Last September 2013, the Obama administration revealed the national limits for carbon emissions – the first ever in the history of the oil and gas industry. Administrator Gina McCarthy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in her statement that the agency released a proposed regulation that was molded through years of legal and political battles. The EPA proposal outlined the needed strategy to put into effect President Obama’s vision for climate change which he laid out earlier last year.
McCarthy discussed five key points that EPA sought to establish:
Climate change will always be an issue of Human Health
Under the clean air act, EPA’s legal obligation to deal with carbon dioxide pollution falls on the protection of human health. McCarthy divulged in her statement that it is a known issue that when it gets hotter, smog is even worse and as a result, people from all age groups suffers. The reason for focusing on health is not just because it is more resonant but it has long-term effects on the planet.
The Technology is Now beyond Reach
In McCarthy’s statement, she said that EPA was confident enough that the proposed standards for carbon dioxide emissions were both achievable and flexible. These standards will pave a path moving forward for power plants in the next generations to come. As of today, EPA believe that four (4) power plants which are currently under construction or in the planning stage that will adapt the carbon capture technology needed to meet the stringent new power plant standards.
The Auto Industry as a Model
The Obama administration is seeking to repeat the success of the power industry in formulating a deal with the auto industry in a tandem to increase the current fuel economy standards. The said deal will set the leverage the standards while at the same time reducing the carbon emissions from transportation. McCarthy said that indicating the auto industry as a thriving model will serve as a starting line to reduce carbon dioxide pollution and enhance competitiveness.
Moving from Coal to Natural Gas
On the new proposed regulations, coal power plants were expected to limit emissions of just about 1,100 pounds carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour electricity they generate. That said a reduction of over 40% should be met by current coal power plants in the US which currently averages 1,800 pounds of carbon dioxide. The proposed limit is already achievable by combined-cycle natural plants which produces only about 1,000 pounds carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour. This framework can pave the economic push to natural gas.
More Proposals on Old Power Plants
McCarthy reiterated that the proposal on the new limits on carbon dioxide emissions only applies to new power plants. The EPA is yet to work on a separate proposal that will target on difficult issues on what to do with existing power plants which is the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. By June 2014, a new proposal will be unveiled for comment as a result of working with environmental groups and other organizations to come up with a solid plan. She added that the EPA will have a more flexible approach considering regional differences.
About The Author:
Syreil Jude is a seasoned elearning professional and a subject matter expert on corporate compliance and workplace safety. Her experience in B2B is focused mainly on providing online training in the corporate setting. Currently, she is focused on understanding the dynamics of EHS training as well as the importance of compliance training in business. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
0 comments :
Post a Comment