Experts Speak About Power Plant Pollution Standards

During a citizen hearing on July 28, in Concord, local health experts, labor leaders, industry leaders and environmental advocates highlighted the public benefits of the EPA’s new carbon pollution standards for power plants. The hosts, including National Wildlife Federation, New Hampshire Sierra Club, Environment New Hampshire, League of Conservation Voters, Mom’s Clean Air Force and the Union of Concerned Scientists, urged the Concord community to pledge support for the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and take action in the future.

“Changes in climate are directly and indirectly related to human health,” explained Dr. Kathleen Bush in her testimony Monday night. “The most relevant climate-related health outcomes in New Hampshire and the surrounding region are extreme weather-related injuries and deaths, heat-related illness, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus, and some waterborne diseases.” Dr. Bush is Assistant Research Professor at the Center for the Environment at Plymouth State University and environmental epidemiologist.

Last night’s hearing comes just weeks after the EPA announced its Clean Power Plan, which will place historic limits on carbon pollution from power plants. Carbon pollution fuels climate change, triggers more asthma attacks and respiratory disease, worsens air quality, and contributes to more frequent, destructive, costly and deadly extreme weather events. The Clean Power Plan will prevent up to 150,000 asthma attacks and 6,600 premature deaths annually by 2030.

Jonathon Gregory of ReVision Energy of Exeter, stated, “Power plants account for nearly 40 percent of carbon pollution that we know fuels climate change. There is broad support for the new standards, which will hold power plants accountable for the dangerous amount of pollution they spew into the air, threatening public health.”

“Poll after poll shows that Americans support carbon safeguards,” Catherine Corkery, Chapter Director of NH Sierra Club. “New Hampshire is proving that carbon pollution reductions can be done as a smart economic tool to protect the outdoors and ignite job creation. We applaud the EPA for taking the steps for a national initiative. Secondly, we call on the EPA to reinforce meaningful and innovative action that will support renewable energy development and desperately needed energy efficiency improvements across the country.”

“NH’s experience with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) demonstrates that regional cooperation can achieve the most cost-effective emission reductions, enable a transition to a lower-emitting and more efficient power sector and create economic benefits and jobs, as supported by a recent report released by the Analysis Group,” said Joe Fontaine from the NH Department of Environmental Services.

“We know we need to act on climate and we know we need to do that by cutting carbon emissions. The health and stability of our communities demands it,” said Betsy Kinsey of Environment New Hampshire, “I call on Senator Ayotte to join the rest of our representatives and be a champion for us by publicly supporting the Clean Power Plan.”

Other participants at today’s hearing included: The EPA, Plymouth State University, New Hampshire Council of Churches, Trout Unlimited, the office of Congresswoman Kuster, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Appalachian Mountain Club, 350 New Hampshire, National Wildlife Federation, New Hampshire Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“The passion and concern for our future expressed this evening by many New Hampshire citizens is truly inspiring,” said Rob Werner, New Hampshire State Director of the League of Conservation Voters.

Yvonne Nanasi, field manager for Moms Clean Air Force added, “We have a moral obligation to act to protect our children and to leave them a planet that’s not damaged by carbon pollution. We encourage our Congressional Delegation to take decisive action in support of the plan. Clean air and mitigation of climate change will ensure a healthier future for our children and generations to come.”

The EPA is hosting official regional hearings this week in Atlanta, Ga., Denver, Co., Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh, Pa. and will accept public comment on the proposed action until October.

Submitted by New Hampshire Sierra Club.