# OVERVIEW OF EPA’S ACTIONS

Reducing Carbon Pollution From 

## Power Plants NCEL 2015 National Issues Forum Kate Kelly, Director EPA Region 10 Office of Air, Waste and Toxics

July 31, 2015• Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases are air

pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act. • EPA ordered to determine whether or not emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, or whether the science is too uncertain to make a reasoned decision. 

# Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497

(April 2, 2007 )

2

# EPA Endangerment Finding

December 2009

• Relying on scientific and technical information, EPA determines that the mix of atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and 

### five other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere constitute “air pollution” that threatens both public health and welfare . • http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment/index.html

# President’s Climate Action Plan



# (June 25, 2013) https:// www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf 

### • A collection of measures that the Executive Branch will take to combat 

### climate change. • P repare the U.S. for the impacts of climate change • Lead international efforts to address climate change • Cut carbon pollution in the U.S

# President’s Climate Action Plan (cont’d) • Cutting Carbon Pollution in the U.S. 

## • Promoting American Leadership in Renewable Energy • Reducing other Greenhouse Gases, such as methane • Developing an Interagency Methane Strategy • Cutting carbon pollution from power plants

# President’s Climate Action Plan (cont’d) Cutting Carbon Pollution from Power Plants President’s Climate Action Plan directs EPA to develop carbon pollution standards, regulations or guidelines, as appropriate, for: • New power plants (CAA Section 111(b )) Proposed January 8, 2014 • Modified and reconstructed power plants(CAA Section 111(b)), Proposed June 18, 2014 • Existing power plants (CAA Section 111(d)) (“The Clean Power Plan”) Proposed June 18, 2014Under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, EPA issues federal

“emission guidelines” for stationary sources such as power plants, and these guidelines are implemented through “state plans.” EPA’s 111(d) proposal for existing power plants, also called the “Clean Power Plan,” calculated C0 2 reduction goals for each state, and contemplates that that states will use a variety of at-the - unit and beyond -the - unit measures — including increased natural gas use, renewable energy, and energy efficiency — to reduce CO2 emissions by an interim (2020) and then final (2030) deadline. 

# Proposed 111(d) Rule for Existing 

# Power Plants

# 111(d) Rule for Existing Power Plants Outreach on Proposal • EPA provided tools and guidance to stakeholders including • Face -to -face meetings • Conference calls • Webinars • Websites • Many, many meetings held with individual stakeholders and associations (such as ECOs, NCSL, National Association of State Energy Officials, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners) • FERC held four technical conferences to consider how the rule might affect • Reliability • Wholesale electric markets and operations • Energy infrastructure

# The comment period closed December 1, 2014

• Nearly 

## 4,000,000 comments were submitted on the proposed rule • Comments were submitted by all 50 states, environmental and energy associations and interests, business associations, small businesses, chambers of commerce, faith leaders, public health interests, parent associations, community groups, and others • More than 30,000 comments were non - duplicative and not part of mass mail campaigns.

# Some general comment themes • Legal authority • Calculation of state goals • Reliability 

### • Stranded assets • Timelines too short: legislation, multi - state plans • Exporters vs importers, credit for ee

# Next steps Publish final rules for • New power plants (CAA Section 111(b)) • Modified and reconstructed power plants (CAA Section 111(b )) • Existing power plants (CAA Section 111(d)) – The Clean Power Plan State Plans due summer 2016

# Next steps ( con’t) Publish proposed Federal Implementation Plan • States that fail to submit plans, or that submit plans that EPA deems inadequate to achieve the guidelines, become subject to a “Federal Plan.” • EPA’s strong preference is for states to adopt and submit state compliance plans. One of our goals in proposing the federal plan is to provide states with information and ideas as they begin thinking about their own plans.

# Outreach after release of the final rule • Once the rule is final, EPA will • Hold teleconferences with media, states, tribes, industry stakeholders, associations, etc. • Hold webinars and posting training video module tutorials to provide more in depth information about particular aspects of the rule and allow for questions • Post fact sheets, guidance and tools for understanding and implementing the rule. http ://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplantoolbox

# For more information Becky Cook-Shyovitz, Intergovernmental Liaison, EPA HQ Cook-Shyovitz.Becky@epa.gov 202.564.5340 Kate Kelly, Director, EPA Region 10 Office of Air, Waste and Toxics Kelly.kate@epa.gov 

### 206.553.1271 • http://www2.epa.gov/carbon - pollution - standards • http://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplantoolbox