The Patriot Post® · Regulatory Commissars: Another Bout of EPA Rules

The war on coal continues: The Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing plans that would slap a carbon emissions rule on developing power plants. If this sounds familiar, that’s because, fearing a legal backlash, the EPA earlier this year nixed a similar plan. You didn’t expect that to stop them, did you?

Evidently going to bat for the Obama administration, The Washington Post began its report, “This month, the Environmental Protection Agency will propose standards that will establish stricter pollution limits for gas-fired power plants than coal-fired power plants (emphasis added).” Sounds like the EPA is making concessions to better accommodate the coal industry, right? Not exactly.

The Post continues: “The average U.S. natural gas plant emits 800 to 850 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt, and coal plants emit an average of 1,768 pounds. According to those familiar with the new EPA proposal, the agency will keep the carbon limit for large natural gas plants at 1,000 pounds but relax it slightly for smaller gas plants. The standard for coal plants will be as high as 1,300 or 1,400 pounds per megawatt hour … but that still means the utilities will have to capture some of the carbon dioxide they emit.”

In other words, the EPA is offering a higher ceiling for natural gas plants that on average already produce emissions under the EPA’s target of 1,000 pounds. For coal plants, however, the ceiling is significantly lower – meaning the (intended) pressure is on the coal industry.

“As a practical matter, this means that the new proposal will still stop any new coal-fired power plants for the foreseeable future,” observes former EPA employee Jeffrey R. Holmstead. “Given the cost of carbon capture and all the other problems associated with it, any rule that requires [it] will effectively prohibit the construction of new coal-fired plants.” But that is Obama’s goal, isn’t it? Forever destroy the coal industry, the effect on America’s economy be damned.