Monday, June 2, 2014

Breathe A Little Easier

Advanced info on today's EPA clean air rules for power plant emissions indicate what could be a massive cut:  the EPA is reportedly looking to impose 30% cut in carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2030.

The Environmental Protection Agency will unveil a draft proposal on Monday to cut carbon pollution from the nation’s power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, according to people briefed on the plan.

The proposed rule amounts to the strongest action ever taken by the United States government to fight climate change.

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists blame for trapping heat in the atmosphere and dangerously warming the planet.

The rule could trigger a fundamental transformation of the nation’s energy systems – if it withstands an expected onslaught of legal and legislative attacks.

The Supreme Court has already ruled that Congress did indeed grant the power to the EPA to regulate power plant emissions in the Clean Air Act.  But at this point, you would have to expect that red states are simply going to refuse and wait for the next Republican in the White House to eliminate the rules.

What can the federal government really do to states that refuse that won't harm regular citizens?  Me, I expect the regulations to be tied up, or for the EPA to simply be defunded or barred by legislation from enacting any emissions standards in another round of shutdown chicken.

We'll see what happens, but don't expect Big Energy to actually make emissions cuts.  They've got too many billions to take from you.

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