Friday afternoon, hundreds of supportive Chicagoans rallied in Federal Plaza to support a listening session hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) on pollution limits for power plants.
Here, supporters voiced their opinions on what could be done to decrease pollution and hopefully reverse climate change. Supporters like Kady McFadden helped organize the event.
McFadden is the Associate Organizing Representative for the Beyond Coal campaign with the Sierra Club, and said she was thrilled about the EPA’s proposal.
“We are here to support you, let’s do it,” said McFadden.
The listening sessions were available to the public for stakeholders who had recommendations on how the Clean Air Act could reduce carbon pollution from current power plants.
The Clean Air Act, which was originally proposed by Congress in 1970, to control common pollutants. The act requires states to maintain an acceptable air quality, by meeting certain standards. These standards stem from the six common criteria pollutants, that the EPA has determined.
McFadden said she feels that Chicago is better accustomed to alternative energy than people would assume. According to the International Energy Agency , Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer, which prompted McFadden’s statement on Chicago’s usage of wind energy.
“People think we are the Saudi Arabia of coal, but actually we are the Saudi Arabia of wind,” said McFadden.
The rally also used inflatable advertising to get their points across. The EPA is hosting 11 similar public listening sessions, to aid in their fight for, clean air.
