(April 25, 2024) WASHINGTON – In the present day, the U.S. Environmental Safety Company (EPA) released a ultimate rule to restrict air pollution from coal and new pure gas-fired energy crops, which can assist gradual the rise in world temperatures and scale back dangerous air air pollution. Mixed with the buildout of fresh power that’s being accelerated by way of the historic investments within the Inflation Reduction Act, local weather air pollution from the electrical energy sector might be lower in half by 2030, delivering necessary advantages to communities, birds, and different wildlife.
“Energy crops are one of many largest emitters of greenhouse gases and one of many largest sources of dangerous air air pollution impacting the well being and well-being of surrounding communities. The EPA’s daring motion is a common sense strategy to embracing the way forward for clear power, assembly the nation’s local weather targets, and realizing a more healthy future for individuals and wildlife,” mentioned Sarah Rose, vice chairman of local weather on the Nationwide Audubon Society.
This ultimate rule is projected to scale back carbon air pollution by 1.38 billion metric tons by way of 2047, which is equal to the annual emissions from 328 million gasoline powered automobiles. The rule may even result in higher public well being outcomes. In line with the EPA, in 2035 alone, this rule will keep away from as many as 1,200 untimely deaths in addition to 870 hospital and emergency room go to
Greater than 28,000 Audubon supporters despatched feedback in help of the rule.
Adopting forward-looking local weather and clear power coverage is essential to preserving the locations that birds have to survive. Audubon is working throughout the nation to make sure wind, photo voltaic, and transmission infrastructure is constructed responsibly to keep away from and mitigate impacts to birds and different wildlife. Audubon’s 2023 report, Birds and Transmission: Building the Grid Birds Need, shares options for minimizing dangers to birds.
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About Audubon
The Nationwide Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation group that protects birds and the locations they want as we speak and tomorrow. We work all through the Americas in direction of a future the place birds thrive as a result of Audubon is a strong, various, and ever-growing pressure for conservation. Audubon has greater than 700 employees working throughout the hemisphere and greater than 1.5 million lively supporters. North America has misplaced three billion birds since 1970, and greater than 500 hen species are vulnerable to extinction throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning programs concerning the well being of our surroundings, they usually inform us that birds – and our planet – are in disaster. Collectively as one Audubon, we’re working to change the course of local weather change and habitat loss, resulting in more healthy hen populations and reversing present tendencies in biodiversity loss. We do that by implementing on-the-ground conservation, partnering with native communities, influencing public and company coverage, and constructing group. Be taught extra at www.audubon.org and on Fb, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
Media contact: Megan Moriarty, megan.moriarty@audubon.org
