The Biden administration is working to finalize most of its proposed environmental regulations targeting existing fossil fuel-fired power plants by after the next election.
In an unexpected announcement Thursday evening, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a “new” approach to regulating emissions from fossil fuel plants that generate more than 60% of the nation’s electricity. Under the plan, the EPA would move forward with some power plant plans announced in May 2023, but regulations affecting existing natural gas power plants would be delayed until later this year or next year.
“As EPA works towards final standards to reduce climate pollution from existing coal and new gas-fired power plants later this spring, EPA is announcing a new comprehensive standard covering the entire fleet of natural gas-fired turbines. “There are more pollutants out there, including climate change, toxic substances, and standard air pollution,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
“This stronger and more durable approach would achieve greater emissions reductions than current proposals,” he continued.
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Future EPA regulations will exempt existing natural gas power plants, which provide about 40% of the nation’s electricity. (Getty Images)
The EPA’s sudden policy change, first reported by the New York Times, prompted an outcry from a wide range of industry groups, energy associations, manufacturers, grid operators, and lawmakers who denounced the agency’s original proposal as too burdensome. It happened under pressure.
Critics warned that the crackdown on gas plants, the nation’s largest source of electricity, powering tens of millions of homes a year, would have serious consequences for Americans.
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On May 11, 2023, EPA announced its initial proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 617 million tons by 2042. The proposal relies heavily on carbon capture. Carbon capture is a nascent, expensive technology that removes emissions from the atmosphere and is forced in nature. Factories must adopt such technology or close down.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said the new plan “achieves greater emissions reductions than current proposals through a more robust and durable approach.” (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
The proposal would affect existing and future natural gas and coal-fired power plants, but the new plan announced Thursday would exempt existing natural gas power plants. All coal-fired power plants and future natural gas power plants will still be affected when the EPA finalizes the regulations in the coming weeks.
But the agency plans to issue a completely different proposal in the coming months that would target existing natural gas plants.
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“Sierra Club supports the Biden administration’s new strategy to address the wide range of pollutants emitted by gas-fired power plants,” Ben Jealous, executive director of the environmental group Sierra Club, said Thursday. “Strong protections for gas plant emissions will help the United States meet its international climate commitments while protecting our most vulnerable communities from air pollution.”
“We look forward to working closely with the Biden EPA to quickly implement the building blocks of a new multi-pollutant approach to gas plants to ensure the strongest possible protections for the environment and public health. ‘ he added.
