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For Immediate Release
Contact: Email:,pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org

Obama Climate Rules Send Signal to Utilities to Clean Up Now

Response to the announcement of new EPA limits to global warming pollution produced by power plants

WASHINGTON

Greenpeace USA Climate and Energy Campaign Director Gabe Wisniewski released the following statement:

"President Obama's proposed rule to limit power plants' global warming pollution sends a clear signal to electric utilities: the time has come to stop clinging to century-old business models that cause global warming and poison our communities by burning coal and gas, and heed the growing demands from customers to switch to the efficient, renewable energy of today. The new rule shows that the Obama administration is serious about taking action on climate change, but the Administration could and should strengthen it considerably. Greenpeace's Energy Revolution analysis, released in May, demonstrates that from a technical perspective, the US power sector could achieve almost twice the reductions proposed in the rule.

"While coal companies, utilities, and their front groups like ALEC and Americans for Prosperity are playing to script and offering the same old chicken little warnings about how clean energy will kill the economy in response to the new EPA rules, the most successful and innovative businesses in the country are sprinting to adopt efficient, renewable energy. Leading technology companies like Apple, Facebook and Google have all committed to power with 100 % renewable energy, and dozens of other Fortune 500 companies are joining them.

"The devastating storms and droughts of the past few years underscore America's obligation to move toward a 100 % renewable energy economy as quickly as possible, and limiting the global warming pollution from power plants is a key step to help us get there. Utilities like Duke Energy, the nation's largest, should not waste another day burning coal, gas and blocking renewable energy, and join the modern economy that is racing ahead toward renewable energy."

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Greenpeace released a report in May, "Energy [R]evolution - A Sustainable USA Energy Outlook," which details how the US economy can quickly transition to nearly 100% renewable energy.

Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

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