Boston (October 10, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and Chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, released the following statement today after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced it will move to repeal the Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan would have cut electricity power sector emissions 32 percent by 2030.
 
“Instead of the embracing the job creation potential of the Clean Power Plan, President Trump has abandoned American leadership on climate action,” said Senator Markey. “President Trump has failed his climate IQ test with the repeal of the Clean Power Plan. He is giving up on the economic opportunity that would be unleashed by deploying clean energy technologies in every state of the union. We know that by cutting carbon pollution, we can grow our economy, save American families money and protect the health of children and families. We did it in Massachusetts through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and countries participating in the Paris Climate Accord are putting in place their own carbon emissions reduction plans.  Climate deniers like Scott Pruitt may call the Clean Power Plan a war on coal, but the only war that was declared was on America’s clean energy future with this decision. The Trump administration’s repeal will no doubt be litigated, and I look forward to the courts’ upholding these historic rules.”
 

###