Trump Scraps Climate Plan, Endangering America

The Trump Administration has officially announced their plan to eliminate President Obama’s Clean Power Plan tomorrow. According to a draft, the White House states that the plan “is not within Congress’s grant of authority to the agency under the governing statute.” Now they are scrapping the plan completely, but may still introduce whatever mechanism they plan on replacing it with, given the legal requirement to tackle carbon pollution. However, this will still be insufficient and not address the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Besides eliminating the plan, itself, the Trump Administration’s carbon policies would alter how they use the social cost of carbon. It also means they will consider many fewer health benefits of the plan, which would reduce air pollution that causes premature deaths, heart attacks and asthma hospitalizations.

“In a dirty deed for dirty power, President Trump is repealing the Clean Power Plan ‘in its entirety.’ This will directly threaten our environment, will lead to bigger climate impacts, and further contribute to air pollution. Here in New Jersey, we’ll see a bigger impact to public health and our lungs because of all the pollution that comes in from out of state. Hurricanes in the East and wildfires in the West are showing us the devastating impacts of climate change. It’s reckless and irresponsible to roll back a plan that would help fight climate change and these actions will make it worse. This withdraw means we will see even more climate destruction, sea level rise and storm surges threatening our communities,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Trump is eliminating the Clean Power Plan because he’s concerned he’ll be regulated as our largest source of hot air.  His Administration wants to start subsidizing dirty coal plants and require the public to pay more while getting hit with more air pollution. He is siding with corporate polluters, especially from the oil, coal, and gas industry over our public health and safety.”

Carbon pollution is the main contributor to climate change and leading cause of breathing problems in New Jersey. Under the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan, the U.S would cut carbon emissions from power plants by 32% from the 2005 levels. The Clean Power Plan would help avoid 3,600 premature deaths, 90,000 asthma attacks in children and deliver total health benefits of $14 billion to $34 billion in 2030 to the American people. In addition, average electric utility bills for consumers were projected to decline by more than $80 per year when the Clean Power Plan is fully implemented. According to The Labor Network for Sustainability, the Clean Power Plan would increase total jobs by about 360,000 through 2020.

“This repeal is a direct assault on New Jersey’s clean air, directly affecting our lungs. It also hurts our economy and puts a burden on New Jersey businesses and citizens. Our businesses may have to work harder to meet reduction standards because of the impact of out-of-state air pollution. The CPP also would help establish green jobs. Double as many people work in renewable jobs than in fossil fuels in the country, with the solar sector employing five times as many. Since 2010, 259 coal plans in the US have been retired because they are no longer economically feasible. Clean will not only reduce health costs and sick days for the residents of New Jersey, but investing in renewable will create jobs and protect our environment,” said Jeff Tittel. “Scott Pruitt is selling out with the coal industry over protecting our clean air by leading the EPA in rolling back the CPP. He claims that the CPP exceeded the federal government’s authority, however, he’s merely perpetuating the climate-denying agenda of Trump’s Administration.”

In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in our favor when we joined nine other states for the Massachusetts vs. EPA case. New Jersey was one of the states that filed suit against the plan which sets the first limits on dangerous carbon pollution from power plants. The litigation from 27 states claimed the EPA went beyond Congress’s authority to regulate states’ electricity generation. Despite originally suing the EPA to initiate such a rule in 2007, Governor Christie was one of 27 Republican Governors suing to block the Plan to try turn that case on its head.

“Repealing the rule is part of the ongoing war on the environment. Trump has pulled the US out of the Paris Accords and supported subsidizing fossil fuels over renewable energy. The Clean Power Plan exists because ten states sued the EPA under the Bush Administration to regulate greenhouse gasses and carbon. NJ was part of that case before Christie was elected. The Supreme Court ruled that the EPA must regulate these gasses under the Clean Air Act and so the Clean Power Plan was designed,” said Jeff Tittel. “The public comment process that the EPA will hold for this is nothing but a sham. The EPA will only be listening to the fossil fuel industry and other polluters as they try to weaken protections.”

Under the Obama Administration, utilities have announced the retirement of about one third of the nation’s coal fleet. According to reports at Politico, U.S. power plants are on track to emit 1.76 billion metric tons of carbon this year, a 27 percent reduction from 2005. If you subtract emissions from the 71 operating coal plants that already have announced retirement dates, the electric sector has just about met the plan’s final emissions goals 15 years early. We must keep the Clean Power Plan so we can continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“States like New Jersey are going to have to stand up against Trump’s climate assault. We can join together to sue against the Clean Power Plan repeal, especially once we get a new Governor. With Trump repealing this rule and siding with corporate polluters over clean air and the environment, we must demand action on climate change. The people of this country overwhelmingly want protections against climate change. We can build a green economy with jobs in sustainable energy. We will keep fighting to the stop the Administration from rolling back these protections and work to implement state programs to reduce greenhouse gasses,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “States like NJ must work together to reduce climate impacts and move towards a green economy. We can rejoin RGGI and set a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050. We must work together and lead the fight for clean air, clean water and action on climate change.”