Schatz Statement on the EPA’s New Carbon Pollution Standard

Washington, DC—Today, Senator Schatz released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed standard on carbon pollution for new power plants:

“Today, The Obama Administration took an important step towards reducing carbon pollution and speeding the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.  Power plants account for 40 percent of the carbon pollution in the United States, and while we currently protect public health with limits on arsenic, lead, and soot from power plants, no federal limits on carbon pollution currently exist.  This sensible standard proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency will limit carbon pollution and protect our children from the health risks and other impacts of climate change,” Senator Schatz said.

“In Hawaii, we have seen that moving to clean energy is good for the environment and the economy.  I applaud President Obama’s leadership on this issue and will continue to work with him and the EPA, as well as in the Senate, to forge commonsense solutions that preserve our environment, keep families healthy, and create new clean energy jobs.” 

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