Religious Leaders Meet with EPA Administrator McCarthy

This week, representatives from 17 religious organizations met with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy to deliver more than 10,000 public comments and highlight the support of the faith community on rules to address carbon pollution from power plants.

There are currently no limits on carbon pollution from these plants. But now, the EPA has proposed first-ever standards for carbon pollution from the nation’s existing power plants.This proposal will limit emissions from power plants by 30% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.

The comment period for this rule ends on December 1. Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) was represented along with: U.S. Baha’i Office of Public Affairs, Church of the Brethren, Church World Service, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, the Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach, Creation Justice Ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Islamic Society of North America, Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, Sadhana Hindu, Sojourners, and the United Methodist Church.

The Rev. Sally Bingham, founder and president of IPL said, “We urge the EPA to move forward with the proposed standards for existing power plants so that we can reduce carbon pollution as quickly as possible to address climate change, protect human health, and care for all of Creation.”

The IPL community is working to make congregations models of energy stewardship and to lead by example. But our actions alone will not be enough, as power plants are responsible for 40% of carbon pollution. IPL congregations encourage their members to submit a comment in support of the proposed carbon standards for existing power plants, and to encourage the EPA to adopt a strong rule that increases the role of renewable energy and efficiency in our power mix.

“People in our religious communities understand that climate change is real and are heart-sick about the suffering it causes our neighbors close to home and around the world,” said Karen Leu of the Greater Washington DC affiliate of IPL. “With today’s delivery, we’re giving Administrator McCarthy not only over 10,000 comments from the faith community, but abundant hopes and blessings for the EPA to take decisive action and limit climate pollution.”

In 2005, NCIPL became the 16th state affiliate of the national Interfaith Power & Light Campaign (IPL), a national organization with 40 state affiliates representing 15,000 member congregations, working to rally the nation’s faithful to be good stewards of energy and address climate change as a moral issue.

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