Obama Calls for 30 Percent Reduction in Power Plant Emissions
New rules seek to curtail carbon from existing power plants.
The Obama Administration announced sweeping new rules for existing coal-fired power plants on Monday that would cut emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.
The much anticipated rules—called the Clean Power Plan—were unveiled by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday morning.
The proposal "will maintain an affordable, reliable energy system, while cutting pollution and protecting our health and environment now and for future generations," the agency said in a statement. (See related story: "One Key Question on Obama's Push Against Climate Change: Will It Matter?")
The plan will lead to public health and climate benefits worth an estimated $48 billion to $82 billion in 2030, the agency says.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other critics have said the
