With the US Environmental Protection Agency ready to release its proposed carbon standards for power generation, it is the right time to demand definitive action to decarbonize our energy and improve quality of life for all. The EPA must set ambitious greenhouse gas emission standards for power generation using its powers under the Clean Air Act and those standards must apply to new and existing fossil gas plants, as well as existing coal-fired plants.
About a quarter of US annual emissions come from the electricity sector. By 2030, current legislation is projected to reduce power sector emissions by 66% below 2005 levels. If the EPA sets ambitious carbon standards for gas and coal generation, emissions can realistically be reduced up to the 80% reduction target set. by the Biden administration.
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While coal and natural gas power plants contribute directly to planetary warming, proximity to power plants can cause serious illness. Emissions from US coal-fired power plants alone can cost us the equivalent of 200,000 human lives each year. Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color are also more likely to live near fossil-fuel power plants. By improving air quality around power plants, the EPA can help reduce disparities in health outcomes.
As soon as the EPA regulations are released, they will be open for public comment, so it's critical for climate advocates to speak their minds and make their voices heard. Join me in demanding action on decarbonization and climate justice.
Elissa Rothman, Ravenwood
Raise objections to Clarence Thomas' ethical deviations
The latest news about Clarence Thomas' financial ties to GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow should worry every American. This is what happened when the highest court in the country granted freedom to the police themselves. Thomas is not the first judge to engage in unethical behavior. And if Congress continues to ignore the need for a Supreme Court code of ethics, he won't be the last.
Of the nine judges currently serving, four have been subpoenaed for unethical behavior and connections in the past year. Neil Gorsuch sold the property to the head of a law firm with cases before the Supreme Court, according to Politico. Samuel Alito had dinner with anti-abortion activists and allegedly leaked decisions on reproductive health. John Roberts' wife is reported to have earned millions of dollars from a law firm with a business before the Supreme Court.
Congress has a constitutional duty to act as watchdog for the Supreme Court and restore faith in our justice system. The time has come for them to act and pass the Supreme Court's code of ethics.
Daniel Kligerman, Bucktown