Carbon Standards Urgently Needed To Protect Kids, Planet

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2011) – In response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that carbon pollution standards for power plants will not be issued this month, David Doniger,  NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Program policy director, made the following statement:

“Right now, power companies can dump unlimited amounts of dangerous carbon pollution into the air.  This year’s unprecedented floods, storms, and fires tell us we are in a race against time to curb the dangerous pollution that is driving climate change.

“We are disappointed that EPA will not meet its commitment to propose clean-up standards this month for the carbon pollution coming from the nation’s power plants, the largest polluters.  It is not clear how long a delay EPA wants.  Taking a little more time to get it done right is one thing.  Punting on its duty to protect our children and our planet would be utterly unacceptable.  Our reaction will depend on what they propose.

The Supreme Court has twice ruled that it is EPA’s job under the Clean Air Act to protect Americans from dangerous carbon pollution. How many more delays does the EPA need before it does its job?”