Remarks by 60 Plus Association President Amy Frederick at the Affordable Alliance Press Conference to Unveil its Study on the “Environment Injustice” of EPA GHG Regulations in Washington, D.C.

I’m Amy Frederick, President of the 60 Plus Association – a non-partisan senior citizen advocacy group with 5.5 million senior activists nationwide. This study today sheds light on the vulnerability of seniors if the Environmental Protection Agency proceeds with regulations on greenhouse gas emission standards.

As you all know, the EPA determined in 2009 that carbon dioxide is a pollutant that requires regulation under the current Clean Air Act.

Though this study focuses primarily on how greenhouse gas regulations will affect minorities, one major point NOT to be missed is that all minorities have elderly in their ranks. These folks are the ones who we at 60 Plus believe will be affected the most due to the EPA’s hijacking of the Clean Air Act.

Having the EPA proceed with such regulations would cause great economic hardship…ESPECIALLY for those living on Social Security and dependent on Medicare and Medicaid.

Let me be clear – the impacts on seniors will be HUGE.

The price increases resulting from carbon restrictions would be highly regressive — affecting ALL areas of life — from groceries, to medicines, to public transportation and they would place a relatively greater burden on lower-income households than on higher income households.

A great example of this burden is the cost of heating oil. According to the study, heating oil would increase by 45%:  From $2.85/gal. to $4.15/gal. if the EPA has its way. HOME HEATING OIL IS A CRITICAL ISSUE IN THE NORTHEAST and our activists already feel they are paying too much as it is.

The trickle down effects of these regulations can and will cause seniors to reduce their energy use for fear their heating and cooling bills will go too high. Seniors will have to risk HEAT STROKE in the summers and HYPOTHERMIA in the winters to prevent their power from being turned off.

If the EPA’s plan goes through, it will also adversely affect state run government services due to the extra amount of unemployed and others seeking the government’s assistance.

In addition to health risks, excessive energy burdens cause a variety of difficulties for low-income households. As the study suggests, “Inability to pay utilities is second only to inability to pay rent as a reason for homelessness.” Some of our seniors will have NO place to turn!

It is of note, that over 1.7 million activists of ours in the states listed in this study are up in arms over these figures.

60 Plus believes ONLY Congress – NOT an unelected government body, can change the Clean Air Act statute.

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