6 Things Every American Should Know About the Clean Power Plan

Release Date: 08/03/2015
Contact Information:

By EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy

Today, President Obama will unveil the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan—a historic step to cut the carbon pollution driving climate change. Here are six key things every American should know:

1. IT SLASHES THE CARBON POLLUTION FUELING CLIMATE CHANGE.

Carbon pollution from power plants is our nation’s biggest driver of climate change—and it threatens what matters most – the health of our kids, the safety of our neighborhoods, and the ability of Americans to earn a living. The Clean Power Plan sets common sense, achievable state-by-state goals to cut carbon pollution from power plants across the country. Building on proven local and state efforts, the Plan puts our nation on track to cut carbon pollution from the power sector 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, all while keeping energy reliable and affordable.


2. IT PROTECTS FAMILIES’ HEALTH.

Cuts to smog and soot that come along with reducing carbon pollution will bring major health benefits for American families. In 2030, this will mean up to 3,600 fewer premature deaths; 90,000 fewer asthma attacks in children; 1,700 fewer hospital admissions; and avoiding 300,000 missed days of school and work. The Clean Power Plan is a historic step forward to give our kids and grandkids the cleaner, safer future they deserve.


What about eliminating all wood fireplaces, wood stoves, etc.?  One of the biggest asthma causes are the plastics in our homes and furniture.  How about eliminating these?

3. IT PUTS STATES IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.

The Clean Power Plan sets uniform carbon pollution standards for power plants across the country—but sets individual state goals based on states’ current energy mix and where they have opportunities to cut pollution. States then customize plans to meet their goals in ways that make sense for their communities, businesses and utilities. States can run their more efficient plants more often, switch to cleaner fuels, use more renewable energy, and take advantage of emissions trading and energy efficiency options.

Because states requested it, EPA is also proposing a model rule states can adopt right away--one that’s cost-effective, guarantees they meet EPA’s requirements, and will let their power plants use interstate trading right away. But states don’t have to use our plan—they can cut carbon pollution in whatever way makes the most sense for them.

The uniform national rates in the Clean Power Plan are reasonable and achievable, because no plant has to meet them alone or all at once. Instead, they have to meet them as part of the grid and over time. In short, the Clean Power Plan puts states in the driver’s seat.

4. IT’S BUILT ON INPUT FROM MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.

The Clean Power Plan reflects unprecedented input from the American people, including 4.3 million comments on the draft plan and input from hundreds of meetings with states, utilities, communities, and others. When folks raised questions about equity and fairness, we listened. That’s why EPA is setting uniform standards to make sure similar plants are treated the same across the country.

When states and utilities expressed concern about how fast states would need to cut emissions under the draft Plan, we listened. That’s why the Clean Power Plan extends the timeframe for mandatory emissions reductions to begin by two years, until 2022, so utilities will have time to make the upgrades and investments they need to.

But to encourage states to stay ahead of the curve and not delay planned investments, or delay starting programs that need time to pay off, we’re creating a Clean Energy Incentive Program to help states transition to clean energy faster.

It’s a voluntary matching fund program states can use to encourage early investment in wind and solar power projects, as well as energy efficiency projects in low-income communities. Thanks to the valuable input we heard from the public, the final rule is even more fair and more flexible, while cutting more pollution.

5. IT WILL SAVE US BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR.

With the Clean Power Plan, America is leading by example—showing the world that climate action is an incredible economic opportunity. By 2030, the net public health and climate-related benefits from the Clean Power Plan are estimated to be worth $45 billion every year. And, by design, the Clean Power Plan is projected to cut the average American’s monthly electricity bill by 7% in 2030. We’ll get these savings by cutting energy waste and beefing up energy efficiency across the board—steps that make sense for our health, our future, and our wallets.

6. IT PUTS THE U.S. IN A POSITION TO LEAD ON CLIMATE ACTION.

Today, the U.S. is generating three times more wind energy and 20 times more solar power than when President Obama took office. And the solar industry is adding jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy. For the first time in nearly three decades, we're importing less foreign oil than we're producing domestically—and using less overall.

