Today, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski joined more than 200 mayors from across the United States to express her support for the Clean Power Plan (CPP) – an essential public health protection and climate change solution that sets the first ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants and helps cities transition to a clean energy economy. The Trump Administration is trying to repeal the CPP in spite of support from mayors, state leaders and state businesses.

In a letter, 233 mayors from 46 states and territories strongly opposed efforts by the Trump administration and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to dismantle the Clean Power Plan. The letter explains it would have devastating health and economic impacts on their communities, including exposing Americans to increased air pollution, worsening climate change, and stronger and more destructive extreme weather events.

“Whether it’s warmer winters and less snowpack, the threat of algal blooms in our lakes and rivers, or worsening air quality, climate change is affecting Salt Lake City,” said Mayor Biskupski. “We are taking action to reduce emissions and we call on our national leaders to do the same. That is why I joined mayors from across America to urge the federal government to provide certainty and support for local government and business by keeping the Clean Power Plan intact, as well as to protect the health and welfare of our communities.”

The public health benefits of the Clean Power Plan are particularly significant and relevant for Utah. A Trump administration analysis found that the Clean Power Plan could prevent as many as 4,500 premature deaths each year by 2030 – an estimate higher than even previous EPA projections.

The Clean Power Plan would also accelerate the transition to clean energy that is already underway. Clean energy jobs have seen incredible growth in recent years, with solar and wind jobs growing at a rate 12 times faster than the rest of the U.S. economy. A report by the Solar Energy Industries Association of America ranked Utah eighth in the country in 2017 for the amount of solar installed. The industry supports approximately 4,400 jobs. (Link)

Cities are on the front line of climate change, with more than 200 cities pursuing ambitious plans to cut carbon pollution, spark innovation, and build a clean, safe, and secure future for their residents. Salt Lake City’s Climate Positive plan can be found at http://www.slcgreen.com/climatepositive

The full letter can be found here: https://climatemayors.org/.