STATEMENT BY SR. CAROL KEEHAN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CATHOLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION, ON RELEASE OF EPA RULES ON CO2 EMISSIONS

June 3, 2014 — The Catholic Health Association is pleased that the Administration is addressing the serious problem of climate change by regulating carbon emissions in power plants and will work with our Catholic colleagues to review these new regulations to determine if they reflect some basic moral criteria.

Carbon dioxide emissions are a major contributor to greenhouse gas pollution, which is exacerbating climate change.

The health impacts of climate change in this country and globally are grave: As we describe in CHA's publication Climate Change and Health, www.chausa.org/climateandhealth, climate change is contributing to heat-related illness, vector-born disease such as malaria, and problems with food and water quality and security.

Conversely, addressing climate change represents an important part of respecting creation and protecting it for future generations. As Pope Francis said just last month, "Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude."

We join with others in the Catholic community in our commitment to human life and dignity, to social and economic justice for the poor and most vulnerable, and to care for creation. And we are hopeful that these new rules not only reduce CO2 emissions and improve human health, but also do not exacerbate the burdens of poor families and workers.