EPA’s	CLEAN	POWER	PLAN	

Sustainability	Series	

Mi/ga/ng	and	Adap/ng	to	Climate	Change	in	Colorado		

August	5,	2014	
Proposed	June	2,	2014.	

Published	in	Federal	Register	June	18,	

2014,	which	began	120	public	comment	

period	through	October	16.	

EPA	used	its	authority	under	sec/on	

111d	of	the	Clean	Air	Act	to	write	the	

proposed	rule.		

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EPA’s	Clean	Power	Plan	
U.S.	Electricity	Genera<on	Capacity	

in	2013	–	3,000	units	covered	

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Source: VENTYX Velocity Suite 
U.S.	Electricity	Genera<on	in	2012	

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Colorado	Electricity	Genera<on	in	2012	
The	proposed	rule	establishes	individual	state	goals	

in	lbs	CO2/MWh	based	on	a	consistent	na/onal	

formula.	

It	applies	to	fossil	fuel-fired	units	>25MW.	

State	goals	are	based	on	the	Best	System	of	

Emissions	Reduc/on	(BSER)	=	four	building	blocks.	

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Summary	of	the	Proposal	

__________________________________________________________ 
Building Blocks Used to Set State Goals Examples of State 

Compliance Measures 

1. CO2 Emission Reductions in Coal Fleet 

- 6% 

• Efficiency improvements 

• Co-firing with natural gas 

• Carbon capture & storage 

• Coal retirements 

2. Re-Dispatch to Existing Natural Gas 

Combined Cycle (NGCC) Plants 

- 70% 

• Utilize existing NGCC units at a higher 

capacity 

• New NGCC units 

3a. Renewable Energy (non-hydro) 

- Varies by state based on region 

3b. Nuclear Energy 

- Varies by state based on capacity 

• New renewable energy (including hydro) 

• New nuclear energy 

• Relicensing of at-risk nuclear facilities 

4. Demand-Side Energy Efficiency 

- 1.5% per year 

• Residential, commercial, agricultural, and 

industrial energy efficiency 

• Transmission efficiency 

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State	Goal	Building	Blocks
State	Goal-SeNng	Formula	

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First,	the	historical	fossil	emission	rate	is	set	using	

2012	emission	rate	data	(lbs	CO2/MWh):	

(Coal	gen.	x	Coal	emission	rate)+	(OG	gen.	x	OG	emission	rate)	+	(NGCC	gen.	x	NGCC	emission	rate)	

Total	Fossil	Genera/on	

The	building	blocks	are	then	applied	to	the	formula	

above	(lbs	CO2/MWh):	

(Coal	gen.	x	Coal	emission	rate)+	(OG	gen.	x	OG	emission	rate)	+	(NGCC	gen.	x	NGCC	emission	rate)	

Total	Fossil	Genera/on	+	RE	MWh	+	N	MWh	+	EE	MWh
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State 2012	Rate	 Final	Goal %	Reduc<on

CO 1,714	 1,108	 35%

MT	 2,246	 1,771	 21%

ND	 1,994	 1,783	 10%

SD 1,135	 741	 35%

UT	 1,813	 1,322	 27%

WY	 2,115	 1,714	 19%

State	Goals	in	lbs	CO2/MWh
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Renewable	Energy	Regions	
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Renewable	Energy	Targets	By	Region	
State	Plans

States	have	broad	flexibility	to	implement	

measures	across	the	power	sector	to	get	

reduc/ons.		

They	can	rely	on	EPA’s	building	blocks,	or	on	

other	measures.		

They	can	work	individually,	or	with	other	states.	

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__________________________________________________________ 
States	Have	Flexibility	

Basis	for	state	goal –

Potential	emissions	

pathway	reflecting	

EPA’s	analysis

		2020												2021														2022														2023														2024															2025										 					2026								 							2027															2028								 					2029

			

A	state	can	choose	any	trajectory	

of	emission	improvement	as	long	

as	the	interim	performance	goal	is	

met	on	average	over	10	years,	and	

the	final	goal	is	met	by	2030

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Carbon emissions from affected power 

plants in an example state 

As	an	example,	states	could	do	less	in	the	early	years,	and	more	in	the	later	

years,	as	long	as	on	average	it	meets	the	goal

Timing of Power Plant Emission Reductions 
Deadline	for	State	Plans

EPA	will	finalize	the	rule	in	June	2015	

States	must	submit	an	ini/al	plan	by	June	2016	

State	may	request	a	one	year	extension	for	

individual	state	plans	to	June	2017	

State	may	request	a	two-year	extension	for	mul/-

state	plans	to	June	2018	

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__________________________________________________________ 
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Results	of	the	Proposal	

__________________________________________________________ 

Applica/on	of	the	BSER	will	result	in	a	reduc/on	

of	CO2	emissions	from	the	power	sector	by	

approximately	30%	by	2030	from	2005	levels.	

This	is	equivalent	to	730	million	metric	tonnes	of	

CO2	per	year,	or	the	annual	emissions	from	

more	than	150	million	cars.	
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Results	of	the	Proposal	

__________________________________________________________ 

Addi/onally,	emissions	of	PM2.5,	SO2,	and	NO2	

are	es/mated	to	be	cut	by	over	25%	in	2030.	

Electricity	bills	are	es/mated	to	be	down	by	~8%	

by	2030	due	to	energy	efficiency	measures.	

The	climate	and	health	benefits	are	worth	an	

es/mated	$55	to	$93	billion	per	year	in	2030.	
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EPA’s	Public	Hearings	

EPA	held	4	public	hearings	the	week	of	July	28	in	

Denver,	Atlanta,	Piksburgh,	and	Washington,	D.C.	

2,784	people	akended	in	total,	762	in	Denver	

1,322	people	spoke	in	total,	388	in	Denver	
How	to	Comment	on	the	Proposed	Rule	

See	the	following	website	for	more	informa/on	and	

details	on	how	to	comment	on	the	proposed	rule:		

hkp://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollu/on-standards

• Federal	eRulemaking	portal

• Email	A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov

• Fax:	Fax	your	comments	to:	202-566-9744.	

• Mail:	Environmental	Protec/on	Agency,	EPA	Docket	Center	(EPA/DC),	Mail	Code	28221T,	

Aken/on	Docket	ID	No.	OAR–2013-0602,	1200	Pennsylvania	Avenue,	NW,	Washington,	

DC	20460.	

• Hand	Delivery	or	Courier:	Deliver	your	comments	to:	EPA	Docket	Center,	Room	3334,	

1301	Cons/tu/on	Ave.,	NW,	Washington,	DC,	20460.		

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Be sure to reference Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602
Thank	you!	

Laura	Farris,		

EPA	R8	Climate	Change	Coordinator	

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