Action.coop & Contacting the EPA

The EPA Issue – How We Got Here

• The President announced his Climate Action Plan

• EPA released proposal to limit CO2 emissions from new coal and natural gas plants. - Essentially bans new coal plants.

• Now, EPA is working on rules for existing plants.

• We are concerned that all coal generation will disappear.

June 25th 2013 - Climate Address

Sept. 20th, 2013 - The EPA Proposes New Standards

Our Message to the EPA• Abandoning the All-of-the-

Above Strategy

• CCS Technology not Commercially Viable, Estimated to be Prohibitively Expensive

• Coal: A Plentiful, Domestic Energy Source

• History Repeats: 1970’s Mandate: No Natural Gas … 2013 Mandate: No Coal?

Abandons All-of-the-Above

Strategy

• The Presidents Climate Plan directs the EPA to enforce limits on CO2 emissions from coal plants

• Abandoning All of the Above for an All but One plan

Technology Gamble • CCS Technology not

Commercially Viable

• Estimated to be Prohibitively Expensive

Limits Access to Affordable Domestic

Energy

• The United States has 236 years remaining of recoverable coal reserves

• Coal is the most used energy source in the United States, accounting for 37 % of all electricity generated

History Repeats: All-But-One

Doesn’t Work

• A 1978 act prohibited burning natural gas to generate electricity – essentially forcing co-ops to invest solely in coal-based generating plants

• 9 years later Congress repealed its mistake. There is no reason to repeat the mistakes of the past.

What “CAN” You Do Now?

SHARE – action.coop with membership

SEND – Your message to the EPA at action.coop

ASK – Others to send their messages

POST – Calls to action on social media

Why Now?

Environmental community will send in millions of comments.

EPA must hear the voice of Co-op Nation!