Ten Health and Medical Groups Oppose EPA's Harmful Clean Power Plan 'Replacement' Proposal

In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) release of the proposed Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule to replace the Clean Power Plan, the Allergy & Asthma Network, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, the American Lung Association, the American Public Health Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Children's Environmental Health Network, Health Care Without Harm, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Environmental Health Association, and the Trust for America's Health issued the following statement:

"EPA's proposed replacement for the Clean Power Plan is not just inadequate, it is dangerous. The urgency of protecting public health from the impacts of climate change increases with each passing day—and so does the necessity of implementing and enforcing strong limits on carbon pollution from power plants as outlined in the Clean Power Plan. Our organizations urge EPA to reject the proposed rule and implement the Clean Power Plan.

"EPA's own analysis of the proposal found that it could result in up to 1,400 more premature deaths, 120,000 more asthma attacks, and up to 64,000 missed days of school annually in 2030, all of which would be prevented under the Clean Power Plan.

"In addition to the immediate damage that this proposal would cause to human health, failing to address the pollution causing climate change will have lasting health consequences. The longer our nation's leaders delay action to clean up the pollutants driving climate change, the greater the health costs will be from wildfires, hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

"Our organizations strongly oppose this dangerous proposal and urge EPA to reject it in order to protect the health of Americans."