Brian Willis, 202.675.2386, Brian.Willis@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Sierra Club and a coalition of environmental allies launched a lawsuit today challenging former coal lobbyist and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s “ACE” rule -- known by many as the Dirty Power Plan. The lawsuit charges that Wheeler’s rule is blatantly unlawful and twists the Clean Air Act beyond recognition, ignoring the devastating effects of the climate crisis and putting lives in danger.
Joanne Spalding, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel, released the following statement:
“The Clean Air Act requires a plan that reduces dangerous emissions from dirty power plants and safeguards the public from carbon pollution. The Dirty Power Plan does the opposite of protecting the public: it sets no mandatory limits on dangerous carbon pollution and will increase emissions at many dirty plants around the country, threatening the health and lives of our families and communities.
To make matters worse, the Dirty Power Plan fudges its numbers to obscure the true extent of its damage. Trump and Wheeler’s deadly plan provides no accountability and no standards for carbon pollution reduction. And unlike the legally sound Clean Power Plan, it will do nothing to encourage the growth of clean, affordable energy like wind and solar.
“We will challenge every part of this misguided rule, which has already been broadly denounced by the medical, environmental, and legal communities as a poorly constructed band-aid for the coal industry’s economic woes. We will also encourage the public to demand a strong alternative that lives up to the spirit of the Clean Air Act and common sense climate action.”
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.