New action to save our planet by the United States
July 2, 2013 5:59 pm“Setting the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants is a historic step toward addressing climate change. President Obama understands that we must tackle this dangerous pollution head on so future generations can have cleaner air and water. Just as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken steps to clean up mercury, arsenic and lead, limiting carbon pollution is another step to protect public health and preserve our Great Lakes way of life”
Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the US. Power plants account for 40 percent of our nation’s carbon emissions and the majority of these come from burning coal. Regulations for new power plants are much stricter than those applied to existing power plants. Therefore, new regulations are needed to address the old coal-fired plants. If reducing their CO2 emissions by installing air pollution abatement systems is too expensive perhaps they will eventually need to be shutdown.
Currently, federal loans are available for projects that capture and bury carbon dioxide produced at power plants. However, utilities that rely on using natural gas to generate electricity instead of coal emit substantially less CO2 per kwH.
“Hugh Wynne, an analyst at Bernstein Research, estimates that a 20 percent nationwide reduction in carbon dioxide emissions would increase retail power prices by about 1 cent per kilowatt hour, or 9 percent. At current rates of electricity use, that would add $9 or so to an average American’s monthly bill. Obama’s plan seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 17 percent from their 2005 level by 2020.”
The Clean Air Act has provided $4-$8 in benefits for every $1 spent on compliance. The EPA is expected to help cut carbon pollution from the nation’s power plants by more than 25 percent over the next seven years, reducing illnesses and CO2 effect on climate change. For less than $4 billion in investments in new technologies and clean energy Americans will see a $26-$60 billion return and new jobs.
Moreover, homeowner’s and companies that install energy-efficiency improvements like dual-pane windows, insulation, and new heating and cooling systems stand to receive cash incentives from their utility providers. Many incentive programs are available throughout the nation to help reduce the upfront cost of long-term energy savings. America is moving faster toward cleaner sources of energy and using less of it overall.
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Tags: EPA & regulation
Categorised in: EPA
