The reversal of the Obama-era policy effectively takes the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, given that without a formal effort underway nationwide, it would be impossible to comply with the international climate plan.
Environmental groups say it's not just about that, though.
Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune issued a written statement Monday expressing his outrage over the potential threat to public health, among other things, the move poses.
“With this news, Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt will go down in infamy for launching one of the most egregious attacks ever on public health, our climate, and the safety of every community in the United States," Brune said in his written statement. "The damage caused by Trump’s willful ignorance will now have myriads of human faces, because he’s proposing to throw out a plan that would prevent thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of childhood asthma attacks every year."
Studies indeed correlate unmitigated air pollution with an increase in asthma cases — another layer of potential harm allowing polluters to pollute with little to no regulation. Then there are the likely effects of climate change itself: species migration, sea-level rise, ocean acidification and intense weather events.
"As the climate crisis has made storms like Harvey, Irma, and Maria exponentially worse, Trump’s decision to attack climate action through this expected repeal is exponentially more dangerous for our families," Brune continued. "By repealing the Clean Power Plan, the Trump Administration will throw out an affordable, flexible, and life-saving plan to cut dangerous carbon pollution from power plants, giving the fossil fuel industry a free pass to keep polluting our air while our families pay the price."
Then, of course, there's the economic impact of clean energy; industries like solar are rapidly adding jobs to the economy — unlike coal.
“Trump is not just ignoring the deadly cost of pollution, he’s ignoring the clean energy deployment that is rapidly creating jobs across the country," Brune continued.
Bottom line, though, is that the EPA is supposed to be protecting the environment, not dismantling protections. It's right in the agency's name.
“No matter who is in the White House, the EPA is legally required to limit dangerous carbon pollution, and the Clean Power Plan is an achievable, affordable way to do that. It is a key element in continuing the progress moving toward clean energy and retiring coal, as it is already a part of most planning by utilities and Public Utility Commissions," Brune said.
This article appears in Oct 5-12, 2017.