An EPA proposal to (almost) eliminate climate pollution from power plants
Heard on Morning Edition on NPR
"Coal and gas-fired power plants would have to eliminate nearly all their climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions in just a little over a decade, under proposed regulations issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Owners of those plants have been allowed to spew climate-warming carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere for more than a century. If these proposed regulations are finalized, they would come close to putting a stop to that practice.
"The EPA's proposed rule sends an unequivocal signal to American power plant operators: the era of unlimited carbon pollution is over," wrote Dan Lashof, U.S. Director at the World Resources Institute, in a statement responding to the proposal.
The regulations are based on technologies that capture and then store deep underground 90% of carbon dioxide from coal and gas-fired plants.
Environmental groups welcomed the rules, which are almost certain to face opposition and a legal challenge from the fossil fuel industry and its allies.
"EPA's proposal relies on proven, readily available technologies to limit carbon pollution and seizes the momentum already underway in the power sector to move toward a cleaner future," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan.
The regulations also would help the U.S. meet its obligations under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, and they would be crucial in meeting President Biden's goal of zeroing out carbon pollution from the electricity sector by 2035."
Today's quote:
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. -T.S. Eliot, poet ( 1888-1965)
Our government talks the talk - but then is developing North Sea oilfields at the same time!
ReplyDeleteSame in Alaska...shame on them!
DeleteThat would help.
ReplyDelete...but this will change if the GOP takes control.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure they already are in control.
DeleteBarbara, Nice and well meaning goal/regulation but how realistic is it. Compliance will cost billions of dollars and the price of electricity will go up to cover it. Many power companies are 'for profit' operations and they have stockholders and will do what it takes to protect the bottom line. Nothing is easy, painless or without major expense in our effort to become carbon neutral.
ReplyDeleteAs for chain restaurants...there are some small local or regional chains that are good. But to your point, many are just mediocre. We also prefer local joints, diners and dives but we also like to try new restaurants, chains or not. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
I must admit you have a good point...it will take much effort to get this to happen. And there are also other methods out there that I've seen, which might be less costly. And some that seem really high priced. Of course Joe Consumer will foot the bill. And the alternative is that stockholders and Joe Consumer will have worse climate change repercussions without these efforts.
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