WASHINGTON, DC,, June 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule regarding carbon emissions from existing power plants that can positively advance the United States along a prosperous path to a clean, sustainable energy future.
"By announcing this proposed rule, the President and EPA are signaling strong intent to maintain the United States' global leadership in cutting carbon as an unneeded environmental and economic security cost to the price of power – all while continuing to grow a strong economy," said ACORE President and CEO, Michael Brower. "Frankly, it's past time to reduce our harmful carbon output. If clean energy allows us to 'have our cake and eat it too' – I say 'why not?' and the EPA ought to facilitate such a solution in the final rule."
Dan Adler, co-chair of ACORE board of directors and Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) echoed this optimism saying, "This is the dawn of the era of climate solutions. By allowing states to stimulate investment in local, renewable energy projects to meet carbon reduction requirements, EPA can help sustain the surge in capital commitments to these technologies and boost growth at a critical time for our economy." Adler also commented on the opportunity for political convergence, "If finalized in a thoughtful manner there is a diverse, bipartisan coalition of stakeholders – from the powerful climate community, to the developers and financiers of proven clean energy technologies, to the many pro-business Republican governors – that can support EPA in their rulemaking."
Dan Reicher, ACORE board co-chair, former DOE Assistant Secretary, and current Executive Director of Stanford's Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, stressed the need for flexible compliance saying, "EPA's approach should allow for a broad range of mechanisms, from carbon capture to energy efficiency to renewable energy. Renewables are attractive because they are a growth industry in the U.S. and globally with significant economic, environmental and security benefits."
ACORE board member and principal at Dentons US LLP, Sydney McNiff Johnson commented as a business leader within the industry and suggested that this development is overdue, "The fact is, many companies are already pricing carbon into their business models for the future. EPA can capitalize on this private-sector development by encouraging carbon markets and opening the door to clean energy build-out."
About ACORE:
ACORE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization, is dedicated to building a secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy. ACORE seeks to advance renewable energy through finance, policy, technology, and market development and is concentrating its member focus in 2014 on National Defense & Security, Power Generation & Infrastructure, and Transportation. Additional information is available at: www.acore.org
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