189,286 comments supporting climate action presented to EPA and Colorado Senators

Media Releases

[Denver, CO] Colorado environmental organizations presented 189,286 public comments from Coloradans supporting action onclimate to the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet on Wednesday. These comments come from Colorado citizens, including public health officials, business owners, and local elected officials supporting the EPA’s proposed rules to limit  carbon pollution from power plants. 
“Global warming isn’t some distant threat, it’s here now. As we approach the 1 year anniversary of last fall’s historic flooding, we are reminded that these types of events will become more frequent and severe if we fail to act.” said Kim Stevens, campaign director for Environment Colorado. “EPA’s rules to reduce carbon pollution are a vital step to avoiding the worst impacts of global warming, and Environment Colorado supports the finalization of the strongest possible plan cut carbon pollution.”

The hundreds of thousands of comments were presented to the staff of Colorado US Senators and the Environmental Protection Agency, and were gathered by Environment Colorado, Sierra Club, Conservation Colorado, National Wildlife Federation, Earth Justice, New Era Colorado and other organizations. 

The event follows public hearings on the Clean Power Plan in Denver, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Washington, DC, earlier this summer, where more than 70% of Americans who testified voiced support for strong EPA action to address climate change. 

“The EPA’s rules to limit carbon pollution are an important step toward appropriately valuing the cost of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Anna Giovinetto, VP of Corporate Affairs with Renewable Energy Systems Americas.  “As Coloradans know well, these costs are real.  As a nation, we must stand up and take a leadership role in addressing the global climate crisis – and the Clean Power Plan is a significant step forward.”

The EPA’s rules to limit global warming pollution will improve public health, preventing up to 150,000 asthma attacks and 6,600 premature deaths annually by 2030, while slashing the carbon pollution from power plants fueling climate change. 

“The message is clear: Coloradans want cleaner air and less industrial carbon pollution,” said Stevens. “They want action to protect their kids and their communities from the dangerous effects of climate change.”

###

Environment Colorado is a statewide citizen based environmental advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.