Center for American Progress

STATEMENT: Distinguished Senior Fellow Carol M. Browner on the Anniversary of the Climate Action Plan
Press Statement

STATEMENT: Distinguished Senior Fellow Carol M. Browner on the Anniversary of the Climate Action Plan

Washington, D.C. — Carol M. Browner, former Environmental Protection Agency administrator and Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement today on the two-year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s announcement of the Climate Action Plan:

Two years after President Obama outlined a common-sense plan to protect public health and meet our moral obligation to future generations to address climate change, we have made tremendous progress. But the job isn’t done. While we have made important advancements in reducing pollution from cars and trucks and limiting dangerous mercury and soot pollution from power plants, we still have more to do.

To start, when the Clean Power Plan is finalized this summer, states should take advantage of the opportunity to protect public health and create new jobs in the energy sector through implementation plans that will reduce pollution and spur innovation. The Clean Power Plan will allow states the flexibility they need to create implementation plans that leverage their strengths. And states that fail to act will see an opportunity cost for their inaction.

The Clean Power Plan is our road map to a safer, healthier, and cleaner future. It charts the course for meaningful reductions in the pollution that fuels climate change, and it demonstrates to the world that the United States isn’t afraid of opportunity and will lead the global community in taking action.

For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Benton Strong at [email protected] or 202.481.8142.

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