Obama Administration Adopts Landmark Clean Power Plan

By Robert Fleishman, Chris Carr, Joseph Palmore, William Sloan, Megan Jennings, and Lala Wu

Citing "immediate risks" to national security, public health, and the economy, the Obama Administration adopted ambitious regulations and policies to implement its Clean Power Plan, establishing the first ever national standards to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing power plants. The final rule, issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on August 3, 2015, requires states to reduce carbon emissions from power plants 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. If fully implemented, the rule will have significant implications for how energy is generated, transmitted, and consumed in the United States.