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LULAC Supports EPA Plan to Cut Carbon Pollution from Existing Power Plants

June 2, 2014

Contact: Paloma Zuleta
202-833-6130
Email Paloma Zuleta

Washington, D.C. — The League of United Latin American Citizens, this nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights organization, fully supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to cut carbon pollution from America’s power plants. Given that half of the U.S. Latino population lives in areas where the air quality does not meet EPA's health standards and that Latinos are 30 percent more likely to have to visit the hospital for asthma related attacks, the Clean Power Plan will benefit Hispanic Americans more than most.

“According to NRDC’s January 2014 national survey, nine out of ten Latinos overwhelmingly support the government taking action to combat climate change,” stated LULAC National President Margaret Moran. “We understand that climate change has been destructive to our communities, with increasing carbon pollution affecting our families’ health. By making polluting power plants accountable for their carbon emissions, we will be able to eliminate a substantial amount of dangerous pollution from our air. We applaud EPA’s action today.”

“Given the types of occupations where Latinos are over represented including agriculture, construction, and landscaping, Latino workers are at increased risk of exposure to dirty air and the increased temperatures exacerbated by global warming, which carbon pollution drives,” stated LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “We are delighted that the Obama administration has listened to our concerns and developed a set of common sense policies that will finally motivate the power plant industry to clean up their act.”

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.

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