Same-State Regulators and Lawmakers Approach Existing Power Rules from Opposite Angles

Coal-state champions in Congress have expressed grave concerns about how U.S. EPA's forthcoming carbon emissions rule for today's power plants might affect their home-state utilities.

It is unclear what kind of rule EPA might ultimately propose for existing power plants or whether it will have the kind of ramifications coal-state representatives envision.  The agency is in an information-gathering phase before the rule-making process begins, and both the president and EPA have pledged to consult states and utilities throughout.

What is clear is that the statute itself gives states substantial latitude to decide how EPA's emissions-reduction guidelines will be met.  States must submit their implementation plans to EPA for approval, but state air regulators and public utility commissioners say EPA is already reaching out to them about what kinds of emissions-control options might be available that will not drive up costs or jeopardize reliability.

Same-State Regulators and Lawmakers Approach Existing Power Rules from Opposite Angles