The Environmental Protection Agency announced a delay in implementing rules to reduce emissions from existing natural gas plants that release harmful air pollutants and contribute to global warming. The agency is still moving forward with finalizing rules for coal-fired power plants and new gas plants that have not yet come online, aiming to slow down planet-warming pollution from the power sector, which is the nation's second-largest contributor to climate change.
The EPA's decision to review standards for existing gas plants and expand the rules to cover more pollutants follows concerns raised by environmental justice groups. These groups argued that the initial plan allowed excessive toxic air pollution, disproportionately affecting low-income neighborhoods near industrial sites.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan described the new approach as a 'stronger, more durable' strategy that will lead to greater emissions reductions and better protection for vulnerable communities impacted by toxic air pollution from power plants.
While some environmentalists expressed disappointment over the delay in finalizing carbon pollution standards for existing gas plants, others welcomed the comprehensive approach that aims to cover all gas plants operating in the U.S.
The EPA's proposed regulation, issued in May 2023, targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal and gas-fired plants, as well as future gas plants planned by the power industry. The rule could result in significant carbon dioxide reductions and help move towards a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.
The EPA's plan, expected to be finalized this spring, may face challenges from industry groups and Republican-leaning states concerned about potential grid reliability issues. The rule is part of a series of EPA regulations aimed at limiting power plant emissions and wastewater treatment.
The revised plan reflects a commitment to developing comprehensive and thoughtful rulemaking for existing gas plants, taking into account the concerns of environmental justice communities to protect human and environmental health across the country.
