Biden targets fossil fuel power sector with tough new carbon rules April 26, 2024

The Longview power plant, a coal-fired power plant in Maidsville, West Virginia SPENCER PLATT

By Agence France Presse

Biden targets fossil fuel power sector with tough new carbon rules

On Thursday, the United States announced sweeping new rules requiring coal-fired power plants to eliminate nearly all of their carbon emissions or commit to shutting down completely, a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's agenda to tackle the climate crisis.

Hailed by environmental groups as a "game changer", the regulations will come into force from 2032 and will also require new high-capacity gas-fired power plants to reduce their carbon dioxide output by the same proportion - 90% - a target that would require the use of carbon capture technology.

This comes as Democrat Biden faces a tough election rematch against Republican Donald Trump in November, with climate action seen as key to galvanizing young, progressive voters.

Emissions from US power plants have fallen in recent years, thanks to a drop in the cost of renewable energy. However, the energy sector remains the second largest source of greenhouse gases in the US, accounting for a quarter of the total produced by the world's largest economy. Fossil fuel plants also emit other forms of air pollution that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.

"We are committed to the integrated priorities of ensuring U.S. energy security, protecting people from pollution, and combating the climate crisis," Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Michael Regan told reporters.

The agency's analysis estimates that the rules will prevent 1.4 billion metric tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere by the year 2047, equivalent to almost one year of the energy sector's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.

"The days of unlimited carbon pollution are over," said Lori Bird, director of the U.S. Energy Program at the World Resources Institute. "This rule is a major step forward in the Biden administration's efforts to combat the climate crisis."

This comes after the administration unveiled tough new vehicle emissions standards, which Bird praised as a powerful "one-two punch".

A draft of the proposal was first published last year, drawing criticism from the industry but also concern from some environmental groups who believed the reductions needed to come sooner and go further.

There were also concerns that it encouraged the use of carbon capture to achieve the reductions, a technology that is still in its infancy and allows fossil fuel plants to continue dumping other pollutants on vulnerable communities, according to climate justice groups.

The final rule is weaker in some respects and stronger in others, compared to the proposal. Coal plants have two more years to come into compliance, but the emissions reductions will apply to all coal plants that do not have firm commitments to retire by 2039, which is one year earlier than in the draft.

The new version also lowers the threshold by which new gas plants are considered "high capacity" and are covered by the stricter measures, but the rules for existing gas plants will not be announced until later this year.

"It's historic, it's a relief and it's a great joy to know that this is coming," Margie Alt of the Climate Action Campaign told AFP, adding that Biden's administration "will have done more to limit climate pollution than any other administration in the history of this country."

However the rule has been criticized by industry groups and Republicans, and legal challenges are likely.

"Over the past three years, the administration has methodically developed and executed a comprehensive strategy to force the closure of well-functioning coal plants," said Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association.

Along with the carbon rules, the Biden administration also finalized three new regulations that reduce mercury, water pollution, and ash discharges from coal plants.

Former President Barack Obama first tried to regulate the energy sector a decade ago, but the Supreme Court ruled that his plans were too broad and exceeded the authority of the executive branch.