Jessica King, jessica.king@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Sierra Club and partners delivered more than one million public comments calling on the Biden Administration to tackle climate change by adopting the strongest possible carbon pollution standards for fossil fuel power plants.
President Biden’s proposal would curb carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector, one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases in the U.S., by establishing mandatory pollution limits for existing coal plants, new gas plants, and the largest and most frequently used existing gas plants.
In addition to public comments, the Sierra Club submitted comprehensive technical and legal comments urging the Biden Administration to finalize a strong proposal by the end of the year. The Sierra Club’s submission urges the administration to improve key aspects of the rule to provide greater emission reductions, include more detailed and effective community outreach requirements for state regulators implementing the standards at existing power plants, and ensure that the rule’s public health benefits are equitably distributed.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“In the months since these standards have been proposed, our communities have experienced wildfires across North America, flooding across the northeast, and, in July, the single hottest month in recorded human history. These commonsense standards are an important tool to meet our climate goals, improve public health, and ensure a safe and livable planet for us all.
“The Biden Administration must stand firm against corporate polluters attempting to undermine this rule at every turn and swiftly finalize strong standards with rigorous monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, reinforced by robust, meaningful community engagement to ensure this proposal protects people, not polluters.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.