EPA plans to repeal Obama-era Clean Power Plan

[Theinquisition]

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/e...173500736.html

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Scott Pruitt, announced today he would sign a proposed rule that would withdraw the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan (CPP). "Here's the president's message: The war on coal is over," Pruitt said today during a speech given in Hazard, Kentucky.

The CPP was initially proposed by the EPA in 2014 and President Obama revealed a final version of the plan in 2015. But the the CPP, which stipulated that power companies had until 2030 to reduce their carbon emissions by 32 percent relative to 2005 levels, never really got a chance to have an impact. Soon after it was introduced, a number of states challenged the legality of the plan and 29 went so far as to petition the Supreme Court to halt its implementation until a court could review it. In a five to four vote, the Supreme Court justices granted that stay. The case, brought forth by over a dozen states, has remained in limbo at the DC Circuit US Court of Appeals while the Trump administration has considered what to do. In March, the president signed an executive order directing agencies to review regulations that might impede the coal industry, which included the CPP. Today's announcement from Pruitt is an expected result of that order.

The Trump administration has presented opposition to environmental regulations from the very start. It has specifically targeted regulations enacted by the Obama administration, cut funding for climate-focused programs and withdrawn the US from the Paris climate change agreement. Dissolving the CPP is just the latest in a series of moves aimed at rolling back environmental protections in favor of boosting struggling fossil fuel industries.

As of now, the EPA hasn't said whether it will replace the CPP with some watered down version, but Reuters reports that the agency said it would be releasing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit ideas for a possible replacement.

This is sure to russle some jimmies

[Sky High]

wooo gotta fill those non existent coal jobs wooo.

[Robozerim]

From the sounds of the article, the bill wasn't doing anything to begin with. Repealing it therefore would do nothing as well, it's a PR stunt more than anything. It'll make much of his base happy, it'll make anybody who doesn't believe in or doesn't care about man made climate change happy, and it'll infuriate people that do believe/care that also think the plan was doing anything to begin with. Nothing really to see here.

[Deleted]

Actually quite okay with something like that, because a law like that just swimming for years in the legal system would likely not amount to anything. Somehow making it about ending war on coal that's just so transparently virtue signalling that it comes off as almost insulting.

[GreenJesus]

Cool. So Trump implemented what 29/50 states have been fighting for.

[Garnier Fructis]

It's not like it really does anything, given that the plan has been tangled up in the courts pretty much this whole time.

The only effect the repeal has is long term, i.e. post 2020, and that's assuming that Democrats don't just hit the redo button with actual legislation next time they control the Presidency and Congress.

And make no mistake, some sort of emissions control is inevitable. So enjoy the short term trolling, I guess?

[Stop Pretending]

" War on coal ." Coal is dead, by it's own doing, and natural gas.

[Deleted]

All those old people, with one foot in the grave, what do they care about the environment. They'd burn the planet down if it meant they could get just a bit richer for the last five years of their lives.

[PC2]

Good move. Fossil fuel is not the all time best possible energy platform, but it's still a good energy source to use while building up alternative infrastructure.

[Milchshake]

• So Trump and his Orthodox Republican administration are going to prop-up inefficient coal and nuclear power plants with your tax dolars. When solar and gas can provide cheaper power.
• I'm-Not-A-Trump-Voter^tm(but I copypasta everything from The_Donald) and "Let the Free Market Decide" independents on the forum are totally ok with this. Because it will piss off liberals.
• Remember everyone, its the otherside that's pandering to identity politics!

[Deleted]

Tbh I want to read more about "how many Americans take Trump serious this week?" every week than this failure to try again to do something. He already prays and begs that his external policy may do something for him.

[PC2]

• So Trump and his Orthodox Republican administration are going to prop-up inefficient coal and nuclear power plants with your tax dolars. When solar and gas can provide cheaper power.
• I'm-Not-A-Trump-Voter^tm(but I copypasta everything from The_Donald) and "Let the Free Market Decide" independents on the forum are totally ok with this. Because it will piss off liberals.
• Remember everyone, its the otherside that's pandering to identity politics!

Identity politics is about invoking tribal perspectives. Energy policy based on the economy, jobs, or cost is not identity politics.

[Draco-Onis]

Identity politics is about invoking tribal perspectives. Energy policy based on the economy, jobs, or cost is not identity politics.

Well if you are talking about energy policies it makes zero sense to try to keep coal jobs, the future is green energy in the meantime natural gas beats coal in every way imaginable. And last but not least the coal industry has succumbed to automation so even if some magic wand reversed the ongoing trend machines have already taken the jobs of most of the miners. There is no way this make sense if the goal is to help coal miners best plan is to educate them so they can work in natural gas or green jobs.

