Climate Mayors Submit Comments on Proposed Repeal of Clean Power Plan
244 U.S. Mayors from 48 states and territories, representing over 52 million Americans, strongly oppose EPA’s proposed repeal of Clean Power Plan
In a comment letter re-submitted today to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 244 mayors from 48 states and territories voice opposition to efforts by the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, as it would have devastating health and economic impacts on their communities, including exposing Americans to increased air pollution, worsening climate change, and more extreme weather events. This comment letter was originally submitted to US EPA on February 20, 2018, with 233 signatories. Additional mayors wishing to add their support to this comment letter should email: info@climate-mayors.org to be included.
March 27, 2018
By electronic mail (a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov) and first-class mail Administrator Scott Pruitt Environmental Protection Agency EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) Mail Code 28221T Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-03551200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Administrator Pruitt: As mayors from 244 U.S. cities, we submit this letter of comment to oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan, Repeal of Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units. Collectively, we represent over 52 million residents, in 48 states & territories across the country. We strongly oppose the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan, which would put our citizens at risk and harm our efforts to address the urgent threat of climate change. Climate Change is Global but Impacts are Felt Locally Communities across the country are experiencing the effects of climate change today: sea level rise; hotter, longer, and more frequent heat waves; increased extreme weather; and many other harmful impacts. There is broad agreement that the future economic costs of climate change should not be overlooked. On our current path, the annual cost of coastal storm damage is expected to climb to as high as $35 billion by the 2030s; coastal property valued at $66 to $106 billion will likely be underwater by 2050. No one is insulated from the impacts of climate change – people in cities of all sizes, along with suburban and rural communities are all at risk. Residents of our communities have experienced harmful impacts of climate change such as dirtier air, increased heat-related illnesses and deaths, damaged and disappearing coastlines, longer droughts and other strains on water quantity and quality, and increasingly frequent and severe storms and wildfires. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to protect our citizens against the worst impacts of climate change. A peer-reviewed study conducted by EPA projected stark differences between a world in the year 2100 where global warming averages 2 degrees Celsius—a goal for which the Clean Power Plan is critical—and one in which global warming averages 4 degrees Celsius: 57,000 fewer domestic deaths per year due to poor air quality; 12,000 fewer domestic deaths per year from extreme heat and cold in 49 U.S. cities; up to $6.4 billion in avoided annual adaptation costs from severe precipitation in 50 U.S. cities; $3.1 billion in avoided annual damages and adaptation costs from sea level rise and storm surge on the coasts; and up to $2.5 billion in avoided damages from inland flooding. Repealing the Clean Power Plan Would Slow Local Efforts to Address Climate Change. Not only are climate change impacts felt locally — our communities are also where climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts are being implemented. Urban, suburban, and rural communities across the country are reducing their contributions to greenhouse gas emissions by investing in energy efficiency, committing to the use of clean energy resources, and reducing reliance on fossil-fueled energy sources—efforts that protect against climate change, and also support clean air and a vibrant clean energy economy. But the legal authority of cities and other municipalities generally extends only as far as their state governments and federal law allow, and as a result, our local efforts to address climate change are highly sensitive to national policies like the Clean Power Plan, which shape markets, steer state action, and have large direct impacts on nationwide emissions. We would benefit from the support and certainty that a federal framework for reducing the power sector’s greenhouse gas emissions could provide. The Clean Power Plan, by providing such a framework, would enhance ongoing local efforts and enable new local initiatives to improve public health, increase air quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy innovation. We would like to reiterate a statement that more than 25 mayors delivered during the course of the Clean Power Plan development: “[W]e cannot act alone. We need the federal government to provide a path forward to making meaningful reductions in carbon pollution while preparing for the impacts of climate change.”As 244 mayors of communities across the U.S., representing over 52 million residents in 48 states & territories we strongly oppose the repeal of the Clean Power Plan, which would put our citizens at risk and undermine our efforts to prepare for and protect against the worst impacts of climate change.
