Sanders on Trump’s Decision to Cut Climate Change Regs: “Stupid and Dangerous”

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By: Elias J. Atienza

Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) slammed President Donald Trump’s plan to prioritize job creation over climate change regulations on CNN.

“[This plan is a] nonsensical, and stupid, and dangerous approach,” Mr. Sanders told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “It’s almost indescribable. Look, the scientific community is virtually unanimous. While Trump and his friends think climate change is a hoax, what the scientists are telling us it is real, it is caused by human activity. It is already causing devastating problems.”

This comes as President Trump signed an executive order rolling back former President Barack Obama’s Clean Energy Plan which would have closed hundreds of coal-fired power plants and replaced them with wind and solar energy.

“C’mon, fellas. You know what this is? You know what this says?” President Trump said on Tuesday as he signed the executive order. “You’re going back to work.”

Trump has promised to rollback several climate change regulations though it is unknown if he will withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement signed last year by 195 countries. Exxon-Mobil, the largest oil and gas company in the world, has urged President Trump not to withdraw from the agreement.

“I am taking historic steps to lift restrictions on American energy, to reverse government intrusion and to cancel job-killing regulations,” President Trump said Tuesday.

The White House argues that former President Obama’s Clean Energy Plan would have cost $39 billion a year and increase energy prices in 41 states by 10 percent. In addition, it would cause coal production to fall by 242 million tons and the White House pointed out that  “27 states, 24 trade associations, 37 rural electric co-ops, and 3 labor unions are challenging the Clean Power Plan in Federal court.”

“I am going to lift the restrictions on American energy, and allow this wealth to pour into our communities,” President Trump wrote.

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