## EPA FACT SHEET: Proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants On March 27, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants. This common-sense step underthe Clean Air Act would, for the firsttime, set national limits on the amount of carbon pollution power plants, built in the future, can emit. EPA's proposed standard reflects the ongoing trend in the powersector to build cleaner plants thattake advantage ofAmerican-made technologies. The agency's proposal, which does not applyto plants currently operating or new permitted plants that begin construction overthe next 12 months, is flexible and would help minimize carbon pollution through the deployment ofthe same types of modern technologies and steps that power companies are already taking to build the next generation of power plants. EPA's proposal would ensure thatthis progress toward a cleaner, safer and more modern powersector continues. Power plants are the largest individual sources of carbon pollution in the United States and currentlythere are no uniform national limitson the amount ofcarbon pollution thatfuture power plants will be able to emit. Consistent with the US Supreme Court's decision, in 2009, EPA determinedthat greenhouse gas pollutionthreatens Americans' health and welfare by leadingto long lasting changes in our climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment. FUTURE POWER PLANTS • The nation's electricity comes from diverse and largely domestic energy sources, includingfossil fuels, nuclear, hydro and, increasingly, renewable energy sources. The proposed standard would notchange this fact, and EPA putafocus on ensuringthis standard provides a pathwayforward for a range ofimportantdomestic resources, including coal with technologiesthat reduce carbon emissions. • The proposed rule would apply onlyto newfossil-fuel-fired electric utilitygenerating units (EGUs). For purposes ofthis rule, fossil-fuel-fired EGUs include fossil-fuel-fired boilers, integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) units and stationary combined cycle turbine units that generate electricityfor sale and are largerthan 25 megawatts 

### (MW). • EPA's proposal reflects the ongoing trend in the power sector-a shifttoward cleaner power plants thattake advantage ofmodern technologiesthatwill become the next generation of power plants. EPA's proposed rule would ensure this progress continues. • New plants can choose to burn anyfossil fuel to generate electricity, including natural 

### 1gas as well as coal with the help oftechnologies that reduce carbon emissions.. • The proposal would not apply to: o Existing units including modifications such as changes needed to meetother air pollution standards o New power plant unitsthat have permits and start construction within 

### 12 months ofthis proposal; or units lookingto renew permits that are partofa Departmentof Energy demonstration project, provided thatthese units start construction within 

### 12 months ofthis proposal. These units are called**"transitional~~** units. o New units located in non-continental areas, which include Hawaii and the territories. o New units that do not burn fossil fuels (e.g., burn biomass only). 

### PRACTICAL, FLEXIBLE, ACHIEVABLE • EPA's proposed standard reflects the ongoing trend in the power sectorto build cleaner plants, including new, clean-burning, efficient natural gas generation, which is already thetechnology ofchoice for newand planned power plants. • Atthe same time, the rule creates a path forward for newtechnologies to be deployed atfuture facilities thatwould allow companies to burn coal, while emitting less carbon pollution. • EPA is proposing that newfossil-fuel-fired power plants meetan output-based standard of 

### 1,000 pounds ofC02per megawatt-hour (lb C02/MWh gross). • New natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant units should be able to meetthe proposed standard without add-on controls. In fact, based on available data, EPA believes that nearly all 

### (95%) ofthe NGCC units built recently (since 

### 2005) would meet the standard. • New power plants that are designed to use coal or petroleum coke would be able to incorporate technologyto reduce carbon dioxide emissions to meetthe standard, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS). • Some states, including Washington, Oregon and California, currently limitGHG pollution. Otherstates, including Montana and Illinois, currently require CCS for new coal generation.
2• As part ofourfocus on ensuring continued use ofa diverse range ofdomestically produced fuel sources, the proposed standard provides flexibilities for new power plants to phase in technology to reduce carbon pollution. New power plantsthat use CCS would have the option to use a30-year average ofC02 emissions to meetthe proposed standard, ratherthan meetingthe annual standard each year. o Plants that install and operate CCS right awaywould have the flexibility to emit more C02 in the early years as they learn howto best optimizethe controls. o A company could build a coal-fired plant and add CCS later. For example, a new power plant could emit more C02forthefirst 10years and then emit less forthe next 20 years, as long as the average ofthose emissions metthe standard. o CCS is expected to become more widely available, which should lead to lower costs and improved performance overtime. • EPA, DOE, and industry projections indicatethat, due tothe economics ofcoal and natural gas among otherfactors, new power plants that are built in overthe next decade or morewould be expected to meetthis proposed standard even inthe absence ofthe rule. • Because this standard is in line with current industry investment patterns, this proposed standard is notexpected to have notable costs and is not projected to impactelectricity prices or reliability. POWER PLANT CARBON POLLUTION IMPACTS PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT • This standard ensures that power companies investing in long-lived new fossil fuel fired power plants will use clean technologies that limit harmful carbon pollution. • Carbon pollution stays in the atmosphere and contributesto climate change, which is a threatto public health and the environmentfor current and future generations. • EPA is taking common-sense steps to limitthese emissions, by addressing emissions from fossil-fired power plants, which are the largest new sources of carbon pollution. • Unchecked greenhouse gas pollution threatensAmericans' health and welfare by leading to long-lasting changes in our climate, with impacts that could include: o Increased ground level ozone pollution, otherwise known as smog. Exposure to ground level ozone is linked to asthma and premature death. o Longer, more intense and morefrequent heatwaves. o More intense precipitation events and storm surges. o Less precipitation and more prolonged drought in the West and Southwest. 

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### o Morefires and insect pest outbreaks in American forests, especially in theWest. • The health risks from climate change are especially serious for children, the elderly, and those with heartand respiratory problems. 

### OPEN, TRANSPARENT PROCESS • In early 2011, EPA held several listening sessions togain important information and feedback from key stakeholders and the public before initiatingthe rulemaking process to set Carbon Pollution Standard for new power plants. Each listening session included a round table discussion and public comments. EPA also solicited written comments. EPA considered these commentswhen draftingthis proposal. • The EPAwill accept comment on this proposed rule for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. • EPA will hold public hearings on this proposal. The dates, times, and locations ofthe public hearings will be available soon. They will be published in the Federal Register and also listed on www.epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard 

### BACKGROUND • On April 2, 2007, in a landmark decision in 

### Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court determined that greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, are air pollutants under the Clean AirAct and EPA must determine iftheythreaten public health and welfare. • On December 15,2009,the EPAAdministratorfound thatthe current and projected concentrations ofgreenhouse gases endanger the public health and welfare ofcurrent and future generations. • On December 23, 2010, EPA announced a proposed settlementagreementto issue rules thatwould address GHG pollution from certain fossil fuel-fired EGUs. This agreement addressed, in part, EPA's September2007 remand of its February 2006 final decision not to set standards for boilers. 

### HOW TO COMMENT • EPAwill accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Comments on the proposed standard should be identified by Docket ID No. EPAHQ-OAR-2011-0660. All comments may be submitted by one ofthe following methods: • www.regulations.gov: Followthe on-line instructions for submitting comments.

4• E-mail: Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to a-and-rDocket@epa.gov. • Fax: Fax your commentsto: 202-566-1741. • Mail: Send your comments to: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20460. • Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver your comments to: EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted duringthe Docket's normal hours ofoperation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. • EPA will hold public hearings on this proposal. The dates, times, and locations ofthe public hearings will be available soon. Theywill be published in the Federal Register and also listed on www.epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard FOR MORE INFORMATION • The proposed rule called "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric UtilityGenerating Units" is posted at: www.epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard.



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