Physicians for Social Responsibility: Finalized ACE Rule Puts People’s Health at Risk June 19, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:
Olivia Alperstein, Media Relations Manager
Physicians for Social Responsibility
(202) 587-5232, oalperstein@psr.org

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their finalized Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, replacing the Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan, the first-ever federal policy to reduce harmful carbon pollution from existing power plants, would have achieved meaningful reductions in those emissions, while the ACE rule sets no carbon pollution limits on power plants.

In response, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) released the following comment:

With no specified emissions target or limit, the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule completely fails to provide protection from the climate crisis and the resulting significant threats to health.

“In finalizing the ACE rule, the EPA has officially reneged on its mission to protect public health. Instead, it is putting lives at risk. The EPA has decided to prolong the life of old, failing, dirty coal plants at the very moment we so desperately need a plan to wean ourselves from this filthiest of fuels,” said Jeff Carter, Executive Director. “They are harming the health and safety of families around the country and around the world.

“The Clean Power Plan would have reduced carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants by roughly one-third by 2030. Given the urgent climate crisis, any replacement to the Clean Power plan should reduce carbon pollution even more, not less, and should encourage the necessary transition to clean energy and renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Instead, the ACE rule fails to safeguard people’s health, mitigate the climate crisis, or sufficiently reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants.”

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About Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)

PSR is a nonprofit organization representing medical and health professionals and concerned citizens, with approximately 40,000 members and supporters and with chapters in major cities and medical schools throughout the United States. PSR has been working for more than 55 years to create a healthy, just and peaceful world for both present and future generations. Learn more at www.psr.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.