EPA Administrator Comments on President's Climate Action Plan

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy spoke to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Health about how the EPA is working to address the pillars of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Some highlights of McCarthy’s statement:

• Cutting Carbon Pollution: Over the past four years, EPA has begun to address this task under the Clean Air Act by focusing first on motor vehicles.
• Cutting Methane Emissions: EPA is working with other agencies to assess emissions data, address data gaps, and identify opportunities to reduce methane emissions through incentive-based programs and existing authorities.
• Curbing Emissions of HFCs: Moving forward, the EPA will use its authority under the Clean Air Act to encourage the investment, purchase and use of climate-friendly alternatives.
• Preparing for Impacts of Climate Change: EPA is incorporating research on climate impacts into the implementation of our existing programs and developing information and tools to help decision-makers—including state, local and tribal governments—to better understand and address these impacts. Further, EPA is working closely with its federal agency counterparts on several other aspects of building our national resilience, including developing the National Drought Resilience Partnership, ensuring the security of our freshwater supplies, protecting our water utilities, and protecting and restoring our natural resources in the face of a changing climate.

Source: EPA