President Obama’s Climate Initiative

• Congressional Gridlock• Executive Action

CLOSING THE POWER PLANT CARBON POLLUTION LOOPHOLE

CLOSING THE POWER PLANT CARBON POLLUTION LOOPHOLE:SMART WAYS THE CLEAN AIR ACT CAN CLEAN UP AMERICA’SBIGGEST CLIMATE POLLUTERS

Clean Air Act of 1970

• Authorizes EPA to reduce air pollution • So far, 70 pollutants have been regulated• Now, carbon pollution• Cleared by Supreme Court

Section 111 of the Clean Air Act

• 111(b) = new power plants• 111(d) = existing power plants

The Action Timeline

• 1/20/13: President Obama takes office

• 11/2013: Proposed rules for new plants

• 6/2014: Proposed rules for existing plants

• 6/2015: Final rules for new and existing plants

• 6/2016: State Implementation Plans (SIPs)

Standards & Plans

• EPA Releases Standards– CO2 Emission Targets

– Compliance Guidelines

• States submit Implementation Plans– How they will meet the targets

State Implementation Plan• Flexible• 50 States, 50 Plans

SIPs Have Two Goals

• Keep Delivering the Power We Need• Reduce Emissions

These are Compatible

Energy Yoga Part 1• Inflexible approach

– Emission reductions only “Inside the Fence Line”• Improved efficiency of fuel burning• Cleaner fuels• Capture or Sequester Carbon

– No renewables

Energy Yoga Part 2• Flexible approach AKA “System-based”

– Reductions both Inside & Outside the Fence Line• Anything inside the fence line, PLUS• Conservation, efficiency & renewables

– States can cooperate– More methods for reductions = more reductions– Most cost-effective way

Good Cop / Bad Cop, Part 1• How much Power Do We Need to Deliver?

– Bad Cop: “Keep wasting power = more $ for ME!”– Good Cop: “Conserve, be efficient = more $ for the rest of us!”

Good Cop / Bad Cop, Part 2• Reduce Emissions

– Bad Cop: “Keep burning fossil fuels”• Switch to gas• Spend $$ on “Clean Coal” technology• Bad because CO2 emissions persist

– Good Cop: “Go to clean energy, conservation, etc”

• Substitute renewables for fossil fuels• Get to zero emissions sooner

Flexible Compliance Options

Good Plan

• Close the Dirtiest Plants• Switch to Cleaner Fuels on Remaining Plants• Aggressive Conservation and Efficiency• Bring Renewables Online ASAP

Benefits to Action

• 210,000 jobs, nationwide• Reduce future social costs (health,

food, sea level rise, environmental devastation…)

Local Impacts

• How this will affect our city, our state