Policy Argument

Pollution can enter the atmosphere in various ways, most of which is created by people, mainly from factories, cars, and planes. Factories produce the majority of all air pollution, which mostly occurs in concentrated areas such as cities (“Air Pollution”). There are serious health risks to humans including heart disease, lung disease, and respiratory disease. Air pollution also damages the liver, kidneys, brain, and nerves. One thing that is constant in research done on air pollution and the effects on humans is that there is an increase in mortality and hospital admissions in relation to being in contact with air pollutants (Kampa 363). Not only do these pollutants affect air quality, but water and land as well. Since 1967 there has been over 36 oil spills worldwide due to many different factors including malfunction factory equipment. Oil spills not only affect wildlife, but human lives as well. Polluted water is a leading cause of death in developing countries, countries whom also hold most industrial and fuel power plants. Power plants emit pollutants that suspend in the air, settle into the land, and combine into main water sources. To say our health is at risk is an understatement, and many scientists believe that environmentally we are already doomed due to the wasteful practices of humans. If not fixed, the human race is looking at a major tipping point environmentally, in which we create a world that is uninhabitable by both humans and wildlife. In other words, we are setting ourselves up for our own extinction. So, what can we do to change this for future generations?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the Clean Power Plan Rule on June 2, 2014. This plan was designed as a solution in cutting carbon pollution emitted by power plants causing land, water, and air pollution. The Clean Power Plan’s goal is to preserve the environment and protect our health, with effects that are as beneficial now, as they are in the future. Flexibility is a key component is launching this policy, in that, each state has a variety of options and sources to which the state can build its own plan for cutting carbon emissions, based on economic and environmental elements that vary across the United States. The Clean Power Plan was proposed as a supplemental proposal to the Clean Air Act regarding existing power plants, along with the Carbon Pollution Standards for new power plants to be designed. In the summer of 2015, the EPA plans to propose this federal plan in order to meet Clean Power Plan goals and issue a final federal plan to be instated in summer 2016. The problem now is that even though there are limits to the use of arsenic and mercury in power plants, there are currently no limits on carbon nationally. This plan’s main point in efficiency and adaptability is its flexibility to various options and scenarios that can make cutting carbon emissions as well as smog, and soot possible. With this flexibility the United States can cut wasted energy, reduce pollution emitted by power plants, and improve efficiency of creating and maintaining power for our growing economy (“EPA”).

In the article “Upgrading Coal Plants to Reduce CO2,” by Enviro News, it is stated that coal will remain the main electrical fuel source for the next few decades, and that focusing on making existing and new power plants more efficient will not only decrease CO2 emissions, but the emission of other chemicals that prove to have environmental and health risks. This article shows the concerns of many government representatives, some of whom believe that global warming and green house gas emissions are not a necessary problem to deal with right now, while others believe the health benefits alone are enough to act now on this new policy. Author for the Green Gazette, Aly Van Dyke stresses, “the time is right for a sea change in energy policy, especially one that will create new ‘green’ jobs. The bad news is our window of opportunity for change is quickly closing. The more we learn about climate change, the clearer it becomes that we need to take action quickly. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has warned of the serious consequences of climate change, saying the American people need to wake up. Some scientists warn that were already dangerously close to major tipping points.” Prominent people across the world are speaking up about the scary realization that we may have done too much damage to come back from, although many encourage the government as well as everyday people to push for change, and try to conserve what we have left of our resources. This urgency is presented in the Clean Power Plan timelines where states and government officials are given deadlines to meet the requirements of this plan, mainly finding a way to incorporate renewable energy sources in with existing power plants using non renewable resources such as coal and oil. By the summer of 2020, the Clean Power Plan would gain compliance by all states in cutting CO2 emissions from power plants. So within the span on 5 years, all states would be operating under the proposed plan and effectively cutting CO2 emissions from the air, which inherently pollute land and water masses as an additional negative result.

