To: The EPA and President Donald Trump
Pres. Obama and the US EPA - Improve the Clean Power Plan - So it gets the job done.
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602
Dear President Obama and the US EPA,
We urge you to take bolder steps to reduce carbon emissions in the Clean Power Plan. Your policies should accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency - resulting in lower electricity rates over time, pollution reduction, and a larger impact on the climate.
We ask that you:
1) Phase out dirty coal fired power plants - no matter how efficient, coal will still emit significant carbon pollution.
2) Reject the reliance on frack gas - there is extensive leakage of methane, a potent green house gas, from our entire gas infrastructure, (frack wells to the pipelines). The use of frack gas is a step backward for the climate.
3) Remove nuclear subsidies from the carbon rules - Nuclear energy is not a clean or renewable energy.
We oppose indefinite ratepayer subsidies to support aging, dangerous, expensive nuclear power plants.
4) Prioritize and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency - revise your plan to specifically allow the use of a carbon tax, (on fossil fuels), and rebate, (to the consumer) - one of the most effective market mechanisms to drive the deployment of new renewable energy such as Wind and Solar.
Dear President Obama and the US EPA,
We urge you to take bolder steps to reduce carbon emissions in the Clean Power Plan. Your policies should accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency - resulting in lower electricity rates over time, pollution reduction, and a larger impact on the climate.
We ask that you:
1) Phase out dirty coal fired power plants - no matter how efficient, coal will still emit significant carbon pollution.
2) Reject the reliance on frack gas - there is extensive leakage of methane, a potent green house gas, from our entire gas infrastructure, (frack wells to the pipelines). The use of frack gas is a step backward for the climate.
3) Remove nuclear subsidies from the carbon rules - Nuclear energy is not a clean or renewable energy.
We oppose indefinite ratepayer subsidies to support aging, dangerous, expensive nuclear power plants.
4) Prioritize and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency - revise your plan to specifically allow the use of a carbon tax, (on fossil fuels), and rebate, (to the consumer) - one of the most effective market mechanisms to drive the deployment of new renewable energy such as Wind and Solar.
Why is this important?
The EPA carbon rules, (Clean Power Plan), propose to lower carbon emissions from existing power plants 30% by 2030. Frack Free Illinois, www.facebook.com/FrackFreeIllinois, appreciates that steps are finally being taken to diminish carbon pollution, but with the recent IPCC reports about the severity of climate change - we strongly encourage faster bolder steps towards energy efficiency and renewable energy. The rules are not only insufficient but also misguided. It is time for our federal and state governments to make the tough policy decisions that will lead us away from the dirty energies of the past and into our renewable energy future!
Resources:
http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/1/5770556/EPA-power-plant-rules-explainer
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/4/5779052/how-to-figure-out-which-states-get-hit-hardest-by-obamas-climate-rule
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/obama-climate-rules-not-enough-to-fight-global-warming/
http://harpers.org/blog/2014/06/a-top-obama-aide-says-history-wont-applaud-the-presidents-climate-policy/
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/06/26-6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o78j77I7XUw
http://www.nirs.org/factsheets/nukesclimatefact614.pdf
https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/take-nuclear-power-out-of-epa-carbon-rules
http://www.vox.com/2014/5/30/5764506/will-obamas-climate-rules-revive-cap-and-trade
http://www.carbontradewatch.org/issues/cap-and-trade.html
http://www.carbontax.org/
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/13/3436923/germany-energy-records/
Resources:
http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/1/5770556/EPA-power-plant-rules-explainer
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/4/5779052/how-to-figure-out-which-states-get-hit-hardest-by-obamas-climate-rule
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/obama-climate-rules-not-enough-to-fight-global-warming/
http://harpers.org/blog/2014/06/a-top-obama-aide-says-history-wont-applaud-the-presidents-climate-policy/
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/06/26-6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o78j77I7XUw
http://www.nirs.org/factsheets/nukesclimatefact614.pdf
https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/take-nuclear-power-out-of-epa-carbon-rules
http://www.vox.com/2014/5/30/5764506/will-obamas-climate-rules-revive-cap-and-trade
http://www.carbontradewatch.org/issues/cap-and-trade.html
http://www.carbontax.org/
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/13/3436923/germany-energy-records/