US Unveils Plan to Decarbonize Power Plants, Speed Up Transmission

The Biden administration announced comprehensive regulations to upgrade the aging US electrical grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The regulations establish the first-ever limits on carbon emissions from power plants, tighten restrictions on mercury and coal ash, and include a new process to expedite the construction of essential transmission lines. These actions align with the administration’s climate spending laws and aim to eliminate nearly 1.4 billion metric tons of carbon pollution by 2047, equivalent to taking 328 million gasoline-fueled cars off the road or a year’s worth of emissions from the current US electric power sector. While the new regulations exempt existing natural gas plants, the EPA is considering ways to reduce their emissions after receiving feedback from industry stakeholders. To facilitate the expansion of renewable energy, the Department of Energy has introduced rules to streamline the approval process for new transmission lines and established a new federal program to accelerate permitting. The administration also highlighted advancements in nuclear fission and geothermal energy as zero-carbon alternatives to power plants.

EPA Finalizes Power Plant Rules, but Gas Plants Get a Pass

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized new rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, but the rules do not include specific measures to address emissions from the nation’s natural gas-fired power plants. This is a significant omission, as natural gas is the largest source of electricity generation in the United States.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan has stated that the agency is taking more time to strengthen rules for existing gas power plants, but this delay could leave the decision to a potential future Trump administration, which has previously tried to weaken environmental protections.

The EPA has also announced that it is gathering input for a possible new rule to address emissions from existing natural gas plants, but it is unclear how long this process will take. In the meantime, the agency has given power plants until 2032 to comply with the new pollution-cutting measures, which is two years later than originally proposed.

Environmental groups have welcomed the new standards but have also expressed concern about the lack of specific measures to address gas-fired power plants. They argue that a comprehensive approach is needed to meet the Biden administration’s climate commitments and protect public health.

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