This blog was written by Jennifer Rennicks, former Senior Director of Policy & Communications at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Guest Blog | July 25, 2014 | Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Utilities

Next week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin holding public hearings to collect comments on their proposed rule, the Clean Power Plan, which calls for reductions in carbon pollution from the power sector by 30 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030, as well as reductions in soot and smog-forming pollutants.  The rule has been proposed with maximum flexibility to enable each state to craft its own plan to meet a state-specific reduction target. We’ve written extensively on the Clean Power plan on our website and in recent blogs.

Staff and board members for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will be in Atlanta next Tuesday to lend our support for this proposal and offer comments on strengthening the standard because, for decades, dirty power plants have been allowed to dump unlimited amounts of carbon into our air. Power plants are the largest sources of carbon pollution, and the Southeast disproportionately contributes to national carbon pollution levels due to its abundance of coal-fired power plants.  The Southeast is home to almost 270 coal units that collectively emit over 366 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air annually.

Response from citizens wanting to speaking was so overwhelming that a second day was added to each of the scheduled hearings in Atlanta, Ga.; Denver, Co.; Pittsburgh, Pa. and Washington, D.C. and even then all pre-registered speaking slots were filled.  But if you’re in the metro-Atlanta area on Tuesday, please come downtown to lend support to those testifying and join a rally at noon, calling for limits on carbon pollution.  There will likely be walk-up speaking slots available throughout the day on a first-come, first-served basis as the EPA wants to hear from everyone willing to speak.

SACE will post a blog on Wednesday morning summarizing the events from the day before, and throughout the day on Tuesday we’ll provide live coverage via Facebook, Twitter and our YouTube Channel. Prepared statements from SACE staff and board will be posted on our Position Statements page by Tuesday morning. If you cannot attend this hearing or related events in Atlanta next week, submit a comment supporting this proposed rule here.