Subcommittees Discuss Necessary New Source Performance Standard Emission Regulations
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Environment and Subcommittee on Energy held a joint hearing to address the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) first uniform national standards on carbon emissions for new power plants.
The EPA proposed New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) emission limits for carbon dioxide on September 20, 2013 in keeping with its mission to protect public health and safeguard the environment. These regulations set emission limits for carbon dioxide generated by new coal-fired power plants, curbing greenhouse gas emissions to, “protect public health and address climate change while ensuring reliable, affordable, and clean power for American businesses and families,” as stated by EPA. Democratic Members discussed the new regulations and what they believe to be its catalytic impact on industry.
Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy Eric Swalwell (D-CA) remarked in his opening statement, “I have repeatedly said that I am for an “all of the above” approach to energy production as we transition to clean energy technologies. But I have also made it clear that, as part of this “all of the above” approach, we must take steps to ensure that we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lessening their impact on human health, the environment, and the global climate. That is exactly what the proposed standards for new coal and natural gas burning plants aim to do, which is why I support their implementation. The President made it clear in his State of the Union Address back in January that, in the absence of Congressional action, his Administration was going to take the lead in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These proposed standards reflect that commitment, and I fully support the President in this effort.”
In her opening statement, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) said, “We must do a better job of preventing the harmful effects of carbon dioxide emissions produced by natural gas and coal-fired power plants. The coal industry’s claims that the new carbon rule will kill jobs and bring down our recovering economy are scare tactics that have no basis in reality. The EPA proposal will not apply to existing power plants. The new rule will only apply to new coal-fired powered plants that will be built in the future. The future of our planet and our environment depends on us making smart investments in innovative environmental protection technologies and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases we emit into our environment. The new EPA rule under the Clean Air Act will incentivize the development of these new technologies that will in turn result in a safer, more secure, and less carbon dependent energy future.”
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