Sierra Club Endorses EPA’s New Multi-Pollutant Strategy to Address Gas Plant Pollution

Washington, D.C. – Today, EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced the agency’s new multi-pollutant strategy to reduce harmful emissions from gas-fired power plants. This approach will cover not only climate-destabilizing greenhouse gas emissions from existing gas units, but also pollutants that deteriorate air quality and directly harm public health, particularly in fenceline communities. 

This spring, EPA expects to finalize carbon dioxide limits under the Clean Air Act for new and modified gas plants along with existing coal units.  Once implemented, these safeguards will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector and accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. 

“Sierra Club supports the Biden administration’s new strategy to address a broad range of pollutants emitted by gas-fired power plants,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous. “Strong protections against gas plant emissions will help the United States meet its international climate commitments while protecting the most vulnerable communities from the pollution contaminating their air. We look forward to working closely with the Biden EPA to quickly implement the building blocks of its new multi-pollutant approach for gas plants to ensure the strongest possible protections for our environment and public health.”

“In the final year of its first term, the Biden Administration has an opportunity to further cement its environmental legacy by taking these strong additional actions to fight climate change and mitigate the air pollution that has harmed our families and communities for generations,” said Sierra Club Senior Attorney Andres Restrepo. “EPA is already moving forward with robust protections against oil and gas methane pollution, updated and strong emission standards for cars and trucks, and soon-to-be-finalized carbon pollution limits for new gas and existing coal plants. On top of this, a multi-pollutant strategy for gas-fired power stations that controls all of the harmful pollution these plants emit in communities across the country is the next crucial step in safeguarding our health, our plant, and our future.”