Obama Administration to Protect Americans’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

Media Contacts
Channing Jones

Environment Rhode Island

Providence, RI— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Carbon pollution fuels global warming, which scientists predict will lead to more devastating floods, more deadly heat waves, and the spread of infectious diseases. There are currently no federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants, yet coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the United States. The standard proposed today will correct that for new power plants by limiting their emissions of carbon pollution.

Channing Jones, Associate with advocacy group Environment Rhode Island, issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement:

“Today’s proposal from the Obama administration is an historic step in protecting Rhode Islanders’ health and our environment. By setting the first-ever standards for the largest source of the carbon pollution that fuels global warming, President Obama and EPA Administrator Jackson are putting our health and environment above the demands of the polluter lobby.

“Along with the steps being taken to cut other dangerous power plant pollutants such as soot, smog, mercury, and other toxic pollutants — and the new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles — these carbon pollution standards will mark historic progress in protecting our health and environment, reducing waste, and encouraging job-creating innovation in the clean energy economy.

“Rhode Islanders understand the value of clean air, and the value of homegrown clean energy over imported fossil fuels. And while the polluter lobby can be expected to trot out the same tired attacks and tactics, they won’t stop the progress and they will have to clean up their act.

“Now that standards have been proposed, we look forward to demonstrating the strong public support for clean air and healthy families, and to making sure that the proposed standards are finalized later this year. We also applaud Administrator Jackson for continuing to work with scientists, economists, and public health officials on a process for addressing carbon pollution from existing power plants. The health and safety of current and future generations depend on us tackling this problem.”