Since Pennsylvania is the third worst state in the country in terms of global warming pollution -- and home to some of the dirtiest power plants in the country, to boot -- we have a special responsibility to act.
As Congress, apparently cowed by the many science deniers in their ranks, flat out refuses to limit carbon pollution from power plants, federal law requires the President to invoke his executive powers to act.
Requiring any new power plants to be cleaner
In April 2012, EPA first proposed a rule to limit CO2 from any new plants to be built. EPA later announced a delay to the finalizing of that rule.Then, in September 2013, EPA released a modified version of its original proposal, opening the public comment period (Send a comment to the EPA), even though the rule hadn't been published in the federal register.
On January 8, EPA published the proposed rule in the register, which started the clock ticking on the final 60 days in which to comment on the rule -- the window will close on March 10.
The EPA will consider all comments and issue a final rule by June 2015, with states required to act (i.e., limit CO2 emissions from any new coal plants) by June 2016.
The authority to regulate CO2 from new power plants derives from Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act, the New Source Performance Standards, or NSPS. (Here is some background for those of you who want to wade into the weeds on this.)
What about cleaning up the existing power plants?
There's another equally important front on this battle to slow climate change: limiting the CO2 that belches forth from existing coal plants. This will be an even tougher political battle than new plants. The EPA is scheduled to propose a standard aimed at existing plants this June.Stay tuned.
Joy Bergey is federal policy director for PennFuture, based in Philadelphia.