[Mormolyce]

Just so everyone is clear, this policy set CO2 emission reduction targets for the states. Coal might be the biggest offender but it's not the only one.

Requirements
The plan will require individual states to meet specific standards with respect to reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.[19] States are free to reduce emissions by various means, and must submit emissions reductions plans by September 2016, or, with an extension approval, by September 2018.[20] If a state has not submitted a plan by then, the EPA will impose its own plan on that state.[20]

The EPA divided the country into three regions based on connected regional electricity grids to determine a state's goal.[21] States are to implement their plans by focusing on three building blocks: increasing the generation efficiency of existing fossil fuel plants, substituting lower carbon dioxide emitting natural gas generation for coal powered generation, and substituting generation from new zero carbon dioxide emitting renewable sources for fossil fuel powered generation.[22]

States may use regionally available low carbon generation sources when substituting for in-state coal generation and coordinate with other states to develop multi-state plans.[22]

Benefits
The EPA estimates the Clean Power Plan will reduce the pollutants that contribute to smog and soot by 25 percent, and the reduction will lead to net climate and health benefits of an estimated $25 billion to $45 billion per year in 2030. That includes the avoidance of 140,000 to 150,000 asthma attacks among children and 2,700 to 6,600 premature deaths.[23] EPA projects that the plan will save the average American family $85 per year in energy bills in 2030, and it will save enough energy to power 30 million homes and save consumers $155 billion from 2020–2030. The plan would create 30 percent more renewable energy generation in 2030 and help to lower the costs of renewable energy.[24] It also would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, according to the NRDC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Power_Plan

[PC2]

Well if you are talking about energy policies it makes zero sense to try to keep coal jobs, the future is green energy in the meantime natural gas beats coal in every way imaginable. And last but not least the coal industry has succumbed to automation so even if some magic wand reversed the ongoing trend machines have already taken the jobs of most of the miners. There is no way this make sense if the goal is to help coal miners best plan is to educate them so they can work in natural gas or green jobs.

I agree that people have to re-educate to work in modern industries. I also hate the typical line which is that blue collar workers cant become STEM workers. People have to go to where the jobs are going, defeatism is not okay.

[Theinquisition]

I agree that people have to re-educate to work in modern industries. I also hate the typical line which is that blue collar workers cant become STEM workers. People have to go to where the jobs are going, defeatism is not okay.

Indeed,

Many of the jobs I know of in Alternate Energy don't even require a degree. I have several friends, who after getting out of the service, got jobs assembling generators for wind farms making very good money.

[Tijuana]

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/e...173500736.html



This is sure to russle some jimmies

More good news coming out of the Trump administration. It seems that for the next year or so, the only things that will get done in Washington, will come from the Executive branch of government. It's a real shame that Democrats are putting partisan bickering above the needs of the people. When you won't even meet and discuss proposals, can you really say you are doing your job, Democrats?

- - - Updated - - -

" War on coal ." Coal is dead, by it's own doing, and natural gas.

Then why does it need to be regulated out of existence???

- - - Updated - - -

Well if you are talking about energy policies it makes zero sense to try to keep coal jobs, the future is green energy in the meantime natural gas beats coal in every way imaginable. And last but not least the coal industry has succumbed to automation so even if some magic wand reversed the ongoing trend machines have already taken the jobs of most of the miners. There is no way this make sense if the goal is to help coal miners best plan is to educate them so they can work in natural gas or green jobs.

But WHY does natural gas beat coal in every way? Because the free market invented fracking, that your side is against. If you got your way, the world would NOT be enjoying a natural gas boom, that has lowered energy costs for everyone around the world.

[Stop Pretending]

Then why does it need to be regulated out of existence???

There's that little bit about it being really bad for the envoirnment, not cost effective, and shitty CEOs not giving their employees a safe working environment.

All things Dotard supporters hate.

[Tijuana]

There's that little bit about it being really bad for the envoirnment, not cost effective, and shitty CEOs not giving their employees a safe working environment.

All things Dotard supporters hate.

You didn't answer the question. If coal is meaningless, and nobody uses it, why does it need to be regulated out of existence? It's either a factor or it's not a factor. Why are you being so WILDLY inconsistent, aside from lame partisanship?

[Theinquisition]

You didn't answer the question. If coal is meaningless, and nobody uses it, why does it need to be regulated out of existence? It's either a factor or it's not a factor. Why are you being so WILDLY inconsistent, aside from lame partisanship?

Indeed.

If it's so damned expensive and awful, why is there a market for it? obviously excessive regulations wouldn't be needed because no one would want to buy it.