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The Trump administration wants to soften an Obama era rule that forced coal plants to use expensive technology to control carbon emissions.
Branden Camp / AP
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Branden Camp / AP
The Trump Administration wants to relax an Obama era rule requiring coal-fired power plants to resort to expensive technology to control carbon emissions.
Branden Camp / AP
The Trump administration intends to remove the requirement, in Obama's day, that new coal-fired power plants have expensive technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions.
This latest administrative effort to boost the fossil fuel industries comes as leaders from nearly 200 countries gather in Poland to discuss how to keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. And among reports indicating that CO2 emissions are increasing again, as well as the report of the own administration, according to which climate change is causing more and more extreme weather events and could potentially harm the US economy.
Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to revise "new source performance standards" for coal-fired power plants, allowing coal-fired generators to emit more CO2 per megawatt-hour of electricity produced . This would lighten the Obama-era regime that was a central target of the "coal war" accusations on the part of critics.
The coal industry argues that the demands of the Obama administration made it virtually impossible to build new coal-fired power plants. requiring expensive technologies such as carbon capture and storage.
Andrew Wheeler, interim administrator of the EPA, a former lobbyist of the coal industry, echoed this argument in announcing the proposed rule change.
"By replacing heavy regulations with stringent but achievable standards, we can continue the historical energy production of the United States, keep energy prices affordable and encourage new ones. investments in advanced technologies that can then be exported worldwide, "said Wheeler. .
Environmental groups argue that to reduce the risks of climate change, the world will have to stop burning coal.
"This is only a reckless move by a misguided administration that will be severely judged by future generations," said David Doniger, Senior Strategic Director of Natural's Climate & Clean Energy Program. Resources Defense. "The proposal presented today is nothing more than an unwise attempt by the Trump administration to back up their false and falsified accounts of coal recovery at the expense of science, public safety and security. the reality, "said Mary Anne Hitt, senior director of the Sierra Club's" Beyond Coal "campaign
In fact, it is unclear if the change would help the struggling coal industry. In recent years, it has stopped building new plants and closed its old ones.
The Federal Energy Information Administration reports that US coal consumption has declined over the last decade and is expected to reach its lowest level in 39 years. While the use of coal is increasing in China and India, coal is struggling in the United States to compete with cheaper electricity produced from natural gas and renewable energy.
But coal industry officials say this change in rules will always help.
"It would appear that this proposal will allow new coal-fired power plants to become a viable option for the future in the United States," said Michelle Bloodworth, President and CEO of the American Coalition for Clean. Coal Electricity. [19659008] This is the latest in a series of activities undertaken by the Trump administration to help the coal industry. Previous actions include easing Obama 's regulations on carbon and mercury emissions, as well as removing existing regulations governing coal ash.
EPA will collect public comments on the proposal for 60 days and consider holding a public hearing on the proposed rule change.
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