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New Power Plant Rules Unfeasible Without Permitting Reform

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

Final rules released Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from traditional fuel-fired power plants are not achievable without permitting reform鈥攁nd they pose a threat to U.S. national and economic security, the 17吃瓜在线 yesterday.

What鈥檚 going on: The , part of President Biden鈥檚 pledge to create a carbon-free energy sector by 2035, mandate that:

  • Existing coal-fired plants and new natural gas鈥揻ired facilities cut or capture 90% of their emissions by 2032;
  • Coal-fired plants drastically reduce wastewater runoff and severely tighten the emissions standard for heavy metals; and
  • Coal ash鈥攊ncluding past deposits 鈥減laced in areas that were unregulated at the federal level until now鈥濃攂e managed in storage ponds.

A first: 鈥淭he power plant rule marks the first time the federal government has restricted carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants鈥 ().

  • The new regulations鈥攚hich face almost certain court challenges鈥攕et emissions caps that plant operators would be required to meet.

Targeting major energy sources: Natural gas generates approximately 43% of all U.S. electricity, while coal generates about 16% (AP).

Why else it鈥檚 problematic: While manufacturers appreciate that the EPA heeded the input of their industry and did not include existing gas plants in the new requirements, as written the final rules are unattainable because the administration and Congress have not undertaken much-needed, comprehensive permitting reform, 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons.

  • 鈥淐ongress and the president have not enacted permitting reform鈥攎aking it impossible to achieve the EPA鈥檚 highly aspirational mandates,鈥 Timmons said. What鈥檚 more, the final rules threaten 鈥済rid reliability because of the unrealistic timeline for power plants to adopt technologies within the next 10 years that have yet to even be proven at scale.鈥
  • Pushing through yet another set of regulations in the absence of systemic reforms burdens an already overtaxed national electrical grid, jeopardizing U.S. security in a way that 鈥渓iterally could leave Americans in the dark and factories offline.鈥

What should be done: The EPA should partner with鈥攏ot undermine鈥攎anufacturers 鈥渢o achieve a more balanced regulatory framework to help reach our climate goals.鈥

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