Our country’s clean energy transition is happening faster than anyone anticipated—even as of last year when we proposed this rule. The accelerating trend toward clean power, and the growing success of energy efficiency efforts, mean carbon emissions are already going down, and the pace is picking up. The Clean Power Plan will secure and accelerate these trends, building momentum for a cleaner energy future.
Climate change is a global problem that demands a global solution. With the Clean Power Plan, we’re putting America in a position to lead. Since the Plan was proposed last year, the U.S., China and Brazil - three of the world’s largest economies - have announced commitments to significantly reduce carbon pollution. We’re confident other nations will come to the table ready to reach an international climate agreement in Paris later this year.

How about mandating telecommuting of workers wherever this is feasible?  We need to reduce transportation-related emissions.

How about nationalizing our oil and gas to ensure proper development and utilization?

The Final Clean Power Plan: More Ambitious, More Achievable for States, So Claims the U.S. EPA

Release Date: 08/03/2015
Contact Information:
Today, President Obama announced EPA’s historic Clean Power Plan, a first-of-its-kind step to cut the harmful carbon pollution fueling climate change from our nation’s power plants. Climate change threatens our health, our economy, and our way of life with impacts like more intense heat, cold, droughts, floods, fires, and storms. And power plants are our nation’s largest driver of climate change, making up a third of our carbon pollution emissions.
 
Compared with last year’s proposal, the final Clean Power Plan cuts over 70 million more tons of carbon pollution, making it more ambitious. And based on more than two years of extensive outreach, plus the 4.3 million public comments we received, we made changes to improve the proposal, so that the final Clean Power Plan is more achievable and more affordable, too. 
 
There are two key reasons our final rule works: 1) it follows a more traditional Clean Air Act approach to reduce air pollution, and 2) it gives states and utilities even more options and more time to reach their pollution reduction goals.
At the heart of the final Clean Power Plan are its uniform emission rates for fossil fuel power plants. These standards limit the average amount of carbon pollution released for every unit of energy generated – and the standards are now the same in every state for similar types of fossil fuel plants. Based on those standards, EPA’s plan sets state-specific carbon pollution reduction goals that reflect each state’s unique energy mix.
 
Carbon reductions can begin now, and each state needs to hit its interim target by 2022 and its final target by 2030—but no individual plant has to meet the standard alone or all at once. Instead, power plants can work within the electricity grid to meet the standards over time. That means, even though the standards are fair and consistent, they’re not cookie-cutter. States are in the driver’s seat to design approaches that work for them, and the final plan gives utilities more options to reach the interim and final goals.
 
When we hold power plants of the same type to the same standards, we also make sure their reductions are interchangeable – creating a system that’s ready for trading. The built-in ability to trade emissions gives states even more flexibility in how they achieve their carbon pollution reduction goals.
States don’t exist in isolation, and neither do power plants. Utilities have bought, sold and transmitted electricity across state lines for decades, and regional power grids are a major reason electricity is affordable and reliable. Pollution doesn’t stop at state lines either. With the Clean Power Plan, we’re cutting pollution in the same way we generate and distribute electricity—through an interconnected grid. 
 
Because states requested it, we’re also proposing a model rule they can adopt right away: one that’s cost-effective and guarantees they meet EPA’s requirements, and will let their power plants use interstate trading. But they don’t have to use our plan; they can cut carbon pollution in whatever way makes the most sense for them.
Our final rule sets smart, uniform targets for power plants across the country, but that’s nothing new. It’s a proven approach that EPA has used to reduce air pollution under the Clean Air Act for decades. We’re following long-standing legal precedent to create smart, achievable standards and facilitate trading among plants so the cheapest reductions come first. 
 
Cutting carbon pollution from power plants is about tackling the challenge of climate change. This is an opportunity to protect public health, cut pollution from our energy system, and energize our clean economy. Now is the time to build a future that we’ll be proud to leave behind for our children and future generations.

These people are so sold out to special interests, it is amazing that we have not revolted yet.  One of the easy fixes to carbon emissions (although it is too late for the oceans) is to reduce the transportation emissions by mandating certain telecommuting percentages.  We should also mandate more fuel efficient engines in the entire businesses.

