Reform Movement Leader Disappointed by Supreme Court Decision to Temporarily Halt Clean Power Plan

Contact: Max Rosenblum or Rachel Landman
202.387.2800 | news@rac.org 

Press Release from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 10, 2016 — In response to yesterday’s Supreme Court decision to stay the Clean Power Plan, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement:

“We are disappointed by yesterday’s 5-4 Supreme Court decision to halt the implementation of the Clean Power Plan pending further review. The Plan, crafted to allow the greatest flexibility for states in the shared effort to address the dangers of climate change, would provide the opportunity to improve air quality, public health and clean energy investment.

Inspired by our tradition that teaches us to be shomrei adamah, guardians of the earth, we are hopeful that the Court will ultimately uphold the Clean Power Plan for the good of our earth and all its inhabitants. Throughout, we will continue to promote environmental stewardship and actively work to reduce the emissions we produce both as individuals and as a nation.

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The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is the Washington office of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose more than 900 congregations across North America encompass 1.3 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, whose membership includes more than 2,000 Reform rabbis. Visit www.rac.org for more.