President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced plans to curb planet-warming emissions from the nation's power stations, as part of the United States' efforts to combat climate change.
“EPA’s proposal relies on proven, readily available technologies to limit carbon pollution and seizes the momentum already underway in the power sector to move toward a cleaner future,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. Emissions from US power plants have been steadily declining, thanks to a rapid drop in the cost of renewables. But the sector is still responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gasses produced by the world’s largest economy.
For example, coal-fired plants that don’t have commitments to retire by 2040 would be required to remove 90 percent of their carbon starting from 2030. Carbon capture has been criticized by environmental groups who argue it perpetuates the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.