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Central Florida Elected Leaders and Environmental Advocates Call on EPA to Enact Strong Safeguards to Reduce Air Pollution from Dirty Power Plants
A video of the press conference can be found HERE. Photos of today’s event can be found below.
(ORLANDO, FLORIDA) – Today, Florida State House Representative Anna V. Eskamani, Education Advocate Johanna López, and climate and environmental leaders from across the region convened for a press conference to call on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take the strongest steps possible to curb air pollution from dirty power plants like the Stanton Energy Center – a coal-based plant that presents a grave threat to local communities and public health. The Stanton Energy Center, the fourth highest carbon emitter in the state, threatens locals with increased risks of childhood and adult asthma and water pollution, actively violating both the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.
“It is our first responsibility as public officials to safeguard the lives and health of the people we represent,” said State Rep. Eskamani. “The constant persistent threats we face from this kind of power plant needs to be addressed immediately on behalf of our communities and our future generations. There is a lot that can be done on the local and state level to protect our environment and promote public health, but writing and enforcing the safeguards we need is part of the EPA’s jurisdiction. The EPA needs to put in place the strongest possible environmental and health standards for power plants like Stanton.”
In fact, the Stanton Energy Center has violated the Clean Air Act 63 times and the Clean Water Act four times over the last five years. The American Lung Association rated Orange County with a ‘C’ grade for ozone, counting over 100,000 cases of asthma and nearly 71,000 cases of COPD in 2020.
“Human health and the health of the environment we live in go hand in hand, and it could not be of greater concern that a school in our community sits directly across the street from a dirty power plant that regularly flouts rules and regulations designed to protect human life,” said Johanna López. “This is the air our children breathe every day, and the health consequences of exposure to mercury, coal ash and other pollution can lead to devastating and often chronic conditions. The EPA simply must do more to strengthen the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) to protect our health, and the health of our children.”
“The climate emergency can no longer be ignored. The public health, economy, and natural beauty of Florida are at stake. It is critical that the federal government immediately put in place the strongest possible safeguards to limit planet-warming carbon pollution emitted from dirty power plants in our state and across the country. The time to act is now,” said Laura Betts, Program Manager, The CLEO Institute.
Climate change does not respect borders; state and local governments cannot face the burden alone. The health, economy, and natural beauty of Central Florida depend on federal action. It is imperative that the Biden Administration and the EPA take action to implement as strong as possible Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and Cross State Air Pollution (CSAPR) safeguards to protect the health and livelihoods of community members from dirty power plants like the Stanton Energy Center.
“We’ve already seen the evidence that Stanton Energy’s pollutants jeopardize the health of residents all over Orlando experiencing asthma and other conditions,” said Susannah Randolph Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. “We also already know what needs to be done to address this flagrant disregard for public and environmental health. The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) must commit to a fossil fuel-free future. While OUC has set a retirement date of 2027 for the Stanton Energy Station, it could stop burning coal much sooner. So for now, the EPA must implement the strongest possible MATS and CSPAR rules to help reduce pollution in the short term and long term. And we need everyone to be doing everything in their power to urge our Florida elected officials and decision makers to follow the science and act in the interest of the public.”
A video of the press conference can be found HERE. Photos of today’s event can be found below.
Florida State Representative Anna V. Eskamani
Photos courtesy of Climate Action Campaign