President Obama announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final Clean Power Plan today, which will cut U.S. carbon pollution from the power sector by 870 million tons, or 32 percent below 2005 levels, in 2030.

Obama Administration Takes Historic Action on Climate Change/Clean Power Plan to protect public health, spur clean energy investments and strengthen U.S. leadership

Release Date: 08/03/2015
Contact Information: CONTACTS (NEWS MEDIA ONLY): Enesta Jones (National and Trade Press Only) jones.enesta@epa.gov (202) 564-7873 Julia P. Valentine (News Media in EPA Regions 1-5: AL,CT,DE,DC,FL,GA,IL,IN,KY,MD,ME,MI,MN,MS,NC,NJ,NH,NY,OH,PA,PR,RI,SC,TN,VA,VI,VT,WV,WI) valentine.julia@epa.gov (202) 564-2663 Christie St. Clair (News Media in EPA Regions 6-10: AK,AR,CO,IA,ID,KS,LA,MO,MT,ND,NE,NM,OK,OR,SD,TX,UT,WA,WY) stclair.christie@epa.gov (202) 564-2880

WASHINGTON –President Obama announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final Clean Power Plan today, which will cut U.S. carbon pollution from the power sector by 870 million tons, or 32 percent below 2005 levels, in 2030. Power plants are the largest drivers of climate change in the United States, accounting for roughly one-third of all carbon pollution emissions, but there were no national limits on carbon pollution until today.

The Clean Power Plan accelerates the transition to a clean energy future, which is happening even faster than expected—which means carbon and air pollution are already decreasing, improving public health year by year. By 2030, the plan will cut carbon pollution from the power sector by nearly a third and additional reductions will come from pollutants that can create dangerous soot and smog, translating to significant health benefits for the American people. By 2030, emissions of sulfur dioxide from power plants will be 90 percent lower and emissions of nitrogen oxides will be 72 percent lower, compared to 2005 levels. Americans will avoid up to 90,000 asthma attacks and spend up to 300,000 more days in the office or the classroom, instead of sick at home. And up to 3,600 families will be spared the grief of losing a loved one too soon.

“We’re proud to finalize our historic Clean Power Plan. It will give our kids and grandkids the cleaner, safer future they deserve. The United States is leading by example today, showing the world that climate action is an incredible economic opportunity to build a stronger foundation for growth,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “The valuable feedback we received means the final Clean Power Plan is more ambitious yet more achievable, so states can customize plans to achieve their goals in ways that make sense for their communities, businesses and utilities.”

EPA’s plan reflects unprecedented public input, including more than 4.3 million public comments on the proposal, and hundreds of meetings with stakeholders. It works by building on strategies states and businesses are already using. Today, the United States uses three times more wind and 20 times more solar energy than it did in 2009, and the solar industry added jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy. It safeguards energy reliability by setting common-sense, achievable state-by-state goals that build on a rapidly growing clean energy economy and gives states and utilities the time and flexibility they need to meet their goals.

The final rule establishes guidelines for states to follow in developing and implementing their plans, including requirements that vulnerable communities have a seat at the table with other stakeholders. EPA is proposing a model rule states can adopt, as well as a federal plan that the EPA will put in place if a state fails to submit an adequate plan. Both the proposed model rule and federal plan focus on emissions trading mechanisms to make sure utilities have broad flexibility to reach their carbon pollution reduction goals. EPA also finalized standards to limit carbon pollution from new, modified and reconstructed power plants.

Final rule, fact sheets and details about the Clean Power Plan, the final standards for new, modified and reconstructed sources and the proposed federal plan are available at:
http://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan

NTSB releases report on fatal Ooltewah I-75 crash

A Chattanooga Police Department Photo by Craig Joel shows scenes from the multiple fatality wreck at Exit 11 in Ooltewah.
Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press.

Emergency personnel work at the scene of a...
Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press.

Ben Brewer is shown in this booking photo.
Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press. 

August 3rd, 2015 by Staff Report in Local Regional News Read Time: 2 mins.
 

