I’ll give you my official reaction to today’s historic announcement, by President Obama, of America’s Clean Power Plan — in a minute. For now, here’s my full-throated, heart-happy, cry of excitement and pride in what our country can accomplish when we put our minds to it: YOWZERS! FANTASTIC!
Please join me in thanking President Obama for establishing world leadership in fighting climate pollution.
I was thrilled to be invited to the White House to attend President Obama’s announcement of the plan in person. This is a testament to our hard work over the last year: Members of Moms Clean Air Force have been signing petitions, meeting with state legislators and governors, and generally doing everything we can to demand the first-ever national approach to cut the carbon emissions that are the prime driver of climate pollution.
This is America’s enormous step forward in that fight. And, to paraphrase — one giant leap for humankind.
Sometimes I think we don’t know how lucky we are, to have the health and air protections that we do. They aren’t perfect — but that’s why, as scientists learn more, our pollution rules are meant to evolve. That’s the beauty of the approach of President Nixon’s Clean Air Act. It was far-sighted.
But for the Clean Air Act to be far-reaching, we have to do our part. Citizens — that’s you and me, folks — have to raise our voices and tell our leaders: STOP CLIMATE POLLUTION.
Now it is time to tell the president and his administration, thank you. Thank you for setting the entire country on a path to lower carbon emissions.
We’ve got lots of work ahead. This plan will be attacked by people who want to protect what they see as their right to pollute.
We won’t let them.
I share this moment with more than 500,000 Moms Clean Air Force members — with pride and delight!
Read the official statement from Moms Clean Air Force below:
America’s Clean Power Plan is the first-ever national curb on the most significant driver of human-caused climate pollution: carbon dioxide emissions. The Plan will stimulate the deployment of clean, reliable and affordable energy sources of the 21st century. And that is not all: globally, it will enhance our Country’s leadership as we work with other nations to curb climate pollution. The success of America’s Clean Power Plan springs from this vision—and depends upon cooperation of every state in the union. We have many tools with which to cut our greenhouse gas emissions, including increasing energy efficiency to retrofitting power plants. Over half a million parents, members of Moms Clean Air Force, urge each and every one of our governors to speedily work toward implementation plans for this historic standard. The race to the top begins: the sooner states implement their plans, the sooner they will win public health and economic benefits. Carbon pollution threatens our children, our communities, and our way of life. It must be curbed, and the authors and supporters of the American Clean Power Plan deserve our gratitude.
Oh, and how about a new presidential appointment? We have a Surgeon General. Now we need a Climate Security General!