EPA Releases Historic Clean Power Plan to Cut Emissions and Protect Wildlife and the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Haley McKey, 202-772-0247, hmckey@defenders.org

WASHINGTON (August 3, 2015)– Today the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the centerpiece of President Obama’s groundbreaking climate change strategy, the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The United States’ most ambitious action yet taken to combat climate change, the CCP sets  the first-ever limits  on dangerous carbon emissions from the nation’s power plants, gives states the opportunity to craft implementation plans tailored to their needs and provides opportunities for new jobs and lower energy costs across the nation.

The CPP will protect human and environmental health from the carbon pollution that causes climate change. It will also help protect wildlife which are profoundly affected by climate change ─one in six wildlife species could face extinction by 2100 if it is not addressed.

The following is a statement from Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark:

“The Clean Power Plan is a crucial step forward in the fight against climate change. Our nation’s wildlife, from songbirds to polar bears to moose, faces serious challenges due to climate change that’s already occurring right now.

“If we don’t put the brakes on emissions and implement climate adaptation measures now, future generations may only ever see live polar bears or wolverines in zoos. This bold and forward-thinking plan is what our nation’s people, wildlife and communities need to build a better future.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.