John Hickey, 314-800-8171, john.hickey@sierraclub.org
St. Louis, MO - Today, President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order to begin the process of repealing several Obama-era actions tackling the climate crisis and protecting clean air and water, including steps to begin the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan, roll back Oil and Gas New Source Performance Standards, rescind NEPA guidance that directs agencies to account for the climate crisis, and end efforts to reform the broken federal coal leasing program.
The Clean Power Plan protects the health of Missouri families and communities by curbing dangerous carbon pollution and reducing other toxic pollutants like mercury, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide. A 2014 study by the Harvard School of Public Health estimated that the policy would prevent 1,200 premature deaths in Missouri between 2020 and 2030.
In addition clean energy investment creates family sustaining jobs while lifting cost burdens on ratepayers and local governments. Municipal utilities in both Springfield and Kirkwood have recently purchased wind energy for 25% less than the cost of the coal-based energy that they had been buying. This is only one example of the growing public demand for investment in clean energy. In November 2008, 66% of MO voters supported Proposition C, which requires electric utilities in Missouri to increase the use of wind and solar energy.
EPA also projects that in 2030 when the Clean Power Plan is fully implemented, electricity bills would be roughly 8 percent lower than they would been without the actions in state plans. That would save Americans about $8 on an average monthly residential electricity bill.
Trump’s announcement comes on the same day of the release of the 2016 Solar Jobs Census, which shows continued growth in solar employment in Missouri with 2,380 solar jobs in 2016, a 526 increase from 2015.
In Response, John Hickey, Missouri Chapter Director, Released the Following Statement:
“The Trump administration’s attacks on the Clean Power Plan will cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives. The Clean Power Plan protects all Missouri families by curbing dangerous carbon pollution and reducing other toxic pollutants like mercury, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide -- but unfortunately Trump would clearly rather pad polluter profits.
"The administration’s attack ignores the climate crisis and Missouri’s rapidly growing clean energy economy. At the same time, people all over the country have organized to help push coal to its lowest level in history by retiring nearly 250 plants nationwide, and cities ranging from Salt Lake City, Utah to Georgetown, Texas are committing to 100 percent clean energy.
"For all these reasons, many states have plans and are already on track to meet and even exceed the Clean Power Plan’s 2030 emissions targets years ahead of schedule, and clean energy growth statewide will continue unabated. Sadly, Trump’s aggressive pro-polluter action means residents of heavily polluted states like ours will suffer from dirtier air while missing out on many of the benefits of a fair and just clean energy economy the Clean Power Plan would help create.
"The Clean Power Plan is on a strong legal footing and that this is just the first stage in an attempt to try and roll it back. Trump can’t reverse the Clean Power Plan or our clean energy progress with the stroke of a pen, and we’ll fight Trump in the courts and at the state and local level right here in Missouri.”