[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15775-15776]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            CLEAN POWER PLAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago, the Obama administration 
took a very positive and important step towards curbing greenhouse gas 
emissions by initiating the Clean Power Plan, the first-ever national 
limit on carbon pollution from power plants. The plan was devised to 
give States the option to tailor how they would reduce carbon 
pollution, following benchmarks set by the Federal Government.
  For years, States, local governments, businesses, and universities 
have been making progress towards a low-carbon future, both in 
anticipation of full implementation of the Clean Power Plan and spurred 
on by a variety of other forces. Now, the Trump administration has 
vowed to unravel the Clean Power Plan, but the momentum will not stop 
because of this reckless act.
  Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt cannot repeal engineering, science, or 
economics. Their attempts would only harm the economy and our citizens, 
miring us in the past to serve the interests of Big Coal.
  The case for action in reducing carbon pollution is compelling. The 
Clean Power Plan encourages steps to reduce the dangerous extent of 
accelerating climate disruption and attendant extreme weather events.
  Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria are only the latest example of 
those events. Now, millions of acres in the West are exploding in 
wildfires. More frequent, more intense, and more dangerous forest fires 
are the reality now, spurred by climate disruption.
  Out-of-control wildfire has touched Oregon's beloved Columbia River 
Gorge, and the latest instances are in California wine country, taking 
lives, destroying property, and damaging crops.
  Regardless of your view on climate change, the Clean Power Plan is a 
very important step for the United States. It stands on firm legal 
ground. The Supreme Court has ruled on three separate occasions that 
the EPA has the authority and the responsibility to protect our 
families from carbon pollution.
  Cleaner energy and a cleaner environment under the Clean Power Plan 
would improve the lives of working Americans. By 2030, it would prevent 
90,000 asthma attacks, 300,000 days missed from work and school, and 
3,600 premature deaths every year.
  Instead of protecting human health, particularly those in communities 
most impacted by carbon pollution, Trump and Pruitt are seeking to tilt 
the energy playing field back in favor of Big Coal.

[[Page 15776]]

  Make no mistake: without subsidies and regulatory favoritism, most 
old, dirty, coal plants would have been shut down years ago if they had 
been required to meet carbon pollution and air quality standards, as 
they should have been.
  Trump and Pruitt are making a big mistake when they assault the Clean 
Air Act and the Clean Power Plan. They are on weak legal ground, and 
they are on the wrong side of science, economics, the environment, and 
common sense.
  The Clean Power Plan will not be easily unraveled. There is a process 
to unwind it, similar to what it took to put it in place. It will take 
a lot of hard work--and evidence that Pruitt doesn't have--to repeal it 
and prevent the EPA from regulating carbon emissions.
  The plan has powerful allies. I am proud to stand with the 
environmental community, my fellow Democrats in Congress, many 
government and trade groups, citizens who care, and a number of 
businesses. Mars is the latest company to announce that they are going 
to follow through on their carbon reduction plan.
  We will continue this fight for a low-carbon, healthier, more 
economical future. We will protect alternative energy and honor the 
commitments we have made to the wind and solar industries. We will 
continue to reduce emissions from our transportation sector by not 
rolling back fuel efficiency standards.
  We will work with the agriculture sector, which makes up 9 percent of 
the total greenhouse gas emissions. A strong farm bill can reduce 
emissions and enhance productivity through low-carbon protections.
  Ultimately, Trump and Pruitt cannot repeal science, engineering, or 
economics. I am proud to be part of this effort to ensure that the 
United States moves forward to exercise leadership in a low-carbon 
future to fight climate change and global weather disruption.

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