last week, the EPA proposed a science-based proposal to better protect the public from smog. This week, the EPA is moving forward with carbon pollution standards. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy has made clean air a priority, and she has shown tremendous leadership in working with stakeholders to move clean air protections forward.
Related resources:
###