In recent years, the power plants emissions in the US have seen a reduction due to cheaper renewable energy. But still, the power sector is the 2nd largest greenhouse gas source in the United States, contributing to a quarter of the country’s total emissions. To control this Biden Administration targets power plants to cut carbon emissions.

On Thursday, the United States announced a revolutionary set of new rules to be implemented from 2032. It states, coal-fired plants will need to eliminate almost all their carbon emissions, or they will have to shut down altogether.

This step is a crucial part of Joe Biden’s agenda to tackle climate crises. The final rule is different from the past proposal in some ways. However, later this year, they are planning to reveal the details regarding the existing gas plants.

Environmental groups are quite happy with these laws and hail them as a game-changer. These regulations will make new, powerful gas-fired plants reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 90%. To achieve these targets, experts are preferring carbon capture technology.

Not just pollution but Biden-Harris action plan working for affordable energy, housing, and climate solutions.

Highlights of the Updated Rules

  • The coal plants now have an additional 2 years to comply.
  • The emissions will still apply to all coal plants that don’t have firm commitments to retire by 2039, which is a year before what the earlier proposal suggested.
  • With new version, the threshold for classifying new gas plants as high capacity is lower than before. As a result, these plants will be subject to stricter regulations.

Michael Regan, the chief of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said, “We are committed to the integrated priorities of ensuring US energy security, protecting people from pollution and fighting the climate crisis.”

According to the Agency’s estimation, by 2047, it is possible to ward off 1.4 billion metric tonnes of carbon and prevent it from entering the atmosphere. This amount is equivalent to total GHG emissions from the power sector in 2022.

Lori Bird, director of the US Energy Program of the World Resources Institute, said, “The days of unlimited carbon pollution are over. This rule is a massive step forward in the Biden Administration’s efforts to fight the climate crisis.”

Director Bird considers this move a powerful punch. It was brought into light after the administration revealed their tough new vehicle emission standards.

Concerns Surrounding

The Biden Administration targets power plants to cut carbon emissions through this proposal as it was drafted and published in 2023. It received criticism from the industry and concern from certain environmental groups at that time either.

  • These groups believed the reductions needed to happen sooner and should be more substantial.
  • There were also worries that the proposal promoted the use of carbon capture to achieve these emission reductions.
  • The technology is still fairly new and will let fossil fuel plants find loopholes to dump their other pollutants on vulnerable communities.

Some Groups are Happy, Some are Not

Environmentalist groups are surely relieved by this rule but not everyone is happy. Republicans and industry groups thrashed the rule and it is likely to receive legal challenges.

Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said, “For the last three years, the administration has methodically developed and executed a comprehensive strategy to force the closure of well-operating coal plants.”

These carbon rules are just the start, the Biden administration has also approved three new regulations regarding reducing mercury, water pollution, and ash discharges from coal plants.

Source: Biden administration rule will cut carbon pollution from power plants

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Elliot is a passionate environmentalist and blogger who has dedicated his life to spreading awareness about conservation, green energy, and renewable energy. With a background in environmental science, he has a deep understanding of the issues facing our planet and is committed to educating others on how they can make a difference.

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