The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a new rule that would require power plants to cut climate pollution by 90 percent or shut down their aging coal plants in the first half of the 2030s. The rule, initially proposed by the Trump administration, is essential for meeting former President Barack Obama's pledges to curb the United States' contributions to global catastrophe.
However, this proposal faces legal challenges from GOP-led states that support fossil fuels and from the conservative Supreme Court which curbed EPA's authority over the power sector less than a year ago. Republicans argue that this rule offers further regulatory overreach that could cost Biden politically. If EPA takes too long to issue a final ruling in 2024, it could move into danger territory where Republicans may use legislation to strike it down should they control Congress and White House in 2025.
According to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, these new rules "would bring us one step closer in our mission to safeguard the air our children breathe." The regulations would apply to nearly all existing and new power plants running on coal and natural gas. Utilities would be required either outfit many power plants with costly carbon capture technology or add clean hydrogen fuel as an alternative means of reducing emissions.
The agency estimates that implementing these rules will reduce between 617 million metric tons of carbon pollution from existing coal-fired and new gas-powered facilities as well as cutting another 214 million metric tons of CO2 emissions produced by present-day gas plant operations.
Despite potential legal challenges and political opposition, proponents believe this measure is crucial for improving air quality across America while simultaneously addressing concerns about public health risks associated with poor environmental conditions; EPA projects more than 300,000 cases of asthma attacks prevented along with averting around1,300 premature deaths annually by 2030.
Critics like West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin have vocally opposed this proposal, accusing the Biden administration of trying to "regulate coal and gas-fueled power plants out of existence." Manchin has stated he will not support any EPA congressional nominees until they cease what he perceives as government overreach.
Despite these criticisms, the proposed rule enjoys some level of bipartisan backing. The standards do not require specific technologies but set limits that are stringent enough for fossil fuel burning plants to likely need carbon-capture systems or alternative fuels like hydrogen in order to comply.
As it stands, existing peaker plants face no new standards under this proposal. However, the EPA is asking for public input on potential requirements it might consider imposing on these facilities moving forward. Researchers from Princeton University and other independent research firms believe that implementing measures like those outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act could put America on track to reduce emissions by as much as 42 percent before the end of the decade.
Rural cooperatives who were once at odds with Obama-era Clean Power Plan have since found common ground with mining interests when contesting Supreme Court authority last year; this coalition remains steadfast against further regulation despite increasing concerns over climate change's impact on our planet's future health and stability.