Sincerely,
Mayor Peggy McQuaidAlbany, CAMayor Kathy SheehanAlbany, NYMayor Tim KellerAlbuquerque, NMMayor Ed PawlowskiAllentown PAMayor Gary GoosmanAmesville, OHMayor Sofia PereiraArcata, CAMayor Nancy KaboolianArdsley, NYMayor Esther ManheimerAsheville, NCMayor Steve SkadronAspen, COMayor Keisha Lance BottomsAtlanta, GAMayor Steve AdlerAustin, TXMayor Catherine E. PughBaltimore, MDMayor Kelli LinvilleBellingham, WAMayor Jesse ArreguinBerkeley, CAMayor Robert J. DonchezBethlehem, PAMayor Michael P. CahillBeverly, MAMayor Lili BosseBeverly Hills, CAMayor Randall WoodfinBirmingham, ALMayor Leslie Hager-SmithBlacksburg, VAMayor David H. BieterBoise, IDMayor Martin J. WalshBoston, MAMayor Suzanne JonesBoulder, COMayor Eric MamulaBreckenridge, COMayor Joseph P. GanimBridgeport, CTMayor W. Clarke ConwayBrisbane, CAMayor Brenda J. HessBuchanan, MIMayor Byron W. BrownBuffalo, NYMayor Miro WeinbergerBurlington, VTMayor Edwin García FelicianoCamuy, PRMayor Robert J. Moffatt, VMDCape May Point, NJMayor Jim BrainardCarmel, INMayor Lydia E. LavelleCarrboro, NCMayor Mike WebbCarver, MNMayor Pam HemmingerChapel Hill, NCMayor John TecklenburgCharleston, SCMayor Scott RogersCharles Town, WVMayor Andy BerkeChattanooga, TNMayor Chuck CahnCherry Hill, NJMayor Rahm EmanuelChicago, ILMayor Mary Casillas SalasChula Vista, CAMayor John CranleyCincinnati, OHMayor Ted TerryClarkston, GAMayor Frank G. JacksonCleveland, OHMayor Patrick WojahnCollege Park, MDMayor Brian TreeceColumbia, MOMayor Steve BenjaminColumbia, SCMayor Jeff KatzCooperstown, NYMayor Raul Valdes-FauliCoral Gables, FLMayor Carla CondonCorte Madera, CAMayor Brian TobinCortland, NYMayor Biff TraberCorvallis, ORMayor Mark LandmanCotati, CAMayor Roger W. FosterCrete, NEMayor Darcy PaulCupertino, CAMayor Mike RawlingsDallas, TXMayor Juslyn ManaloDaly City, CAMayor Robb DavisDavis, CAMayor Cary GlicksteinDelray Beach, FLMayor Michael B. HancockDenver, COMayor Josh MaxwellDowningtown, PAMayor David HaubertDublin, CAMayor Roy D. BuolDubuque, IAMayor Emily LarsonDuluth, MNMayor Stephen M. SchewelDurham, NCMayor Brad CohenEast Brunswick Township, NJMayor Mark S. MeadowsEast Lansing, MIMayor Nancy Tyra-LukensEden Prairie, MNMayor James HovlandEdina, MNMayor Dave EarlingEdmonds, WAMayor David KaptainElgin, ILMayor John J. BautersEmeryville, CAMayor Lucy VinisEugene, ORMayor Stephen H. HagertyEvanston, ILMayor Karl W. KasselFairbanks North Star Borough, AKMayor Ed MalloyFairfield, IAMayor Peter LindstromFalcon Heights, MNMayor David TarterFalls Church, VAMayor Colleen MahrFanwood, NJMayor Lioneld JordanFayetteville, ARMayor David CoulterFerndale, MIMayor Lindy PetersFort Bragg, CAMayor Wade TroxellFort Collins, CO
