The corporate media can try to ignore the #1 issue facing humanity (and every other species on the planet) all they want, but that doesn’t change the reality of the challenge we’re all up against. Unfortunately, fossil-fuel-funded Republicans (and, sadly, some “fossil fool” Democrats as well) have blocked action serious Congressional action on climate change, such as the “cap-and-trade” plan originally proposed by conservatives, a “cap-and-dividend” plan in which money raised from the tax on carbon pollution is returned to the American people; a straight-up tax on carbon pollution, which could easily be designed such that it is “revenue neutral” (e.g., other tax rates cut) if that’s what is desired; a serious energy policy which cuts all subsidies – explicit or implicit – for fossil fuels, incorporates all “negative externalities” into their price, and massively promotes energy efficiency, wind, solar and other clean energy sources.
That Congressional failure has left it up to the Environmental Protection Agency — legally backed by the 2007 Supreme Court decision which ruled that greenhouse gases are pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act — to take necessary and long-overdue action on this front.
Which is exactly what the EPA is doing with its Clean Power Plan, which will accelerate America’s inevitable transition to clean and increasingly inexpensive energy sources, while actually saving people money on their power bills. In addition, this plan will have tremendous health and environmental benefits, while giving American companies a better opportunity to compete in the multi-TRILLION-dollar world market for clean energy.
In short, this plan is a winner all around. Unless, that is, you are a well-heeled coal or oil company executive, but why would anyone shed a tear for those guys? Anyway, thank you EPA, and thank you President Obama, for taking this action. Now, can you please also stop oil drilling in the Arctic, which is a disaster waiting to happen? A grateful planet thanks you. 🙂
P.S. This plan is a big opportunity for Virginia as well. See the letter from Virginia companies to Gov. McAuliffe explaining why. Also see What Does the Clean Power Plan Mean for Virginia? A Real Opportunity for Renewable Energy; New Report: Implementing EPA Clean Power Plan Can Be Job Creator for Virginia; Clean power is right for Virginia; Del. Lopez strongly supports President Obama’s Clean Power Plan to address climate change; NRDC says clean-power plan benefits Virginia; Virginia’s small businesses support the Clean Power Plan; and much more.
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