Scientists’ Statement on the Clean Air Act

A statement from 2,505 scientists supporting the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act to protect public health and address climate change.

• The signatories argue that the EPA's determination that global warming emissions endanger public health and welfare is based on 'solid science', and that any attempt to delay regulation is a 'rejection of that science'.
• Climate change is identified as a 'clear threat to public health', with potential impacts including 'more extreme heat in our cities, severe water shortages, loss of species, hazards to coasts from sea level rise, and extreme weather'.
• The Clean Air Act is credited with preventing '400,000 premature deaths and hundreds of millions of cases of respiratory and cardiovascular disease' over a 40-year period without negatively impacting economic growth.
• EPA regulations on global warming emissions are designed to target the largest sources, specifically 'large coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, and cement plants', while exempting homeowners and small businesses.
• The targeted large stationary sources of pollution are estimated to account for '70 percent of the nation’s global warming emissions from stationary sources'.
• The statement specifies that regulations will apply to new facilities emitting more than '100,000 tons per year on a CO2e basis' and existing facilities with modifications resulting in emissions over '75,000 tons per year on a CO2e basis'.
• The signatories call on Congress to establish a 'comprehensive climate and energy policy' based on science and economics to reduce global warming, lower consumer costs, and create jobs.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2011). Scientists’ Statement on the Clean Air Act. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/scientists-statement-on-the-clean-air-act%5B1%5D.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Scientists’ Statement on the Clean Air Act. 2011. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/scientists-statement-on-the-clean-air-act%5B1%5D.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Scientists’ Statement on the Clean Air Act |date=February 2011 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/scientists-statement-on-the-clean-air-act%5B1%5D.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{unionofconcernedscientists2011scientists, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Scientists’ Statement on the Clean Air Act}}, publisher = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/scientists-statement-on-the-clean-air-act%5B1%5D.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }