WASHINGTON, DC (September 20, 2013) – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed updated standards designed to limit carbon pollution from new power plants. The following is a statement from David Foster, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance:

“After reviewing two-and-a-half million comments, the EPA has put together a reasonable set of standards that now differentiate emission targets based on fuel source and provide necessary flexibility in developing America’s 21st century power generation.

“These updated standards to limit carbon pollution from new power plants will help fight climate change; spur our economy to innovate and move to cleaner, renewable sources of energy; and help the American economy become more energy efficient in the years to come. The rules are an important part of President Obama’s comprehensive plan for responding to the threat of climate change that will create and maintain  jobs all across the economy.

“In concert with these standards, it is critical that the administration and Congress move forward with policies that ensure a smooth transition for working people impacted by this energy transition and that spur innovation and deployment of clean technologies — including measures to address global competitiveness, create clear market signals for clean technology deployment, and help to ignite the revitalization of our manufacturing sector.”