Mayor John P. “Jack” SeilerFort Lauderdale, FLMayor Thomas C. HenryFort Wayne, INMayor Bob ScottFranklin, NCMayor Lily MeiFremont, CAMayor Gary WilkinsonFrisco, COMayor Lauren B. PoeGainesville, FLMayor J Kachen KimmellGambier, OhioMayor Karen Freeman-WilsonGary, INMayor Tammy StempelGladstone, ORMayor Bruce J PackerGlen Rock, NJMayor Marjorie SloanGolden, COMayor Paula PerotteGoleta, CAMayor Rosalynn BlissGrand Rapids, MIMayor Emmett V. JordanGreenbelt, MDMayor Peter SwiderskiHastings-on-Hudson, NYMayor Harry KimCounty of Hawai’i, HIMayor Barbara HallidayHayward, CAMayor Nancy RoteringHighland Park, ILMayor Gayle Brill MittlerHighland Park, NJMayor Ravinder S. BhallaHoboken, NJMayor Josh LevyHollywood, FLMayor Alex MorseHolyoke, MAMayor Kirk CaldwellHonolulu, HIMayor Paul BlackburnHood River, ORMayor Sylvester TurnerHouston, TXMayor Candace B. HollingsworthHyattsville, MDMayor Serge DedinaImperial Beach, CAMayor Jim ThrogmortonIowa City, IAMayor Svante MyrickIthaca, NYMayor Pete MuldoonJackson, WYMayor Sly JamesKansas City, MOMayor Bernard P. Carvalho JrKauai, HIMayor John AntaramianKenosha, WIMayor Steve NobleKingston, NYMayor Madeline RogeroKnoxville, TNMayor Tim KabatLa Crosse, WIMayor Christine BergLafayette, COMayor Robert BlaisLake George Village, NYMayor Adam PaulLakewood, COMayor Danene SoraceLancaster, PAMayor William J SpragueLapeer, MIMayor Ken MiyagishimaLas Cruces NMMayor Craig A. MoeLaurel, MDMayor Stuart BoleyLawrence, KSMayor Theodore BeckerLewes, DEMayor Robert GarciaLong Beach, CAMayor Adam SchneiderLong Branch, NJMayor Eric GarcettiLos Angeles, CAMayor Greg FischerLouisville, KYMayor Paul SoglinMadison, WIMayor Joyce CraigManchester, NHMayor Amy HoworthManhattan Beach, CAMayor Barry J. GreenbergMaplewood, MOMayor Alan M. ArakawaMaui, HIMayor Stephanie M. BurkeMedford, MAMayor Jim StricklandMemphis, TNMayor Dan GelberMiami Beach, FLMayor Gurdip Brar, Ph.D.Middleton, WIMayor Daniel T. DrewMiddletown, CTMayor Sean StrubMilford, PAMayor Jeff SilvestriniMillcreek, UTMayor Tom BarrettMilwaukee, WIMayor Jacob FreyMinneapolis, MNMayor John EngenMissoula, MTMayor Mary O’ConnorMonona, WIMayor Jamie IronsMorro Bay, CAMayor Arlene BurnsMosier, ORMayor Lenny SiegelMountain View, CAMayor Frederick T. CourtrightMount Pocono, PAMayor Jill TechelNapa, CAMayor Megan BarryNashville, TNMayor Kristopher LarsenNederland, COMayor Jon MitchellNew Bedford, MAMayor Donna D. HoladayNewburyport, MAMayor Toni N. HarpNew Haven, CTMayor Mitchell J. LandrieuNew Orleans, LATown Supervisor Neil BettezNew Paltz, NYMayor Bill de BlasioNew York City, NYMayor Paul A. DysterNiagara Falls, NYMayor Lynne MillerNorman, OKMayor David J. NarkewiczNorthampton, MAMayor Smith Joseph D.O., Pharm.D.North Miami, FL
