EPA Introduces Contentious Revised Carbon Pollution Standards For New Power Plants

As we have done previously in this blog, we will highlight from time to time U.S. and foreign developments of potential interest in the regulation of greenhouse gases. While there has been relatively little activity in recent months at the Canadian federal government level in the area of climate change policy, such is not the case south of our border.

On September 20, 2013 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced newly revised pollution standards for new power plants. Currently, there are no American limits at the national level on the amount of carbon pollution new power plants can emit. The proposed rules seek to address this regulatory shortfall and replace a contentious 2012 EPA proposal which received more than 2.5 million comments.