Press Releases

Today, Congressman Matt Cartwright, a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new rule to cut carbon-dioxide emissions from the nation's power plants by as much as 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030:

“Climate change is a significant long-term problem that is affecting our communities.  Air pollution, in addition, threatens the health of our most vulnerable Americans, including children and the elderly. 

“What we know is that In 2012, power plants and major industrial facilities in Pennsylvania emitted more than 140 million metric tons of carbon pollution—the equivalent of the yearly pollution from more than 30 million cars.  In the same year, Pennsylvania’s power sector carbon-dioxide emissions were approximately 106 million metric tons from sources covered by the new carbon rule.  The EPA is proposing that Pennsylvania develop a plan to lower its carbon pollution to meet its proposed goal of a 30% reduction.  On its face, it is evident that the new rule allows for 16 years to meet the new standard, and also gives a good deal of flexibility to states on how to achieve that result.

“I look forward to examining the new rule in detail and making an assessment of both its environmental and economic impacts in northeastern Pennsylvania.”