A Chilling Effect on Climate Change Policies

Yesterday, President Trump passed an Executive Order that essentially overturns the Clean Power Plan (CPP), which set standards for reducing US greenhouse gas emissions. The CPP would have closed hundreds of emissions-heavy, coal-fired power plants and frozen construction of new plants, instead supporting cleaner and lower-polluting renewable energy sources. It also was a key strategy for reaching former President Obama’s goal to cut US emissions by about 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

While this Executive Order dealt a big blow to federal climate change policy, it cannot undo the progress made by the renewable energy industry over the past decade. According to ABC News, fewer than 75,000 coal mining jobs remain in the US. By comparison, there are more than 650,000 renewable energy jobs, a sign of the market-driven trend toward domestic energy that is clean, affordable, and reliable.

These favorable trends, however, are not enough. Continued reduction of emissions, and enforcement of these reductions by the Environmental Protection Agency, are crucial to our partnership in the Paris climate agreement and our responsibility to serve as a leader internationally on climate action.

Coal-fired power plants release carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

President Trump claims that his environmental interests lie in ensuring “clean air” and “crystal clean water” for the US. Increasing our coal production and the pollution that comes with it is in absolute opposition to that goal.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has spoken out against the decision, saying her office will be opposing President Trump’s latest action in court. Mass Audubon will stand with her.

You can add your support too.

Call Attorney General Healey’s office at (617) 727-2200 and say: I support the Attorney General’s pledge to oppose President Trump’s actions against the Clean Power Plan in court. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to environmental protection.

Note: You can just say “Maura Healey” or “Attorney General” if you’re prompted to say the name or extension of the party you’d like to speak with.

Read more about President Trump’s decision, including quotes from AG Healey and Mass Audubon’s Jack Clarke, in this Boston Globe article.