As the public comment period on the Clean Power Plan came to a close today, national groups supporting climate action hand delivered the “8 millionth” comment supporting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards to reduce carbon pollution from power plants. Since early 2012, an array of public health, faith and environmental groups have collected approximately 8 million comments from people across our country who support clean energy and carbon pollution limits for power plants.

Read the executive summary of the Clean Power Plan comments submitted by Earthjustice and Sierra Club.

See Earthjustice’s web series on the Clean Power Plan, A Climate Solution Within Reach:

• Part One: A Human Right On A Warming Planet
• Part Two: Getting A Clean Power Plan
• Part Three: Coming Clean: The State of U.S. Renewable Energy
• Part Four: Hope For Our Future

Joint statement, supported by the groups listed below, on the Clean Power Plan and the collection of over eight million comments

“Since the EPA began its rulemakings in 2012, clean air supporters have collected and submitted more than 8 million public comments from people who support EPA standards to limit dangerous carbon pollution from power plants. While federal limits exist for toxic air pollutants like mercury, arsenic and soot, there are currently no national limits on the carbon pollution power plants dump into our air.

“This 8 millionth comment reflects the broad support from the vast majority of people across our country who want solutions to reduce the unlimited carbon pollution from power plants that is fueling climate change and putting our health, our economy, our communities and our wildlife and natural resources at risk. This demonstration of support for U.S. leadership on climate change is unprecedented and exceeds, by far, the number of comments from those who want to block these common-sense protections for our health and economy.”

“America deserves a healthy economy and a healthy environment. Over the last four decades, clean air standards have reduced air pollution by 70% while GDP has tripled. The Clean Power Plan will significantly cut carbon pollution from power plants, while preventing up to 150,000 asthma attacks and saving as much as $95 billion per year by 2030. We applaud the EPA and the Administration for its unprecedented public outreach and efforts to craft a carbon pollution standard that that everyone in our country should support.”

Center for American Progress
Center for Rural Affairs
Clean Water Action
Earth Day Network
Earthjustice
Environment America
Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Law and Policy Center
Friends of the Earth
NextGen Climate America
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Sierra Club