By Tamar Burton

The EPA’s State-by-State Collaboration for Climate Change

As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, on June 2, 2014 the EPA proposed a new rule called the Clean Power Plan, to address roughly one-third of all domestic green-house gas emissions. The plan will effectively force power plants to cut carbon pollution by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, establishing the first-ever national carbon emissions limits.

If approved, the carbon savings impact is equivalent to removing two-thirds of all vehicles from America’s roads. From the perspective of the Health Care Act, the savings are attributed to preventing up to:

• 490,000 missed work or school days

• 6,600 premature deaths

• 150,000 asthma attacks in children

According to Gina McCarthy, the EPA’s administrator, the plan is a “wake-up call” that will spur innovation, protect our health and environment, and fight climate change. The plan affords states flexibility to pick from a menu of policy options to set state-by-state targets for reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. Compliance can be achieved by electing to shut down coal plants, installing clean technologies including solar and power, and energy-efficiency technology. States may elect to join the Northeastern or California cap-and-trade programs or choose to enact a state-level tax on carbon pollution.

“California is proof positive that states can fashion creative policies that improve their environmental and economic bottom line, and that’s exactly what will be needed to make EPA’s Clean Power Plan a durable and resounding success.”  

- Derek Walker, Associate Vice President of the US Climate and Energy Program for Environmental Defense Fund

The proposal was developed under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, which directs the EPA to set goals and allow states to submit plans to achieve those goals. To find out more, visit, http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/clean-power-plan-proposed-rule

See also:

Making Reuse Convenient

What is Your Impact from Reuse?

Climate Change: What is Real, Happening and Expected