The Clean Power Plan sets achievable standards to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030.
By setting these goals and enabling states to create tailored plans to meet, Obama’s plan has focused around protecting the health of American families, boosting the economy, and saving the average American family money.
Missouri’s Plan
As the Act mentions, each state has their own specific plan that they would use to live out the ideas put into place by Obama.
Looking into the future, Missouri would take action now to combat climate change, including developing homegrown clean energy and cutting energy waste, in order to help protect the health of the children, cut carbon pollution, and begin to slow the effects of climate change so a cleaner, safer environment is left for future generations.
The Clean Power Plan, a key part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, cuts harmful carbon pollution from the power sector that’s fueling climate change.
By setting the first-ever national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants, the largest single source of U.S. carbon pollution, it will improve the health of Americans across the country, create clean energy jobs, and help households and businesses save on their energy bills.
Improving Health
Climate change will put vulnerable populations at greater risk — including the elderly, kids, and people already suffering from burdensome allergies, asthma, and other illnesses.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10.8% of Missouri’s adult population and 7.7% of children in the state suffer from asthma.
By taking responsible steps to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants, it is Missouri’s hope that it will prevent impacts that affect all Americans, especially the most vulnerable.
Tools to Meet Clean Power Goals
The state of Missouri has already begun taking steps in the right direction in order to reduce carbon pollution.
Mayors in 22 cities have joined the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, thus committing to take action in their communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Missouri has a goal to generate 15% of its electricity from renewable energy resources by 2021, as well as a goal to achieve 9.9% cumulative energy savings by 2020 and 1.9% annual energy savings thereafter.
Saving on Energy Bills
Obama is very passionate about the ability to not only improve energy efficiency, but also save money for citizens on their energy bills.
Using less energy to power homes and businesses is a crucial part of building a clean and secure energy future.
President Obama has made essential investments in research and development to advance energy efficiency and set new standards to make the things we use everyday, more efficient.
Since October of 2009, the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing & Urban Development have jointly completed energy upgrades for more than 1.5 million homes across the country. This has resulted in saving many families more than $400 on their heating and cooling bills in the first year alone.
If you would like to find out more information about the Clean Power Act and what it might entail for the state of Missouri, give us a call at 573-777-4811.
