Washington, DC - U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued their final Clean Power Plan rule that will encourage energy innovation by reducing the carbon emissions from America’s power plants.

“Before President Barack Obama took office, America did not have a comprehensive national plan to avert the worst impacts of climate change. Seven years later, we are cutting carbon emissions from our cars, our trucks, our government, our businesses and institutions, and now from our power plants. Our efforts to combat climate change demonstrate that no challenge is too great when America’s technological know-how and optimism are put to the test.

“This is the most ambitious initiative any president in history has taken to reduce heat-trapping emissions.

“I commend Administrator McCarthy for her dedication to these forward-looking rules that will encourage the U.S. energy revolution that is already occurring to happen faster, to be cleaner, and result in a more healthy and prosperous America.

“The people at DOE include some of the most knowledgeable energy experts in the world, and we stand ready to assist states with technical expertise to meet these pollution-cutting targets while maintaining an effective, affordable, and reliable electric system.

“To cut pollution from our power plants, we will need to deploy an all-of-the-above strategy that leverages the work DOE is already doing on nuclear energy, natural gas, carbon capture, along with renewable energy and energy efficiency. And we need to build the energy infrastructure laid out in the Quadrennial Energy Review to ensure that our grid is reliable, our energy systems are safe and resilient, and affordable power is available to all American homes and businesses.”