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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Climate Alliance — a bipartisan coalition of governors representing approximately 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population — issued the following statement in response to the final rule released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishing stronger carbon pollution standards for new gas and existing coal power plants under section 111 of the Clean Air Act:
“Today’s action from the Biden administration to curb harmful power plant pollution will improve public health and move us closer to the clean, affordable, and reliable electricity grid America needs,” said U.S. Climate Alliance Executive Director Casey Katims. “The Alliance’s states and territories are already showing that when we generate more electricity from zero-carbon sources, we breathe cleaner air, create more clean energy jobs, and confront the climate crisis.”
This final rule was one of four released today by EPA to significantly reduce climate, air, water, and land pollution from the power sector and builds on efforts across the Alliance to reduce emissions from the power sector and deploy more clean energy. To date, 15 members have adopted economy-wide net-zero emissions policies, 24 have enacted renewable and clean energy standards, and 19 have established 100% clean electricity targets.
This also follows the letter sent by the Alliance last August encouraging EPA to finalize its rule to cut emissions from power plants as quickly as possible and solidify progress toward cleaner electricity for all.
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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