Governor Carney’s Statement on EPA’s Replacement of Clean Power Plan

Governor John Carney released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s announced its decision to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule:

“I’m disappointed in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which removes a strong incentive for states and the Federal government to work together to protect and improve air quality.

“Delaware citizens and our economy will be negatively affected by the ACE Rule. Rising average temperatures and prolonged heat waves pose critical health risks to Delaware farmers, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Changing climate conditions will increase local levels of particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which increase the risk our residents face of premature death and chronic heart and lung problems, and many of these pollutants are transported from states to the west of us. These threats will only increase if we do not take a stance as a nation and a global community to reduce the human emissions of greenhouse gases that feed rapid climate change.

“We must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change and the dangers it poses to all of us.”

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AG Denn Joins Coalition In Fight Against EPA’s “Unlawful” Proposed Replacement For Clean Power Plan

Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn, along with a group of 26 states, counties, and cities, has formally objected on behalf of Delaware to the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to reverse the country’s Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan, put in place by the EPA under President Obama, is the first nationwide limit on climate change pollution from existing fossil-fueled power plans.

The Clean Power Plan is the culmination of a decade-long effort by partnering states and cities to require mandatory cuts in the emissions of climate change pollution from fossil fuel-burning power plants under the Clean Air Act. In its comments (found at https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/cpp_replacement_comments.pdf), the coalition of states and municipalities stresses the overwhelming scientific evidence of human-induced climate change and its increasing impacts, and the corresponding need for the EPA to perform its duty under the Clean Air Act to set nationwide limits on power plant emissions of climate change pollution.

“The replacement rule proposed by President Trump’s EPA turns its back on the success of Delaware and other states in reducing carbon pollution from power plants, and instead will uncork the power plants’ smokestacks and let them put more pollution in our air,” Attorney General Denn said. “Plus, the proposed rule contains factual inaccuracies, analytical errors, and legal flaws, and as a result would be unlawful if adopted.”

The EPA’s own analysis predicts that, compared to the Clean Power Plan, the so-called “Affordable Clean Energy” Rule could result in over 60 million tons more climate change pollution.

The comments were spearheaded by the attorney general of New York submitted on behalf of the attorneys general from Delaware California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota (by and through its Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the cities of Boulder (CO), Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and South Miami (FL), and Broward County (FL).

Governor Carney’s Statement on Repeal of Clean Power Plan

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan. The goal of the Clean Power Plan is to reduce carbon pollution from coal-, oil-, and natural gas-burning power plants, and combat the threat of climate change.

“Delawareans up and down our state are already experiencing the effects of climate change and sea level rise. Delaware is the lowest-lying U.S. state, and 17,000 homes here are at permanent risk of inundation. Rising average temperatures and stronger storms pose risks to our $8 billion agricultural industry and threaten our natural resources. And unchecked air pollution presents health risks for all Delawareans.

“The Clean Power Plan set national targets for carbon emission reductions, but provided flexibility for the states to determine how best to achieve these targets. We have worked hard in Delaware to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and partner with other states in addressing pollution that feeds rapid climate change. This proposed replacement of the Clean Power Plan will make our efforts to reduce carbon pollution more difficult, and will remove a strong incentive for state and federal governments to work together to clean up our air.

“Put simply, it’s a bad idea to abandon any tool we have to fight climate change together. Through the U.S. Climate Alliance, we are already working with states to uphold the goals of the Paris climate agreement. But today, I join leaders across our country in calling on the Trump Administration to abandon this new proposed rule and reinstate the Clean Power Plan so we can provide the global leadership necessary to confront this threat.”

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Governor Carney Urges U.S. EPA to Reconsider Repeal of Clean Power Plan

Governor: “I am here today to state that the rest of the country must follow Delaware’s lead and be part of the solution”

WILMINGTON, Del.— Governor John Carney joined Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) at its public meeting on Monday to offer public comment on the Trump Administration’s proposal to repeal the federal Clean Power Plan. The goal of the Clean Power Plan is to reduce carbon pollution from coal-, oil-, and natural gas-burning power plants, and combat the threat of climate change. President Trump issued an executive order last year to dismantle the plan. In his remarks, Governor Carney stated the importance of the Clean Power Plan to regulate greenhouse gases, address climate change, and improve air quality.

Below are excerpts from Governor Carney’s remarks, which will be submitted to the EPA:

“Our state environmental regulators are charged with protecting Delawareans’ health and our environment, in collaboration with the federal government. The proposed repeal will make our efforts to reduce carbon pollution much more difficult, and will also remove a strong incentive for states and the federal government to work together to clean up our air….the citizens and economy of Delaware are negatively affected by these changes and if the Clean Power Plan is repealed, we will suffer even more.

Rising average temperatures and prolonged heat waves pose critical health threats to Delaware farmers, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly….these threats will only increase if we don’t take a stance as a nation and a global community to reduce the human emissions of greenhouse gases that feed rapid climate change. Delaware has become a national leader in taking that stance, going to great lengths to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CPP builds on experiences of the states who have already begun enacting clean energy policies – Delaware chief among them. Moving ahead with the Clean Power Plan is of particular importance to Delaware, given EPA’s failure to directly address emissions from power plants that impact Delaware’s air quality. CPP promises to provide additional ozone precursor emissions reductions – which would mean significant public health benefits.

I am convinced that the nation needs viable environmental action such as the Clean Power Plan. We must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change and the perils it poses to all of us here in the United States and around the world. I leave you today with the pledge that Delaware stands ready to implement the Clean Power Plan as originally proposed and I strongly encourage the EPA to reconsider their proposal to repeal it.”

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Governor Carney to Deliver Remarks at Public Meeting on Clean Power Plan

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney will join the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) at its public meeting on Monday to offer remarks on the Trump Administration’s proposal to repeal the federal Clean Power Plan. The goal of the Clean Power Plan is to reduce carbon pollution from coal-, oil-, and natural gas-burning power plants, and combat the threat of climate change. President Trump issued an executive order last year to dismantle the plan.

WHAT: Public listening session on the Clean Power Plan, hosted by DNREC.

WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 8, 2018

WHERE: Chase Center on the Riverfront

815 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

WHO: Governor John Carney

U.S. Senator Tom Carper

Shawn Garvin, Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Members of the public

Learn more about Monday’s meeting.

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Delaware to Sue U.S. EPA for Failure to Curb Out-of-State Air Pollution

Governor Carney, Congressional Delegation Oppose Trump Administration on Clean Air Ruling

Governor Carney to Trump Administration: No Drilling in the Atlantic

Delaware Joins U.S. Climate Alliance to Uphold Goals of Paris Agreement

Governor Carney’s Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order on Climate Change