Nearly 400 State and Local Officials Across the U.S. Call on Biden Administration to Adopt Strong Standards to Cut Pollution from Coal- and Gas-Fired Power Plants
Lawmakers Urge EPA to Broaden Scope to Cover Additional Power Plants and Pursue Robust Community Protections
Nearly 400 state and local officials today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt the strongest possible carbon pollution standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants to protect public health, slash climate pollution, and move closer to 100 percent clean power generation. The diverse group ranges from mayors and state lawmakers to city council members and school board members hailing from 40 states and Puerto Rico. Toxic and climate pollution from fossil fuel plants is plaguing much of the United States and is a main driver of climate change and myriad public health concerns. Every year, power plant pollution yields thousands of premature deaths, asthma attacks, hospital and emergency room visits, school absences, and lost workdays. According to the EPA, the proposed standards for coal- and gas- fired power plants would avoid more than 600 million metric tons of carbon pollution, while also preventing 300,000 asthma attacks and 1,300 premature deaths in 2030 alone. The group of state and local officials noted that the standards, set to take effect in April 2024, represent an important step forward, but encouraged the agency to achieve even greater pollution reductions by covering more plants and on a faster timeline.
30 E. J. TODAY
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