This is a critical hour for our movement. We urgently need your assistance!

Next week, the Obama administration is expected to release the final Clean Power Plan: the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants. Power plants are the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., generating up to 40% of the nation’s CO2 emissions.

Yet Congressional leaders are threatening to block these rules, and defund the EPA. IPL and our partner organizations must launch an all-out campaign to defend the Clean Power Plan this summer.

We are up against the most politically powerful and deep-pocketed interests in the country: the fossil fuel industry. While the Clean Power Plan is projected to save money for consumers, as well as clean up our environment, there is no doubt that it will cut profits for the heavily polluting coal industry as we transition our power towards renewables. Our opponents may have industry money and political influence, but we have the moral imperative, and people power.

Recently, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sent a letter to every governor in the country telling them to ignore the EPA and continue running their polluting power plants. It’s outrageous to have a Congressional leader actively undermine a federal agency and encourage others to violate the law.

Already there are 14 states set on filing lawsuits against the implementation of the Clean Power Plan and several states that say they won’t comply ­– even though the plan allows states great flexibility in compliance. (The State of West Virginia is leading the lawsuit activities).

We must engage people of faith in every corner of our country in supporting the Clean Power Plan.

The new film Merchants of Doubt, (based on the book by Naomi Oreskes and Erin M. Conway) shows how spin-doctors have manipulated public opinion with an illusion that the science of global warming is “inconclusive”. But we know that 97% of climate scientists, the National Academy of Sciences, and other major scientific institutions agree that global warming is real and very likely due to human activities.

We don’t have time to continue listening to misinformation from climate denialists, and we need to break their hold on our Congress.

With your support, we will mobilize people of faith across the country to speak out in support of the Clean Power Plan. Among our activities this summer and fall:

>>> Generate thousands of letters and calls to U.S. Senators to urge them to let the EPA do its job
>>> Testify at public hearings around the country in support of Clean Power Plan implementation
>>> Hold vigils at Congressional offices to urge our representatives to listen to Pope Francis’ message of our moral obligation to protect Creation
>>> Broadcast the moral message for climate action in the news media
>>> Hold screenings of Merchants of Doubt to help people understand the concerted industry strategy manufacturing doubt in order to hinder climate action

This movement would not be possible without the commitment, passion, and generosity of people like you. Will you help at this critical time?

Sincerely, Susan Stephenson, Executive Director

http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org