Mayor Don HammondNyack, New YorkMayor Libby SchaafOakland, CAMayor Johnny JohnstonOjai, CAMayor Cheryl SelbyOlympia, WAMayor Buddy DyerOrlando, FLMayor Victoria GearityOssining, NYMayor Andy BeermanPark City, UTMayor Donald R. GrebienPawtucket, RIMayor Frank C. OrtisPembroke Pines, FLMayor Jim KenneyPhiladelphia, PAMayor Cindy PerryPittsboro, NCMayor Jeremy JohnsonPittsburg, KSMayor William PedutoPittsburgh, PAMayor Kurt R. MetzgerPleasant Ridge, MIMayor Ethan StrimlingPortland, MEMayor Ted WheelerPortland, ORMayor Deborah StinsonPort Townsend, WAMayor Jorge O. ElorzaProvidence, RIMayor Paul KuhnsRehoboth Beach, DEMayor Hillary SchieveReno, NVMayor Tom ButtRichmond, CAMayor Levar M. StoneyRichmond, VAMayor Lovely WarrenRochester, NYMayor Darrell SteinbergSacramento, CAMayor Jacob DaySalisbury, MDMayor Jackie BiskupskiSalt Lake City, UT
Mayor Ron NirenbergSan Antonio, TXMayor Kevin FaulconerSan Diego, CAMayor Mark FarrellSan Francisco, CAMayor Sam LiccardoSan José, CAMayor Pauline Russo CutterSan Leandro, CAMayor Heidi HarmonSan Luis Obispo, CAMayor Rick BonillaSan Mateo, CAMayor David J. TerrazasSanta Cruz, CAMayor Javier M. GonzalesSanta Fe, NMMayor Ted WintererSanta Monica, CAMayor Shelli Freeland EddieSarasota, FLMayor Chris LainSavanna, ILMayor Jenny DurkanSeattle, WAMayor Michael GonnelliSecaucus, NJMayor George Van DusenSkokie, ILMayor Ken WraySleepy Hollow, NYMayor Scott SaundersSmithville, TXMayor Matthew R. LarsonSnoqualmie, WAMayor Jeffrey SlavinSomerset, MDMayor Dana S. HilliardSomersworth, NHMayor Joseph A. CurtatoneSomerville, MAMayor Pete ButtigiegSouth Bend, INMayor Philip StoddardSouth Miami, FLMayor Sheena C. CollumSouth Orange Village, NJMayor Domenic J. SarnoSpringfield, MAMayor David MartinStamford, CTMayor Donald M. HahnState College, PAMayor Lyda KrewsonSt. Louis, MOMayor Michael TubbsStockton, CAMayor Melvin CarterSt. Paul, MNMayor Glenn HendricksSunnyvale, CAMayor Daniel DietchSurfside, FLMayor Tim KearneySwarthmore, PAMayor Thomas FrommSwedesboro, NJMayor Kate StewartTakoma Park, MDMayor Drew FixellTarrytown, NYMayor Sean MurphyTelluride, COMayor Jim CarruthersTraverse City, MIMayor Jonathan RothschildTucson, AZMayor Brian P. StackUnion City, NJMayor Shelley WelschUniversity City, MOMayor Dave ChapinVail, COMayor Kevin J. RyanVerona, NJMayor Muriel BowserWashington, DCMayor Lowell HurstWatsonville, CAMayor John HeilmanWest Hollywood, CAMayor John DennisWest Lafayette, INMayor Daniel J. StermerWeston, FLMayor Jeri MuoioWest Palm Beach, FLMayor Christopher CabaldonWest Sacramento, CAMayor Daniel CoronaWest Wendover, NVMayor Bud StarkerWheat Ridge, COMayor Thomas RoachWhite Plains, NYMayor Mike SpanoYonkers, NYMayor Amanda Marie EdmondsYpsilanti, MI
The comment letter was originally released on February 20, 2018 (5:00am PST) with 233 signatories. Updated signatories as of 11:00 am PST on March 27, 2018. Mayors wishing to add their support to this comment letter should email: info@climate-mayors.org before the closing of the EPA Comment Period on April 26, 2018.