The Clean Power Plan offers many different immediate and long-term positive results, should it become an adopted policy. In addition to the flexibility and versatility of this proposed plan, health and environmental benefits are undeniable. The plan “will cut hundreds of millions of tons of carbon pollution and hundreds of thousands of tons of harmful particle pollution, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Together these reductions will provide important health protections to the most vulnerable, such as children and older Americans” (“EPA”). Children, the elderly, and the poor are most susceptible to the negative effects of air and water pollutants emitted by power plants each year. This plan displays benefits upwards of $93 billion dollars by the year 2030, and in turn will reduce the number of premature deaths by 2,700 to 6,600, and asthma attacks by about 140,000 to 150,000 (“EPA”). These are results of cutting pollution by over 25 percent by 2030. Also, weather disasters in the year 2012 cost the United States over $100 billion in restoration and relocation practices. Author of the EPA Connect blog, Tom Reynolds says this about affordability; “failing to take steps to modernize our electric grid is the costliest thing we could do.” Meaning, by not taking actions to update electricity plants and systems, this will cost us government money in the long run, proving that this plan is also the best course of action when it comes to saving state and government money. These funds could be used in various other government interests such as, environment preservation, and health reformation. In addition to health, financial, and environmental benefits, the Clean Power Plan will drive innovation and for a competitive edge in American businesses. With more Americans willing to invest in this movement to create more sustainable energy production and consumption, it will keep the American businesses on top of the global market. Lastly, as previously stated, flexibility of this plan is the leading factor in why this plan will surely benefit individual states, the United States, and possibly the world. States get to take control on which practices they choose to implement, with the adaptability of being able to set and meet a state’s own goals. Some include: States being able to build upon already existing renewable energy practices, or build new ones. States can choose how they want to meet their goals, by submitting a plan within 2-3 years of the Clean Power Plan’s implementation. States are given the flexibility to address unique needs in relation to power and generations within the state. By allowing states to make judgments and plans based on unique needs, the Clean Power Plan hopes to increase investments by Americans into this renewable and sustainable energy movement (“EPA”).

In order to pass this proposed plan, the EPA needs to address the House of Representatives, because this is a policy that is taken on at a state-by-state basis, and allows states to report their own unique plans to reduce carbon pollution. Values these individuals hold are affordability, flexibility, and reliability. In order to persuade this audience, EPA officials must propose this plan as one that is a responsibility of ethical leaders to see through. Health and environmental sustainability are basic human rights that need to be addressed and treated with care. Many government representatives are reserved in allocating resources towards environmental practices, but as they say, money talks. By presenting this argument as a financially sound investment that has the advantage of producing even greater revenue in the near future, state representatives would find it hard to deny they utility and adaptability of this plan to the specific needs as well as risks that are present within each state. Janet McCabe of the EPA presents that, “Throughout this entire period, there has never been an instance in which Clean Air Act standards have caused the lights to go out. During the development of power sector air emissions rules, including the proposed Clean Power Plan, EPA has devoted significant attention to ensuring that important public health and environmental protections are achieved without interfering with the country’s reliable and affordable supply of electricity.” Again the values of these representatives are affordability and reliability, two points the EPA has made primary concern when proposing plans in relation to American businesses. The agency’s top priority for over 40 years has been engaging with the public, industry, federal agencies, environmental groups, and energy reliability officials (“EPA”). The EPA has sought to bridge the gap between government and the public, making this a united effort, one that American citizens would invest time and funds into in order to give economy, environmental protection, and health equal devotion.

In conclusion, The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan would be in the best interest not only for Americans, but for all inhabitants of the globe. We cannot take back the devastation that has occurred in the race to grow economically and produce energy, however we can make and effort in order to preserve the earth for many more generations to come. The Clean Power Plan provides reliability, affordability, sustainability, and flexibility to all states in motion to create system for creating and consuming energy. Renewable resources such as wind, solar, biomass, biogas, geothermal, hydropower, and offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy are all accessible resources. With the flexibility to choose which renewable resources and practices to use, states can create a personalized plan in order to meet the needs for various states. With an audience that values all of these variables it is hard not to see the reasoning behind adopting this policy towards producing cleaner energy, and modernizing existing power plants to become more environmentally sound. The Clean Power Plan is the best course of action for state representatives to take because, it will provide health, environmental, and financial benefits back into our country.

Works Cited:

"Air Pollution." National Geographic Education. National Geographic. Web. 5 May 2015.

"EPA." Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule. United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2 Mar. 2015. Web. 4 May 2015.

Kampa, Marilena, and Elias Castanas. "Human Health Effects of Air Pollution." Science Direct 10 June 2007: 362-67. Print.

Mcabe, Janet. "Time and Flexibility: Keys to Ensuring Reliable, Affordable Electricity." EPA Connect. EPA Connect, 6 Jan. 2015. Web. 5 May 2015.

Reynolds, Tom. "The Clean Power Plan: Protecting Public Health While Safeguarding Affordable, Reliable Electricity." EPA Connect: The Official Blog of EPA's Leadership. EPA Connect, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 5 May 2015.

"Upgrading Coal Plants To Reduce CO2." Pollution Engineering 46.9 (2014): 8. GreenFILE. Web. 4 May 2015

Van Dyke, Aly. "5 Plans For Action On Climate Change And Renewable Energy." Mother Earth News 233 (2009): 28. GreenFILE. Web. 4 May 2015.

"Your Possible Representatives." Find Your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. Web. 4 May 2015.