Apple has formally stated its opposition to any repeal of the Clean Power Plan by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Reuters reports, noting that a repeal of the Obama-era program to reduce greenhouse gases would actually “jeopardize the country’s position in the race for investments in clean energy” and place the U.S. at a disadvantage in comparison to countries like China. In a filing to the EPA, Apple stated that “Repealing the Clean Power Plan will subject consumers like Apple and our large manufacturing partners to increased investment uncertainty,” adding that it would also threaten development and investments that the company has already made in renewable power.
The Clean Power Plan was initiated under the Obama administration, where Lisa Jackson, Apple’s current VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, served as EPA’s chief from 2009 to 2013. Due to legal challenges, the plan was never actually implemented, and EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has been making it a priority to repeal the plan as part of President Trump’s support of the coal, oil, and natural gas industries. An EPA spokesman, Jahan Wilcox, responded to Apple’s filing by saying that “the agency appreciates all public feedback and will be considering the comments as part of the rulemakin process.”
