Van Ness Feldman, a Washington D.C law firm specializing in energy and environmental issues, has published a brief analysis of the issues related to potential action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate carbon from existing power plants:

EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Existing Power Plants: Issues and Options

In his June 25th speech on climate policy, President Obama announced that he will direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use its existing authorities under the Clean Air Act to develop greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for power plants.

The President described this regulation as one plank in an overall plan to meet a commitment made by his administration in international climate negotiations: a reduction in U.S. GHG emissions of 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

Given that existing power plants account for approximately a third of U.S. GHG emissions, it would be difficult to meet the Obama Administration’s objective without addressing power sector emissions in some way. However, setting GHG emission standards for existing power plants under the Clean Air Act is far from straightforward.

 

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