Statement of Conservation Law Foundation In Response to President Obama’s Climate Action Plan Announced Today

CONTACT:
Karen Wood, CLF, (617) 850-1722

BOSTON, MA  June 25, 2013 – In response to President Obama’s announcement today of a suite of actions the Administration will take to tackle climate change, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Jonathan Peress, VP and director of Clean Energy and Climate Change:

“We are pleased to see the Administration take this long overdue action to fulfill its obligation under the Clean Air Act to address emissions of carbon dioxide,” said Jonathan Peress, VP and director, Clean Energy and Climate Change at Conservation Law Foundation. “Despite having been affirmed by the Supreme Court as a harmful pollutant that endangers public health and the environment, serious action has not been taken at the federal level to limit carbon dioxide emissions and the damage they are doing to our climate.”

“Today, President Obama has taken an important step on the path blazed by states and regions like New England to reduce carbon emissions from the electricity and transportation sectors. As our experience has shown, these actions convey a variety of benefits upon the states and regions where they are in place, improving air quality and public health while saving consumers money, increasing energy efficiency and fostering innovation and job growth. At the regional level, we mustn’t slow down to let the federal government catch up, but rather drive toward solutions that compel the federal government to move more quickly and nimbly to keep up with us.”

Peress continued, “We applaud the President for pursuing a strategy driven by courage, not by fear. If there was ever a time when we need environmental leadership in Washington, it is now, when we are facing very real concerns about our children’s and grandchildren’s futures.”

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that preserve natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.