Washington, DC – DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement today regarding the EPA’s proposed rule to set carbon standards for power plants:

“It is a moral imperative that we bequeath to our children a healthy planet with clean air and water. The costs of delaying action any longer are too high; every moment we waste increases the economic burden of addressing this issue in the future. As a mother, I’m concerned about the detrimental effects of pollution on our children’s health. Already, carbon pollution has contributed to increased asthma attacks among Americans, particularly among the African American and Hispanic communities.

“The proposed standards announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency will reduce the damaging carbon pollution emitted from power plants and greatly benefit public health in our country and the next generation of Americans. Additionally, the impact of climate change is witnessed in extreme weather events, such as droughts, tornadoes and hurricanes, which are more frequent and more severe.

“Fortunately, there is a precedent for America’s ability to respond to such a challenge. We have already set limits for arsenic, mercury and lead, and improved the energy efficiency of cars, trucks, and buildings. I’m confident that these regulations will spur innovation to develop the clean energy technologies that will drive economic growth in the 21st century.”