*Links at the end of update have been repaired
At the direction of President Obama the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today releasing the Clean Power Plan proposal, which aims to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants. The proposed rule has two main elements: 1) state-specific emission rate-based CO2 goals and 2) guidelines for the development, submission and implementation of state plans. The proposed goals and computation procedures are described starting in page 345 of the 645-page proposal. While the proposal lays out state-specific CO2 goals that each state is required to meet, it does not prescribe how a state should meet its goal. To facilitate the state planning process, this proposal lays out guidelines for the development and implementation of state plans.
Also included in today’s proposal is a flexible timeline for states to follow for submitting plans to the agency—with plans due in June 2016, with the option to use a two-step process for submitting final plans if more time is needed.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 120 days after publication in the Federal Register and will hold four public hearings on the proposed Clean Power Plan during the week of July 28 in the following cities: Denver, Atlanta, Washington, DC and Pittsburgh. Based on this input, EPA intends to finalize standards next June following the schedule laid out in the June 2013 Presidential Memorandum.
The proposed regulation is estimated to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal plants up to 30 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.
Fact sheets and details about the proposed rule available at: http://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan
More information on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan: http://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change
Video on today’s announcement from Administrator Gina McCarthy: http://www.epa.gov/