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Dear Pope Francis, President Biden, and Administrator Regan,

People of faith across the globe have been advocating for bold action to stabilize the climate alongside Pope Francis, and we want to thank him for using his voice through his latest exhortation, Laudate Deum. Thank you, Pope Francis!

As the pope wrote, “The necessary transition towards clean energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and the abandonment of fossil fuels, is not progressing at the necessary speed.”

Now we need President Biden to act. For the U.S. to do our part for a healthy world and to have strong moral authority in international negotiations, we need the Biden administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to follow-through on their proposed rules. By April 2024, we need the EPA to finalize the following rules for power plants, oil and gas operations, and transportation that cut pollution and expedite our transition away from polluting fossil fuels:

• Carbon Pollution Standards for Fossil-Fuel Fired Power Plants. The final rule should expand the number of power plants covered and speed up the compliance timeline. EPA should also ensure communities where power plants are located have input into the technology alternative offered so as to not exacerbate local air pollution.
• Save over 16,000 lives with a strong Soot Pollution Standard. To protect the lives of vulnerable people, the EPA should set the soot pollution standard at the most stringent level under consideration—8 micrograms per cubic meter annually, 25 mg/m3 daily—which research estimates would save 16,000 lives.
• The Heavy Duty Vehicles Rule needs to be at least the strongest of the alternatives proposed by the EPA.
• The Methane Rule must rapidly reduce emissions from gas drilling. Oil and gas operations must limit flaring, which burns and wastes gas. EPA must create strong standards to avoid leaking and wasting methane from storage tanks, and help impacted communities participate in the Super Emitter Response Program to further reduce methane pollution.

A broad set of faith-based organizations, including the U.S. Catholic Bishops and the Council of Churches, have named these specific issues in their advocacy. We recognize that President Biden has made progress, like the clean energy investments of the Inflation Reduction Act, but we have much more to do!

Sincerely,