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Press Releases

New Major Ad Campaign Holds Richard Burr Accountable for Putting Polluters’ Profits Ahead of North Carolina’s Health

Jul 27, 2015

Urges Burr to Vote in Support of Clean Power Plan

Raleigh, North Carolina – Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) launched a major ad campaign aimed at holding Senator Richard Burr accountable for opposing the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which would place reasonable limits on carbon pollution for the first time. With the EPA’s final Clean Power Plan rule and related votes in Congress expected soon, the ads call upon constituents to contact Senator Burr and urge him to vote against any bill that would stop or delay implementation of these important pollution safeguards. 

Watch Mom.

Watch Disappear.

Senator Burr’s irresponsible record puts North Carolinians and their children’s health at risk. Senator Burr has repeatedly voted to allow big polluters to keep spewing unlimited carbon pollution into our air. The two different ads highlight how Senator Burr puts the profits of big polluters ahead of the health and financial well-being of North Carolina families. 

“The Clean Power Plan could avoid up to 6,600 premature deaths and 150,000 asthma attacks in children. Richard Burr’s destructive attempts to curb the EPA’s enforcement of the proposed plan ignores scientific data, is hazardous to North Carolinians’ health, and harmful to our children,” said Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters. 

“Many of North Carolina’s decision-makers, from Senator Burr to Governor McCrory, are abandoning their responsibility to protect North Carolina’s citizens, their health, and their future from carbon pollution,” said Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations for North Carolina League of Conservation Voters. “Our elected officials should protect public health and make sure North Carolina remains a clean energy leader by supporting the Clean Power Plan.”

In addition to the ads launched this week from LCV, Climate Action NC, a project of North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, will hold a Day of Action rally in Raleigh on Thursday, July 30th to call on Senator Burr, Governor McCrory, and other North Carolina leaders to support the Clean Power Plan. 

Despite power plants being responsible for 40 percent of the carbon pollution in the United States, right now there are no federal limits in place. It’s the EPA’s job to protect the public from pollution, and just as we have protections for mercury, soot, and smog, it’s common sense to limit carbon pollution from its largest source.

Scary predictions about Clean Power Plan related costs are just plain wrong. The Clean Power Plan will lower bills, avoid costs, and save lives if states develop flexible solutions. By 2030, the Clean Power Plan could shrink electricity bills by roughly eight percent per person by increasing energy efficiency and reducing demand in the electricity system. [Source: Georgia Institute of Technology]. That would save Americans an average of $10 each month on their home electricity bills, savings they wouldn’t see if Senator Burr gets his way and states ignore the Clean Power Plan. [Source: Georgia Institute of Technology] By 2030, the Clean Power Plan could save consumers up to $45.8 billion on their home electricity bills. [Source: Georgia Institute of Technology]

Text: “Disappear”

Announcer: When Senator Richard Burr led the fight to let power companies release unlimited carbon pollution into the air… he put polluters’ profits ahead of your family’s health.

Tell Senator Burr to stop siding with polluters and vote for the Clean Power Plan.

Text: “Mom” 

Jenifer: It’s incredibly frightening for a parent to watch their child struggling to just breathe.

He would do this thing where he’d grab kind of at his chest. 

When he was diagnosed with asthma, I had no idea that it was going to affect our lives this way. 

Announcer: Senator Richard Burr voted repeatedly to let polluters dump unlimited carbon pollution into our air. Leading to more asthma attacks in children. 

Tell Senator Burr to support the Clean Power Plan.

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