California Attorney General Defends EPA Action on Climate

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Environment California

(Sacramento)—On Monday evening, Attorney General Kamala Harris joined 13 additional states and the District of Columbia to stand up for new EPA regulations on global warming pollution. The attorneys general jointly filed a brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, defending EPA against an attack launched by Murray Energy Corporation, a coal-mining company.

Travis Madsen, State Global Warming Campaign Director for Environment California, issued the following statement applauding the states for their leadership:

“Cleaning up global warming pollution from power plants is the right thing to do. We applaud Attorney General Kamala Harris for supporting common-sense action to protect us and our children from the worst impacts of global warming.

As the states noted in their brief, we all have a compelling interest in cleaning up the pollution that is driving global warming. Without urgent action, we face ‘increased heat-related deaths, damaged coastal areas, disrupted ecosystems, more severe weather events, and longer and more frequent droughts.’ 

How bad the problem gets depends on how quickly and how deeply humanity can reduce emissions of global warming pollution.

California has helped lead the way in establishing limits on global warming pollution from power plants and other sources through the Global Warming Solutions Act, or AB32. Implementing this groundbreaking program will reduce California’s emissions of global warming pollution to 1990 levels by the end of the decade.

By defending EPA, California is helping to ensure that all other states will do their part as well.

We urge political leaders across the United States to follow the lead of our Attorney General and vigorously support EPA and President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Our future depends on it.”

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Environment California is a state-based, citizen-supported, environmental advocacy organization, working towards a cleaner, greener, healthier future. Our staff and members work to protect the places we love, advance the values we share, and win real results for our environment. Visit us at www.EnvironmentCalifornia.org.