Mayor Lee's Statement Supporting President Obama's Action to Reduce Carbon Pollution
 
"President Obama and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy are to be commended for their leadership to reduce carbon pollution from power plants – the nation's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The Obama Administration's proposed regulations will improve the health of vulnerable Americans and support the nation's growing clean energy economy.
 
The impacts of climate change are already here. San Francisco and California, for example, are in the midst of a severe drought and the danger of wildfires has not abated since the Rim Fire last summer which threatened our water and power supply. Yet, as we adapt to a changing climate, we must continue to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The President is taking action while others ignore the reality of how climate change is hurting our health and economy.
 
As the nation's center of innovation and clean technology, San Francisco is at the forefront of the effort to drive the nation towards a clean energy economy. San Francisco's renewable energy and energy efficiency policies are cleaning up our air, saving residents money, and creating good paying jobs. In fact, San Francisco has successfully reduced our greenhouse gas emissions while our economy and population have grown. I thank President Obama for his leadership and look forward to working with his Administration to build on this historic action."