Michael Burger, Executive Director
This morning the Sabin Center filed a motion for leave to participate as amici in the Clean Power Plan litigation on behalf of a nationwide local government coalition that includes the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities and the cities of Baltimore, MD; Coral Gables, FL; Grand Rapids, MI; Houston, TX; Jersey City, NJ; Los Angeles, CA; Minneapolis, MN; Portland, OR; Pinecrest, FL; Providence, RI; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; West Palm Beach, FL; and Boulder County, CO.
These cities and counties, and the major national associations that represent them, are on the front lines of climate change impacts and at the forefront of energy innovation. They have joined this coalition and are seeking to voice their perspective on the case because they have a strong interest in seeing EPA move forward with its plan to reduce GHG emissions from existing power plants—the nation’s single largest source—and in seeing the economy continue its transition away from coal and other fossil fuels towards what eventually must be a net zero-carbon economy. The motion seeks permission to file a “friend of the court” brief in support of EPA.
Our press release includes a number of illuminating quotes from local leaders across the country, connecting EPA’s plan to the climate risks local governments face, the need for and benefits of rapid advances in energy efficiency and upscaling of renewable energy, and the post-Paris global context, in which U.S. leadership remains a critical necessity. The message these leaders and the local government coalition seek to send is clear: the Clean Power Plan enjoys widespread support from large, mid-size, and small cities and counties alike, represents a reasonable interpretation of federal law, and moves the country in the right direction on climate change.
For those interested in reading up on the case, the Sabin Center’s Climate Change Litigation Chart has a fairly comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of the docket. The West Virginia Attorney General’s office is maintaining a somewhat more streamlined version.
