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Apple, Amazon, Google & Microsoft file joint brief supporting Obama & EPA’s Clean Power Plan

Apple alongside Amazon, Google and Microsoft today filed a joint amicus brief in support of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and President Obama’s proposed Clean Power Plan that aims to introduce new emissions regulations. The EPA had some major pushback on the plan, so now Apple and the others are lending their support:

…Tech Amici’s experience indicates that the Clean Power Plan reflects reasonable and attainable assumptions about the increasing availability of renewable generation in the nation’s power sector… Because the Clean Power Plan reflects reasonable expectations about the operations of the electricity market and the increasing use of renewable energy, Tech Amici submit this brief in support of the Plan.

Apple’s environmental efforts are notably led by its Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson, who happens to be former Administrator of the EPA after leaving to join Apple in 2013.

In the brief, the companies gave the following three main arguments to outline their support for the EPA’s plan. Here’s the condensed version:

  • Using More Renewable Energy Mitigates Climate Change and Makes Good Business Sense
  • Tech Amici Are Using a Variety of Straightforward and Effective Strategies to Increase Use of Renewable Generation—Strategies That Are Also Available to Owners of Regulated Power Plants Under the Clean Power Plan
  • Trends Already Underway in the U.S. Electric Sector Affirm the Growth of Renewable Energy Generation Incorporated in the Clean Power Plan.

You can view the full 24 page brief here. And the NYTimes reports the case will continue with arguments at a United States Court of Appeals in early June.

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Comments

  1. Doug Aalseth - 8 years ago

    Unfortunately, the way politics works is the President, of either party, could announce a plan to assure everyone in the US would be happy, healthy, rich and live in peace with each other and everyone in the world and the opposition, whichever party that happened to be, would immediately fight tooth and nail to stop it.

    • fitkingrichard - 8 years ago

      It is one thing to support renewable energy when it is cost efficient, or at least cost competitive with the current energy sources.
      But when Billions are required to create and install this alternative energy sources, which will probably NEVER recoup their costs, only a government can pretend that it makes sense.
      Just like the government will try to borrow their way out of debt…

  2. kpom1 - 8 years ago

    I don’t like this move. This is the type of thing that should be passed by the legislature and not imposed by executive fiat.

    • quiviran - 8 years ago

      There are a lot of things the Legislative Branch “should” do. But they don’t.

    • standardpull - 8 years ago

      Unfortunately, the legislature has done virtually nothing for the past few years. With so many conflicting lobbyists filling pockets, the only way for the legislature to “succeed” is to posture and do nothing.

      • fitkingrichard - 8 years ago

        A lot has been passed by the legislature… but not signed by President.

  3. quiviran - 8 years ago

    Seems like Tesla should be right in the middle of this.

  4. Scott (@ScooterComputer) - 8 years ago

    If only the initiative weren’t headed by a crook. Lisa Jackson should have never been hired at Apple. How ironic that Tim Cook stands on stage and talks about Apple employees being the best of the best, and then cedes the stage to a person who flouted government open records laws, resigning to save her ass from a criminal investigation. You could have done better, Mr. Cook; 320 million Americans…I’m certain you could have done better.

  5. cydianerd - 8 years ago

    Everyone has its own stance on this, politics!

  6. chfranco - 8 years ago

    Wannabe monopolists always back more regulations which increase barriers to entry… Just saying. Another govt backed solar boondoggle just went belly up, way bigger than solyndra.

  7. Hornito Strombogoloni - 8 years ago

    Lisa Jackson flat out lied during the key note stating that Apple Stores were on 100% “renewable power”. This is a bold face lie. I check with several stores in my immediate area. All are in downtown centers or Malls. All are getting their power from the grid (like everything else). Either power from gas fired turbines (which are clean and efficient) or nuclear (San Luis Obispo). Not sure if Nuclear is considered renewable or not. But, this is just how she is. Lies and deceit during her time with the EPA. Lies and deceit with Apple. She bailed from the EPA because of her dishonesty. The customers of Apple deserve better!!

    • Joe Chelena - 8 years ago

      I can’t be 100% sure of what is happening in other areas of the country but I do know that here in Centurial Ohio I have the option of contracting for Green/Renewable electricity or regular electricity. I selected the Green option for my 1 year contract. So for that year the electric company must purchase, by law, X% of its electric supply from Green sources for all that opted to go Green.. It is given a small leeway, only a few percent, to compensate for supply availability. I’m not so stupid to think that I’m always getting Green electric all the time. Renewable does not mean that one has to have a wind turban or solar panels in their back yard.

      • fitkingrichard - 8 years ago

        I was able to buy 100% renewable energy, at a much higher cost…
        I chose to go with the cheapest solution… like most people/companies who don’t make billions in profits.

    • fitkingrichard - 8 years ago

      If Apple creates 4 megawatts of electricity, and they use 4 megawatts of electricity, they are technically using 100% renewable energy.
      It doesn’t mean that every store in every mall will have its own solar farm….

      They add 4 Megawatts of power to the grid, and they took 4 megawatts of power off the grid… that’s a wash!

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.