Let me know if you are already getting these materials from National.
These documents provide the Club's analysis of the EPA Carbon rule, These are intended to be internal documents, so please do not forward to outside entities, even if they are 'friendly'. Please take the time to study these carefully, and share questions with the Chapter Climate Action Team. This is the technical 'homework we need to do in order to speak intelligently, so buckle down!
Bottom line; the rule does a fair job of reducing carbon emissions. The flexibility written into the rule allows states like WV to have lower emissions requirements than the national average. EPA's rule therefore assures that the standard is technically achievable in EVERY state, and is legally defensible in court. You can be sure that if industry succeeds in overturning this rule in court that it will be a long time before we get another initiative like this one. So this is one we HAVE to win.
Two points I take from this.
First, while the 'flexibility' in the rule means that states like WV will have emissions requirements less stringent than the national average, it also means that we will receive fewer health benefits than if we had to met a uniform national standard,, Upwind states including KY, OH, and IN also have targets lower than the national average, so WV will continue to receive a higher than average pollution impact.
I am reminded of a map put out by the Clean Air Network ten years ago that color coded states by the number of deaths from power plant pollution. Clean states were in blue or green, more polluted states were yellow, then orange or red. A few pollution hotspots were in purple. WV was the only state entirely within that 'purple zone of death'! Under the 'flexibility' in EPAs plan, WV will remain an air pollution sacrifice zone.
Congressman Mckinley on Monday introduced HR 4813 to block both of EPA's power plant rules (this one for existing power plants as well as the earlier one setting carbon emission standards for new plants), as well as prohibiting EPA from any 'substantially similar' rule for five years. Co-sponsored by Rahall, Capito, and 72 others, the bill would relegate WV to continued deaths from power plant pollution. (Perhaps that should be a theme of a press response, media event or something?)
The second point is that states that plan carefully for implementing the rule should be able to avoid significant economic impacts. With a heavy investment in efficiency and renewables, West Virginians may actually see more jobs and lower electric bills from implementing a well-designed plan. But a state strategy of blind opposition to the rule, as currently being proposed by Tomblin, Morrisey, et al, is the strategy MOST likely to cost jobs and raise electric rates.
Would someone (or each of us) be willing to write a short letter to the editor highlighting one or two key messages from the analysis, or the points above? We need to start getting LTEs in demonstrating support, especially here in WV, for EPAs Carbon rules.
Jim Kotcon
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mary Anne Hitt maryanne.hitt@sierraclub.org Date: Wed, Jun 11, 2014 at 7:48 PM Subject: [Coal Volunteers List] Sierra Club analysis and resources for EPA Clean Power Plan (aka carbon standard) To: Mary Anne Hitt maryanne.hitt@sierraclub.org Cc: Melinda Pierce melinda.pierce@sierraclub.org
To: Sierra Club lists: coal, coal-volunteers, stop-polluters, ccl-chapter-chairs, cons-chapter-cons-chairs, cons-marvin, bod-open Fr: Mary Anne Hitt and Melinda Pierce Re: Sierra Club analysis and resources for EPA Clean Power Plan (aka carbon standard)
We're writing to share the Sierra Club's confidential preliminary analysis of EPA's carbon standards for existing power plants, known as the Clean Power Plan. These documents are intended for internal use only by Sierra Club staff and volunteers, to give you our first assessment of what the standard does.
Thanks to one and all for your amazing work during the roll-out of the standard. We knocked that out of the park, and our message about climate action and public health carried the day. Now, the work begins of developing our strategies in the states, since that's where the rubber really hits the road on this rule.
Our team of experts and analysts are working hard to provide in-depth information for state and federal advocacy. We have the following materials available and in the works for you:
EXISTING MATERIALS:
- Attached: Sierra Club's preliminary analysis of the rule. It includes several links to additional resources. If you just have time to review one document, this is the one. - Attached: From our Environmental Law Program, a summary and in-depth overview of what the rule does - note that this is based on ELP's preliminary review and is an evolving document. - Materials, fact sheets, posters, and messaging guidance about the standard are available on Clubhouse at this link http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/communications/talking-points/climate-change/default.aspx . - EPA's website for the rule http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule, which includes several very helpful fact sheets. - More information about the Clean Power Plan and all EPA rules are available on the Beyond Coal Resource Portal - if you do not have access to that site, please contact Neha Mathew, neha.mathew@sierraclub.org.
COMING SOON:
- At the end of June we will roll out additional materials and our organizing plan (field action request) for the hearings and comment period. - We are developing state fact sheets that summarize what the standard requires of each state, to inform your state-based advocacy and campaign strategy. We hope to have those done by the end of June. - Beyond the fact sheets, campaign staff will share more robust state analyses as we develop them, which will be an ongoing, more time-intensive undertaking.
We understand that, with the release of the standard, planning and advocacy is already underway in earnest in many states. Please work with your Beyond Coal campaign representative on any resource needs or questions, and we will do our best to provide that support in a timely fashion.
Thanks again everyone for an inspiring team effort over the past few days. Let us know what you need to keep up the amazing work!