Power plants are the largest source of emissions in the United States accounting for one-third of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions. The United States as no binding emissions goals like the EU does, and
has not been able to agree on a carbon tax, cap and trade or a clean
energy standard. About 36 states have a
mandatory or voluntary renewable portfolio standards (RPS) or renewable
energy standard (RES). In 2009, the Envirnonmental Protection agency (EPA) determined that greenhouse gas pollution is causing long lasting changes in Earth’s climate that can have negative effects on human health and the environment.
In March 2013 the EPA proposed the first carbon pollution standard for new power plants. It proposed that new fossil‐fuel‐fired power plants meet an output‐based standard of 1,000 pounds of CO2
per megawatt‐hour (lb CO2/MWh gross).
Last week the EPA isued a revised proposal for Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants. Under the latest proposal, new large natural gas-fired turbines would need to meet a limit of 1,000 pounds of CO2 per MWh, while new small natural gas-fired turbines would need to meet a limit of 1,100 pounds of CO2 per MWh. New coal-fired units would need to meet a limit of 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour, and would have the option to choose to average emissions over multiple years.
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