The Clean Power Plan has been celebrated by business leaders, faith groups and federal, state and local officials across the country.

The American Lung Association, the American Public Health Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed the Obama administration’s carbon pollution standards for its public health protections. By reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants, we will avoid 6,600 premature deaths, 3,300 heart attacks and 150,000 asthma attacks annually.

With nothing more than a debunked U.S. Chamber of Commerce study to back up their opposition, big polluters and their allies are part of the shrinking minority standing against the common-sense safeguard. They will continue to attack the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan and falsely claim that it will cost billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

As the Clean Power Plan moves forward, it’s only a matter of time before big polluters are proven wrong as usual.

The rules allow Maine and the Northeast region to meet the standards by continuing the successful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which has reduced carbon pollution from power plants in the Northeast by 40 percent since its implementation in 2008.

An independent analysis of the net economic effect of RGGI’s first 2½ years of operation found that the program boosted Maine’s economic output by $92 million through reinvestment of program revenue in energy efficiency while at the same time saving or creating more than 900 jobs. This is a program that clearly works and not only improves our health and environment, but also stimulates the economy.

Maine will continue leading the country on action against climate change for the health and safety of our children and future generations, but it’s time for the rest of the country to catch up.

Ben McCormack

Lewiston

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