Emily Rosenwasser, emily.rosenwasser@sierraclub.org, 720-308-6055
Austin, TX - Donald Trump signed an executive order today to begin the process of repealing several Obama-era executive actions tackling the climate crisis and protecting clean air and water. Trump’s order includes steps to begin the process of dismantling the Clean Power Plan and attacks on the Clean Air Act.
The Clean Power Plan protects the health of Texas families and communities by curbing dangerous carbon pollution from power plants and reducing other toxic pollutants like mercury, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Texas emits more carbon pollution than any other state in the nation.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that, by 2030, the Clean Power Plan would prevent 150,000 asthma attacks and up to 6,600 premature deaths annually, providing between $55 billion to $93 billion of benefits per year.
EPA also projects that in 2030 when the 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.
The Trump administration’s attempt to roll back progress on climate action will run up against the reality that clean energy is expected to continue growing dramatically in Texas. The Lone Star state leads the nation in wind energy and is ranked 6th in installed solar energy in 2016. Texas wind farms produced enough energy to power more than 5.7 million homes and provide more than 25,000 jobs.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) not only estimates significant growth for solar through 2030, but also claims that solar generation could increasingly displace older coal and natural gas generation in the future. This is important for communities like Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, which face significant pollution impacts from coal and whose children and elderly suffer from respiratory issues due to sulfur dioxide from coal plants.
“Trump's shortsighted decision to roll back the Clean Power Plan will cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives. But what gives us hope is that Texas won’t wait. With a lack of leadership on a national or even state level, Texas communities are taking the lead to innovate and bring clean energy opportunity to more Texans.
“Texas' pollution problem is big, and the coal plants - along with gas wells and refineries - that pollute our vast state are the culprits. Citizens are mobilizing against unchecked pollution to their air and water from Big Bend to Dallas, and they’re standing up for more programs for low-income communities and communities of color to save money through energy efficiency.
“Texans know all too well what climate disaster looks like. In the face of record drought, record flooding, record wildfire, and toxic air, we’re witnessing thousands of Texans speak out and demand action on climate disruption at the local, state, and federal levels. Cities like Georgetown, Austin and San Antonio have taken big leaps in their commitment to clean air and renewable energy. Georgetown is one of the first cities in America to be entirely powered by renewable energy while San Antonio and Austin continue to move toward phasing out expensive coal plants in favor of cheap, clean, and abundant West Texas wind and local solar.”