Congresswoman Chellie Pingree opposed a bill in Congress today that would dramatically undercut the EPA's ability to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from power plants.
"Climate change is real and we are already seeing the result of it in Maine and all over the world. It threatens our economy, it threatens the health of our families, and it threatens our safety and security," Pingree said. "And now that the scientists at the EPA are on the verge of coming up with a way to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from power plants by up to a third, we find ourselves voting on a bill that would be nothing but a giant step backwards."
The bill, H.R. 2042, would postpone the EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan rule and even let states completely opt out of regulations. The EPA's proposed rule would, for the first time, regulate carbon emissions from power plants, one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas pollution. It is estimated that the new rule would reduce carbon pollution by over 25% by 2020 and nearly 1/3 by 2030.
Pingree, a co-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition in Congress, said climate change is already affecting the livelihood of fishermen in Maine.
"We've already seen the Gulf of Maine warming and the changes in the water linked to climate change are starting to impact shellfish and other species," Pingree said. "Our fisheries are a huge part of our economy and we have to do everything we can to protect them."
The Republican-sponsored bill passed the House today largely along party lines.
