Casar: Austin is ahead of the curve on Obama’s clean power plan

I may be Austin’s youngest city council member, but I wasn’t born yesterday. So when Mario Lopez, president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, wrote in an American-Statesman column on this page that President Obama’s Clean Power Plan will result in massive job loss, skyrocketing poverty rates, and little benefit to the environment, I checked his facts.

I wasn’t surprised that his flawed stats come from studies commissioned by the fossil-fuel industry. Too often, political leaders try to pit working class communities of color against environmental sustainability, instead of fighting for policies that benefit both.

The truth is, the economic and health risks of massive pollution and climate change cannot be overstated. The president’s newly released plan establishes the first limit on the amount of carbon pollution that power plants can dump into the air. Long-term, the plan is expected to save lives, create more jobs and steer our economy into the future.

We can’t forget that climate change is predicted to cost Texans billions of dollars in higher energy costs due to rising temperatures, along with billions in damage from flood and sea-rise related property losses. Central Texans know the human cost of natural disaster all too well because of the recent Memorial Day and Halloween floods, along with the wildfires in Bastrop.

Furthermore, the American Lung Association reminds us that thousands of people die each year from lung diseases linked with power-plant pollution. Children, the elderly, and communities of color are especially vulnerable. The EPA estimates that lowering pollution with the Clean Power Plan will lead to an estimated $55 billion to $93 billion in public health and climate benefits in the coming years.

In Austin, we’re ahead of the curve. We’re already planning to shut down our dirtiest coal plant, and we’re currently producing power with twice the renewable content of the Texas market. Because of our investments, Austin Energy is well positioned to comply with Obama’s plan.

However, the state of Texas is tasked with creating a state implementation plan, which will have a profound effect on how the Clean Power Plan affects Austin Energy. As state policymakers decide how to implement federal rules, they should reward Austinites for the hard work we’ve done investing in energy efficiency and renewables — and they should push other utilities to do the same. If the EPA and Texas choose to treat energy leaders like Austin Energy the same way they treat more heavily polluting utilities, then we may see unfair results for Austin ratepayers.

It’s no secret in Austin that political fissures remain between many environmentalists and economic justice advocates. I can understand why. Supporters of the president’s Clean Power Plan must acknowledge that many hardworking Texans rely on fossil fuel industries for employment and that working families often can’t afford unexpected price spikes in their electric bills.

To help address these challenges, local leaders should ensure that we expand our electric bill assistance programs, strengthen energy efficiency rebates, and train local residents for the solar energy and weatherization jobs we’ll create. We have great programs at Austin Community College that train solar installers, and they need our full support. We’ve got to work on household affordability policies that can offset potential increases in energy costs and water costs due to changing climate.

The challenge of climate disruption is too great for us to stand divided. Environmental advocates can’t expect much support from largely working class constituencies like my own in Austin’s District 4 unless they also advocate for equal access to solar generation across class and race lines, equity in parkland and green space, reasonable electric bills, weatherization of old rental properties, and quality jobs with benefits for our children. We should also be prepared to invest in new resources as a nation in places like West Virginia, where the pain caused by a fading coal industry will likely be geographically concentrated. Change isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. Clear-eyed, we must weigh the costs against the benefits of our climate policies, pushing the market forward without getting ahead of ourselves.

Simply stated, we need a strong economy, and we also need a clean environment. Our leaders must steer our cities toward both — not just one or the other. Don’t let the naysayers fool you. I’m confident that with the White House’s help, my colleagues on the City Council can march Austin toward a more green and economically just future.

Casar is the Austin City Council Member representing District 4 in North Austin.

Originally published at www.mystatesman.com.