BREAKING: Landmark EPA ruling kills coal plant construction in the US

[kgrandia]

Wow. A decision by the Environmental Protection Agency today has ruled that all new and proposed coal-fired power plants must have their carbon dioxide emissions regulated.

What this means is that 30 permits for new coal-fired power plants in the seven state directly regulated by the EPA's permitting process, plus projects on all Indian Reservations will immediately die because of this ruling.

http://www.desmogblog.com/breaking-epa-kills-us-coal-plants

[Deja Q]

1. And done under Bush's term! Obama didn't do it, nah nyah-nee nyah naaaah!

:P

Unless freepers say Obama is pre-emptively working... :eyes:



(Let's get in some nuclear or solar power to compensate)

[GrantDem]

4. Give 'em time...

Limpballs and Hannity will find a way to blame Obama by airtime tonight.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Didn't you hear? Windbag and Insanity were pushing for this to happen.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Great news..

[ComtesseDeSpair]

3. Wow.

I am truly astonished that this sort of ruling could happen pre-Obama.

[RC]

5. bu$h is on his way out. People are starting to do their jobs again.

[kgrandia]

6. goes to show

That pushing the right buttons on environment issues can pay off! Even with Bush still in the White House - just imagine how much will get done with Obama at the reigns!

[wtmusic]

7. Fan. Tastic. I'm gonna grill a steak to celebrate. nt

[aquart]

8. What. Happened?

[bluesmail]

10. Viva Le Revolution. n/t

[bertman]

11. This should spur new technology in a big way. And maybe, just maybe, the power companies

will begin to invest in some type of public education effort as to how to CONSERVE electrical energy. Right now they do everything they can to INCREASE ELECTRICAL USAGE because that's how they grow their industry. No regard whatsoever for the environment--only for the stock price.

We need a NEW GREEN DEAL to get America's homes insulated to modern, green standards and to equip homes with high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment at a minimum. High performance windows and doors would make a huge impact on the energy consumption in the U.S. And just making people aware of how they waste energy would show them how to change their habits for the better. We do not have to live miserable lives just because we reduce our energy consumption.

Next stop: WATER CONSERVATION.

OBAMA'S NEW GREEN DEAL. It's on America's horizon.

[Viking12]

12. You miss interpret the ruling.

The Board remanded the permitting decsion back to the Region and required them to consider "alternatives" as "best available control technology" (BACT).

Relevant Text:

"By our holding today, we do not conclude that the Clean Air Act (or an
2 historical Agency interpretation) requires the Region to impose a CO
BACT limit. Instead, we conclude that the record does not support the
2 Region’s proffered reason for not imposing a CO BACT limit – that
2 although EPA initially could have interpreted the CAA to require a CO
BACT limit, the Region no longer can do so because of an historical
Agency interpretation. Accordingly, we remand the Permit to the Region
2 for it to reconsider whether or not to impose a CO BACT limit and to
develop an adequate record for its decision." (p. 9)

PDF of the Ruling:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oa/EAB_Web_Docket.nsf/PSD+Permit+Appeals+(CAA)/C8C5985967D8096E85257500006811A7/$File/Remand...39.pdf

[kristopher]

13. I don't think so...

Here is the statement from Sierra Club, a party to the lawsuit, I suspect they are in a good position to interpret the significance of the judgment:

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=78902.0

Ruling: Coal Plants Must Limit C02

In a move that signals the start of the our clean energy future, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) ruled today EPA had no valid reason for refusing to limit from new coal-fired power plants the carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. The decision means that all new and proposed coal plants nationwide must go back and address their carbon dioxide emissions.

“Today’s decision opens the way for meaningful action to fight global warming and is a major step in bringing about a clean energy economy,” said Joanne Spalding, Sierra Club Senior Attorney who argued the case. “This is one more sign that we must begin repowering, refueling and rebuilding America.”

“The EAB rejected every Bush Administration excuse for failing to regulate the largest source of greenhouse gases in the United States. This decision gives the Obama Administration a clean slate to begin building our clean energy economy for the 21st century,” continued Spalding

The decision follows a 2007 Supreme Court ruling recognizing carbon dioxide, the principle source of global warming, is a pollutant under the federal Clean Air Act.

“Coal plants emit 30% of our nation’s global warming pollution. Building new coal plants without controlling their carbon emissions could wipe out all of the other efforts being undertaken by cities, states and communities across the country," said Bruce Nilles, Director of the Sierra Club’s National Coal Campaign. “Everyone has a role to play and it’s time that the coal industry did its part and started living up to its clean coal rhetoric.”

The Sierra Club went before the Environmental Appeals Board in May of 2008 to request that the air permit for Deseret Power Electric Cooperative’s proposed waste coal-fired power plant be overturned because it failed to require any controls on carbon dioxide pollution. Deseret Power’s 110 MW Bonanza plant would have emitted 3.37 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.

“Instead of pouring good money after bad trying to fix old coal technology, investors should be looking to wind, solar and energy efficiency technologies that are going to power the economy, create jobs, and help the climate recover,” said Nilles.


Also, from the same page is a link to a history of the lawsuit:
http://www.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/coal/plantlist.asp

BTW: miss interpret or misinterpret?

[Dover]

14. Message from Sierra Club

Welcome to the first day of our clean energy future.

The Sierra Club received word yesterday that we have won a major decision; the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will no longer be able to ignore global warming pollution caused by coal-fired power plants <1>. This victory can be the turning point in our fight for clean energy.

We've stopped virtually all new coal plants dead in their tracks.

This ruling means new and proposed coal plants (over 150 have been proposed in the last two years) must now go back to the drawing board to address their carbon dioxide emissions.

This victory would not have been possible without your support. Will you help keep the clean energy momentum going by donating to the Sierra Club today?

With coal as the single largest cause of our nation's global warming pollution, this is a critical step to ensuring a clean energy future.

And it's just the beginning. The ruling gives us the framework we need to make real progress on replacing coal with new clean energy solutions that will repower our economy and help fight climate change.

We need your help now more than ever. We can seize upon this decision and make it the turning point in our fight for clean energy. Please consider donating to the Sierra Club today.

This major breakthrough will strengthen the efforts of Sierra Club activists from all over the country who have been engaged in fighting new coal plants. Our mandate to put an end to dirty coal has just gotten that much stronger.

This ruling opens a number of new doors to our fight. From giving the Obama administration a clean slate to regulate carbon emissions to fighting for the retirement of the fleet of existing, old, dirty coal plants, there is a lot of work to get started on.

Your donation will ensure we have the resources we need to build upon this victory and continue all our work to protect the environment. Please consider giving today.

Thanks for all you do to protect the environment.

Bruce Nilles
National Director, Sierra Club Coal Campaign

[TheWraith]

15. Good. Anything is better than coal. nt