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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2016 CONTACT: Emma Stieglitz, est'ieghtz @chrriatenexus „org, 646- 559 -8284 More Than 50 Cities Press Court to Uphold Clean Power Plan, Citing Climate Change Risks As 'First Responders' to Floods and Storms, Cities from Coast to Coast File Amicus Brief Supporting Federal Efforts to Curb Carbon Pollution New York, NY —More than 50 city and county governments from 28 states, together with The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the National League of Cities (NLC), and the mayors of Dallas, Knoxville, and Orlando have signed an am'icus brief explaining why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan is critical to the safety and economic security of local communities across the United States. The brief was authored by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, and filed in federal court on Friday, April 1st. The signatories represent a diverse geographic, economic, and political mix and include Miami Beach, Miami and other southeast Florida cities; Tucson; Salt Lake City; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Houston; Jersey City; Pittsburgh; and Boston. Twenty -three of the signatories are local governments within states that have joined the lawsuit against the EPA. In all, the signatories represent 51 localities —home to more than 18 million Americans —and more than 19,000 additional cities, villages and towns that are part of the USCM and NLC networks. "The nation's mayors are pleased to join in the defense of the Clean Power Plan, which is an essential part of our nation's ability to respond to climate change,” said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings - Blake, President of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. "This Plan will significantly cut carbon pollution from U.S. power plants; we must implement it now. Mayors know cities have the most to gain, as well as the most to lose in this debate because climate change and rising sea levels threaten the physical structure of our cities. Cities have been combating climate change for over a decade through our Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, but we need a national response." "Supporting the administration's Clean Power Plan efforts is not just the right thing to do, but necessary for Miamians as we fight for the very survival of our city," said Commissioner Ken Russell of Miami, Florida. "I am proud to have led the effort within Miami's government to sign on to this amicus brief and look forward to taking the lead wherever I can in combating and adapting to sea level rise." The impact of climate change on urban areas is amplified by their dense concentrations of people, infrastructure, and commerce. More than 80 percent of Americans live in urban areas, making local governments responsible for protecting the wellbeing of an overwhelming majority of Americans. "Cities have an essential voice to add to the legal debate over the Clean Power Plan," says Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. "All around the country, local governments have had to contend with the devastating impacts that sea level rise, heat waves and severe storms have on people and the infrastructure they depend on. At the same time, they have been among the first to seek innovative ways to reduce emissions and increase sources of clean energy. These cities