Check out the American Public Health Association effort to recruit puppets and provide them with talking points for public hearings concerning the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan. The talking points are false claims about air quality health effects.
If you can’t read the image, the text is below.
###
From: “Jyotsna S. Jagai” <*****************@connect.apha.org>
Date: January 5, 2018 at 12:47:23 PM PST
To: “ENV_Section@connect.apha.org” <**********@connect.apha.org>
Cc: Donald Hoppert <**************@apha.org>
Subject: [ENV Section] Hearings on EPA Proposal to Repeal Clean Power Plan
Reply-To: “Jyotsna S. Jagai” <*****************@connect.apha.org>
Dear Environment Section Colleagues,
Happy New Year! I hope you are back into the swing of things after the holidays.
As you are aware, the U.S. EPA is proposing to repeal the Clean Power Plan. There are a few non-EPA sponsored hearings being held next week and it would be fantastic if those of you in these areas could attend or ask friends and colleagues in these areas to attend. The hearings are:
January 8 – Delaware
January 9 – New York
January 11 – Maryland
January 11 – Philadelphia
APHA has prepared some talking points for us to use:
- Repealing the Clean Power Plan would result in unlimited carbon pollution and allow more particle pollution that causes asthma attacks, lung cancer and premature deaths.
- EPA has estimated that the Clean Power Plan would prevent up to 90,000 asthma attacks in children and 4,500 premature deaths each year when fully implemented. Revoking the Clean Power Plan denies Americans these health benefits.
- Under the Clean Air Act EPA must act to reduce emissions from carbon pollution, because it drives climate change and endangers human health, a responsibility to act affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Power plants are one of the largest sources of carbon pollution in the nation that drives climate change.
- Common sense limits on power plant pollution save lives and improve air quality for millions of Americans.
- Warmer temperatures and wildfires due to climate change also means increased conditions for smog formation and particle pollution, causing asthma attacks, heart attacks, hospital admissions, and premature deaths. The most vulnerable include children, seniors, low-income communities, some communities of color, and those with chronic diseases like asthma.
- Climate change can cause and intensify stress and anxiety, adversely affecting mental health. For example, events such as extreme storms or extreme heat can lead to depression, anger, and even violence.
- Instead of repealing the Clean Power Plan, EPA should protect public health by fully implement the Clean Power Plan and reduce carbon pollution and other dangerous air pollution power plants.
A couple of additional resources/actions:
- APHA Climate and Health Fact Sheets
- The health professionals declaration on climate change and health (which I encourage you to sign if you haven’t already!)
Additionally, there will be hearing sessions in Wyoming, Kansas City and San Francisco. The dates for these have not yet been publicly released; I will let you know when they are.
Please do let me know if you are able to attend so that I can tell APHA.
Thanks for your help fighting for this important legislation!!
Best,
-jyotsna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jyotsna Jagai, MS, MPH, PhD
Chair, Environment Section
American Public Health Association