Contact: Emily Pomilio, emily.pomilio@sierraclub.org, (480) 286-0401
Harrisburg, P.A.. — In the midst of intense public pressure for action on the climate crisis, Donald Trump and his EPA Administrator, former coal industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler, finalized the Trump Administration's plan to roll back the Clean Power Plan—the nation’s first-ever protections against carbon pollution from existing power plants.
Wheeler’s alternative—the Dirty Power Plan—is an illegal and deadly rollback that’s nothing more than a giveaway to the coal industry. EPA itself has admitted this policy change could result in up to 1,400 pollution related deaths every year from increased air pollution. This rollback means dirtier air for Pennsylvania as many population centers are already suffering from some of the worst air in the country.
The Clean Power Plan has been widely hailed as a milestone policy that would’ve tackled the climate crisis head on and saved tens of thousands of people from pollution-related deaths.
Wheeler’s rollback not only attempts to block the benefits of the Clean Power Plan, but reveals the Trump administration’s callous indifference to the thousands of people whose lives and health will be jeopardized each year by increased pollution.
In response, Tom Schuster, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, released the following statement:
“Trump’s Dirty Power Plan means Pennsylvania will continue to fall behind neighboring states like Maryland, New Jersey, and New York in building a renewable energy economy of the future. We want economic growth and prosperity here in the state that includes good-paying, union jobs through clean energy businesses. With hostile federal leadership, it necessarily falls on our state leaders including Gov. Tom Wolf to push for clean energy solutions.
“Additionally, Pennsylvania is already seeing the effects of the climate crisis. We’ve had more than 25 confirmed tornadoes this year--far exceeding the yearly average and it’s only June. Communities across the commonwealth have experienced a record number of landslides due to flash floods with 2018 being the wettest year ever.
“Gov. Wolf recently signed an executive order committing to an 80% reduction of carbon pollution by 2050. With this irresponsible move by the federal government, it is clear that PA is going to have to join the growing number of states protecting our communities ourselves, and take meaningful actions to implement this commitment. Meanwhile, the Sierra Club will fight Trump’s horrible plan every step of the way, until we are heard and ambitious climate action is taken.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.