EPA urged to enact "strongest possible" carbon emissions limits on power plants
Residents from Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa testified at the regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office in Lenexa, calling on officials to enact the strongest possible limits on carbon emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants at the EPA's listening session for its upcoming carbon pollution proposal. Coal and gas-fired power plants emit more than 2.3 metric tons per year of carbon pollution, approximately 40 percent of total U.S. energy-related carbon pollution and is the main contributor to climate change, according to the EPA.
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| U.S. greenhouse gas pollution. Click to enlarge. Credit: U.S. EPA |
On September 20, 2013, the EPA proposed Clean Air Act standards to cut carbon pollution from new power plants in order to combat climate change and improve public health. Under the proposal, new large natural gas-fired turbines would need to meet a limit of 1,000 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour, while new small natural gas-fired turbines would need to meet a limit of 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour. New coal-fired units would need to meet a limit of 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour, and would have the option to meet a somewhat tighter limit if they choose to average emissions over multiple years, giving those units additional operational flexibility.
These proposed standards are intended to ensure that new power plants are built with available clean technology to limit carbon pollution, a requirement that is in line with investments in clean energy technologies that are already being made in the power industry. Additionally, these standards provide flexibility by allowing sources to phase in the use of some of these technologies, and ensure that the power plants of the future use cleaner energy technologies, such as efficient natural gas, advanced coal technology, nuclear power, and renewable energy like wind and solar.
"Climate change is one of the most significant public health challenges of our time. By taking commonsense action to limit carbon pollution from new power plants, we can slow the effects of climate change and fulfill our obligation to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our children," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in a statement. "These standards will also spark the innovation we need to build the next generation of power plants, helping grow a more sustainable clean energy economy."
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