Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to speak at EPA’s Atlanta Carbon Rule Hearing Today
Staff and board members to lend support for rule to reduce carbon pollution from the power sector
Contact: Jennifer Rennicks, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, [email protected], 865-235-1448
ATLANTA, Ga. (July 29, 2014) – Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) begins hearing public comments on a proposed rule to reduce carbon emissions, as well as soot and smog-forming pollutants, from the power sector.
Staff and board members for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) are in Atlanta to lend support for this proposed rule and offer comments to strengthen the standard because, for decades, dirty power plants have been allowed to dump unlimited amounts of carbon into our air. Power plants are the largest sources of carbon pollution, and the Southeast disproportionately contributes to national carbon pollution levels due to its abundance of old, dirty coal-fired power plants. The Southeast is home to almost 270 coal units that collectively emit over 366 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air annually
Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, is available to speak with the media in person or by phone following his comments at 9:50 to the EPA this morning via our media line at 865-235-1448.
Excerpts from Dr. Smith’s comments prepared for today’s hearing:
“I will speak in Atlanta today to offer my support for these proposed rules that will begin to clean up our air, reduce pollution-related illness, curb the worst effects of climate disruption, and move us along the path to positive with cleaner, safer energy sources that grow our economy and create jobs.
Why, when we have the tools to address this problem, would we choose to place our children’s future in peril? We have low or no-carbon technologies like renewable energy that are cost effective today. We have a deep well of energy efficiency technologies that can dramatically reduce waste and squeeze more work out of each kilowatt we produce. There is not a technological reason why we are not solving the climate crisis.
The opposition ignores the innovation, technological advancement and power of a properly configured market to solve the problems that come from a high-carbon energy sector, choosing instead to cling to an outdated worldview and business model.”
Other SACE speakers and their expected speaking times on Tuesday include:
10:15 – SACE’s Board President, John Noel
11:20 – SACE’s Director of Policy & Communications, Jennifer Rennicks
2:45 – SACE’s Southeast Energy Research Attorney, Angela Garrone
4:45 – SACE’s Southeast Energy Organizer, Amelia Shenstone
7:25 – SACE’s Energy Policy Manager, Taylor Allred
Wednesday at 10:45 – SACE’s Coastal Climate and Energy Coordinator, Chris Carnevale
Note that the hearing location for Tuesday and Wednesday has been changed to:
The Omni Hotel at CNN Center
North Tower, Level M4
100 CNN Center
190 Marietta St NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
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Founded in 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a nonprofit organization that promotes responsible energy choices that create climate change solutions and ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org