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report into the deadly crash on I-75 in June 25, in which a 2007 Peterbilt tractor-trailer plowed into several cars, killing six and injuring four. 
Driver Ben Brewer's job was to transport a 2005 Great Dane refrigerated trailer from Kentucky to Florida, then return back to Kentucky. But the trip went poorly from the start. 
Initial results of the agency's investigation show that the driver of the tractor trailer experienced two mechanical breakdowns and was involved in a separate crash during his trip, which began on June 22, and that he was on duty for about 50 consecutive hours during the first leg of his trip.
The initial mechanical breakdown involved the truck's brakes, and the second involved problems with the truck's fuel delivery system.
After side-swiping another commercial vehicle in Wildwood, Florida at the 45-hour mark, he made it to his final destination at 4:30 p.m. and logged himself as off-duty.
Twelve hours after clocking out, he clocked back in and began his return trip to London, Kentucky at 4:30 a.m. Nearly 15 hours later, at 7:10 p.m., with clear weather and a dry roadway, he struck seven vehicles, traveling 453 feet from the initial impact area to the final rest position.
That's farther than the length of a football field, which measures 300 feet. 
The agency has determined that the driver had stayed at the wheel longer than regulations allow, but other aspects of the investigation are ongoing. Hours of service rules, which are issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, are designed to limit the ability of drivers to work the maximum number of hours on a continuing bases, in order to reduce the risk of driver fatigue. 
"Long daily and weekly hours are associated with an increased risk of crashes, and with the chronic health conditions associated with lack of sleep," the FMCSA said in a summary of rules issued in 2011. 
The NTSB is reviewing security video from a local business, cell phone records, and toxicology testing, among other clues. 
Brewer was wanted on an active warrant in Wisconsin for a drug-related offense.  
In the meantime, a Bradley County attorney has filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Ryan Humphries, who was injured but survived, against Brewer and truck driving company Cool Runnings Express.
He's asking for $5 million in actual damages and $5 million in punitive damages. 
According to Chattanooga police, the crash happened around 7:10 p.m. on June 25 as cars were stopped near Exit 11 because of road construction. A witness said Brewer "plowed" into several cars, causing a nine-vehicle crash.

California water quality regulators have asked Attorney General for enforcement action against Plains All American Pipeline that ruptured near Santa Barbara in May

California water officials seek penalties in Santa Barbara oil spill

By Sharon Bernstein 2 hours ago

By Sharon Bernstein

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California water quality regulators have asked Attorney General Kamala Harris to consider enforcement action against the owner of an oil pipeline that ruptured near Santa Barbara in May, spilling petroleum onto beaches and the Pacific Ocean.

The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board said Monday that it had referred the incident near Refugio State Beach to the state's top prosecutor, who under the law could seek penalties of up to $25,000 per day of violation, plus $25 for every gallon of oil spilled.

"The Water Board will work closely with the Attorney General's office to make sure all those responsible for the Refugio spill face the strongest enforcement measures allowed by law," the Board chair Jean-Pierre Wolff said in a press release.

The owner, Plains All-American Pipeline, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Refugio State Beach, about 20 miles (32 km) west of Santa Barbara, was closed along with nearby El Capitan State Beach after they were fouled when an underground pipeline that runs along the coastal highway burst on May 19. Both have since been reopened.

After the spill, federal inspectors determined that the section of pipeline owned by Texas-based Plains All American Pipeline that ruptured had been badly corroded and was degraded to 1/16th of an inch (1.6 mm).

The spill dumped as much as 2,400 barrels (101,000 gallons or 382,000 liters) of crude onto a pristine stretch of the Santa Barbara coastline and into the Pacific, leaving slicks that stretched over nine miles (14 km) along the coast and closing the two state beaches.

The spill zone lies at the edge of a national marine sanctuary and state-designated underwater preserve teeming with whales, dolphins, sea lions, some 60 species of sea birds and more than 500 species of fish.

The surrounding waters are shared by nearly two dozen offshore oil platforms.

Wolff said that the water board has the authority to impose its own penalties, but that the attorney general's office had the power to order higher ones, should they be warranted.