Mayor Becker Responds to EPA Announcement of Emission Goals for U.S. Power Plants

Following today’s announcement of the EPA’s new Clean Power Plan, which would set emissions standards for power plants, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker issued the following statement.

“I am pleased that President Obama and EPA Administrator McCarthy are using the appropriate tool of the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions from the largest source of carbon pollution–coal-fired power plants. The authority and direction, established by Congress and President Nixon in 1970, was intended to regulate threats to our health and welfare from air pollution.

The flexible step announced today, carefully developed after many years of input and giving industry multiple options to reduce carbon emissions, uses Clean Air Act authority upheld time and again by the U.S. Supreme Court. The common sense regulations will serve to help our region and state address air pollution and the unparalleled risk to our wellbeing from climate disruption.

As Administrator McCarthy noted, we have a collective, moral obligation to make responsible decisions on behalf of the health of our families and children, and the long-term viability and livability of our community. We need look no further than the profound air pollution issues here in our region for a call to action. We are also already seeing changes from climate change in our watersheds and snowpack that will impose enormous costs on us and future water users in the Salt Lake Valley.

Taking this responsible and necessary step will go a long way to starting effective societal solutions.”

Learn more about the Clean Power Plan

• EPA fact sheet about the proposed rule
• Background information
• Myths & facts about cutting carbon pollution
• #ActOnClimate (Twitter)