For Immediate Release
June 25, 2013
Contact:
Mike Tidwell, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org
Kelly Trout, 240-396-2022, kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org
CCAN Director Mike Tidwell Responds to President Obama’s Major Speech on Climate Change
President Obama gave a major speech today outlining new and significant efforts by his administration to fight global warming. Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, had the following statement in response:
“On this hot D.C. afternoon, after the hottest year on record, President Obama stepped up to lead in facing the biggest crisis our region, our country and our world faces: climate change. With extreme weather impacts accelerating rapidly in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., the President is right in calling for, among other steps, mandatory limits on climate pollution from power plants in America and an end to public financing of new coal plants overseas.
“Of particular note, the President was right to declare that he will not approve the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline if the pipeline will exacerbate climate change. All honest assessments of the pipeline show significant climate consequences, and 18 of the nation’s top climate scientists have previously called on President Obama to reject it.
“Less impressive was the President’s praise of domestic natural gas development. Citizens across the Chesapeake region now face serious negative consequences to air and water from proposed fracking for natural gas. To truly protect our health and our climate, America must move beyond gas to zero-carbon energy sources like wind and solar.
“Overall, the President today began to finally ‘walk the walk’ on climate change. Now America must sprint toward implementation of his global warming plan and race past these benchmarks toward a truly zero-carbon economy that benefits the entire Chesapeake Bay region.”
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