Letter to Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency - Pushing for Stronger Carbon Pollution Reductions in Clean Power Plan

Letter

December 9, 2014

The Honorable Gina McCarthy
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460

Dear Administrator McCarthy:

We commend the EPA for using its authority under the Clean Air Act to propose the Clean Power Plan--a flexible and practical approach to reduce carbon emissions from the electrical generation sector. The need for national action to reduce carbon emissions is essential to the United States taking responsibility for curbing its carbon emissions.

While the emission reduction goals of the Clean Power Plan are laudable, we believe that with modest changes to reflect real-world market and technological conditions, the plan can, and should, achieve even greater emissions reductions. Specifically, this letter includes recommendations in its Appendix that would result in more renewable energy (under Building Block Three) and energy efficiency (under Building Block Four) being deployed than is currently accounted for under the draft plan.

The Clean Power Plan will be the single most significant step this country has ever taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector, so it is essential that it be done right. For the Clean Power Plan to be a success, it must achieve the level of emissions reductions that the science calls for to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change. Maximizing the deployment of cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency will be the key to achieve the necessary emissions reductions. EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan can meet these objectives by making the modifications to the plan outlined in this letter.

We look forward to continue to work with you on this important and historic proposal to combat climate change. Attached is an appendix that provides greater detail on the recommendations made in this letter.