On Wednesday night, Organizing for Action (OFA), the grassroots organization that pushes for President Obama‘s agenda, held a conference call to discuss the Obama administration’s proposed new Environmental Protection Agency rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The call featured Rohan Patel, who is special assistant to President Obama and White House Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Patel spoke about what the Obama administration seeks to accomplish with the new EPA rules, as well as the White House messaging on climate change.
According to Patel, the new EPA proposal is an effort to stem both the environmental effects and the health effects of climate change caused by “carbon pollution” (i.e., carbon dioxide or CO2) from power plants. Patel explained that there are rules in place to limit sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, lead and other emissions from power plants, but no such rules as to carbon pollution which causes climate change. Patel said that the proposed EPA rules join other efforts by the Obama administration to stem climate change. For example, Patel pointed out that President Obama has strengthened fuel economy (CAFE) standards for cars, light trucks and heavy trucks. Moreover, according to Patel, President Obama has focused from the beginning of his presidency on clean energy, including in his 2009 Recovery Act a/k/a the “Stimulus.”
According to Patel, in addition to more extreme weather, Americans are experiencing more allergies, tropical diseases, asthma and other respiratory issues as a result of climate change caused in part by power plant emissions. Patel said that such illnesses fall disproportionately on Latino and African-Americans. Patel added that reducing such greenhouse gas and particulate emissions from power plants will reduce the number of premature deaths and illnesses related to such pollution. Therefore, said Patel, we have a moral obligation to fight climate change, and “nothing is more important.”
Patel indicated that a key feature of the proposed new EPA power plant rules is that states will have flexibility to develop ways to meet the required goals, which include a 30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants (mostly coal) by 2030, using 2005 levels as the baseline. Patel also stated that the aim is to reduce particulate matter levels from these power plants. States will be able to take different steps, such as increasing renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, increasing the fuel mileage of their vehicle fleets, etc. to meet the overall requirements.
According to Patel, such increased energy efficiency means a big job creation potential for many companies, such as Honeywell. Anticipating “doomsday claims” by opponents regarding jobs and other areas, Patel said that every time government has set standards for pollution reduction, such as under the Clean Air Act, political opponents and special interests have said that such standards would kill jobs and raise electric bills, and they have been wrong every time.
Patel then answered a few questions from those on the call. One caller asked which business leaders support President Obama’s proposal. Patel said that many companies, even utilities, have expressed support. Patel named FirstEnergy, Calpine, Opower and others. He also stated that wind and solar energy companies support the EPA proposal, as well as consumer goods companies such as Johnson Controls, Walmart and Ben and Jerry’s, and the Business Alliance, all of which recognize that climate change (for example, extreme weather) affects their bottom line.
Another questioner asked how the EPA’s plan would lower Americans’ power bills. Patel said that the EPA proposal would result in increased energy efficiency and lower demand for electricity. By 2030, according to Patel, the Obama administration estimates that utility bills will be 8 percent lower than they would be without the proposed changes.
Lastly, a questioner asked how much the White House is concerned about climate change deniers in Congress blocking the EPA’s proposal. Patel explained that President Obama believes that Congress needs to act on climate change, but in the meantime, the President will act where he can. Patel said the climate deniers were “making themselves look crazy” as more cases of asthma, more wildfires, Superstorm Sandy and more droughts all indicate that climate change is an increasingly serious problem.
Photo by Ann Baekken, used under Creative Commons license. http://is.gd/R9Kg5Z
