The Diocese of Stockton, in the heart of California’s Central Valley and facing immense environmental challenges, has joined the Catholic Climate Covenant as well as other Catholic and faith groups in filing an amicus brief in support of the Clean Power Plan, the first-ever federal standards on carbon pollution from power plants.
“The Earth is ‘Our Common Home,’” explained Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton. “Our ecological future depends upon us all. As such we must be good stewards of the planet entrusted to our care. Climate change is a moral issue: It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity, with its worst impact felt by our poorest communities and developing countries worldwide in the coming decades.”
Pope Francis has repeatedly called for action on climate change, as have the U.S. Catholic bishops. Laudato Si – Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical dealing with our “Common Home” – underscores the moral imperative for urgent action on climate change and care for God’s creation for the well-being of current and future generations, especially the most vulnerable.
The Clean Power Plan is an Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regulation that puts in place the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants. Twenty-six states sued to stop the regulation; 18 filed in support. Many states, such as California, continue to use their authority to regulate carbon emission under the regulations.
“Today, united with millions of Americans, including other Catholics and people of faith, we are standing up for the most vulnerable among us to support the Clean Power Plan against misguided lawsuits,” said Dan Misleh, Executive Director of Catholic Climate Covenant.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has jurisdiction in these types of cases, will hear oral arguments in the case on June 2, 2016, with a decision expected later this year.
Visit our Care for Creation page for more information.
Religious organizations signing the amicus brief include:
- Catholic Climate Covenant
- Catholic Rural Life
- Evangelical Environmental Network
- National Council of Churches USA
- Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
- Church World Service
- Union of Reform Judaism
- Women of Reform Judaism
- National Baptist Convention of America
- Progressive National Baptist Convention
- Hazon
- Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute Leadership Team
- Maryknoll Sisters
- Sisters of Divine Compassion
- The Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
- Cabrini College
- Fordham University
- University of San Diego
- Center for Sustainability at Saint Louis University
- Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Boston College
- Conference for Mercy Higher Education
- The Boisi Center
- University of San Francisco
- Le Moyne College
- The Center for Peace and Justice Education
- Loyola University Maryland
- The College of the Holy Cross
- Florida Council of Churches
- Wisconsin Council of Churches
- The Diocese of Stockton, California
- The Diocese of Des Moines
- The Diocese of Davenport, Iowa
- Catholic Committee of Appalachia
- Sisters of Charity of New York
- Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL
- Sisters of St. Joseph Earth Center
- Sisters of St. Joseph Peace Leadership Team
- Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth Office of Peace, Justice and Ecological Integrity
- School Sisters of Notre Dame Atlantic Midwest Province Department of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
- Buffalo Diocese Care of Creation Committee