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The U.S. Climate Alliance is encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent proposal under section 111 of the Clean Air Act to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new and existing fossil-fuel electricity generation, and in comments to the agency, the Alliance recommended the agency move rapidly to finalize regulations establishing a stringent federal floor and improve health outcomes for all Americans.
With this proposal, EPA is taking action to fulfill its obligation under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) as a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare. Replacing the Affordable Clean Energy Rule with regulations that are reflective of, and responsive to, the level of harm caused by carbon pollution is a critical first step. By raising standards for new and modified combustion turbines and fuel-fired steam-generating units, EPA can ensure a stringent federal floor for the build-out of future generators. At the same time, the proposal would fill a regulatory gap and address emissions from the legacy fleet by establishing standards for existing steam-generating units. Together, these standards would prevent 1,300 premature deaths in 2030 alone and reduce more than 600 million metric tons of CO2 through 2042. The proposed rules would also establish emission guidelines for certain large existing combustion turbines, reducing hundreds of additional million metric tons of CO2.
In total, these regulations represent a significant contribution toward our collective efforts to tackle the climate crisis, confront harmful pollution, and deliver cleaner electricity for all Americans. With a rapidly warming planet and worsening impacts from climate change, it is clear there is no time to waste.
Read the Alliance’s full letter here.
Launched on June 1, 2017 by the governors of Washington, New York, and California to help fill the void left by the previous administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, the Alliance has grown to include 24 governors from across the U.S. representing approximately 60% of the U.S. economy and 55% of the U.S. population. Governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.
The Alliance’s states and territories continue to demonstrate that climate action goes hand-in-hand with economic growth, job creation, and better public health. While reducing collective greenhouse gas emissions by 19%, Alliance members increased their collective GDP by 30%. The coalition’s states and territories are employing more workers in the clean energy sector, achieving lower levels of dangerous air pollutants, and preparing more effectively for climate impacts and executing more pre-disaster planning than the rest of the country.
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