The Environmental Protection Agency on May 11 issued its long-awaited proposed rules to limit carbon dioxide emissions from the new, existing, modified, and reconstructed power plants. The rules would regulate new gas-fired combustion turbines, existing coal plants and certain large and base-loaded existing gas plants.
EPA is proposing to update and establish more stringent new source performance standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbine electric generating units that are based on highly efficient generation, hydrogen cofiring, and carbon capture and sequestration.
EPA is also proposing to establish new emission guidelines for existing fossil fuel-fired steam-generating EGUs that reflect the application of CCS and the availability of natural gas co-firing.
At the same time, EPA proposes repealing the Affordable Clean Energy rule because the emissions guidelines established in ACE do not reflect the best emissions reduction system for steam generating EGUs and are inconsistent with further aspects of section 111 of the Clean Air Act.
To address GHG emissions from existing fossil fuel-fired stationary combustion turbines, EPA is proposing emissions guidelines for large and frequently used existing stationary combustion turbines.
EPA is also soliciting comments on how the agency should approach its legal obligation to establish emissions guidelines for the remaining existing fossil fuel-fired combustion turbines not covered by this proposal, including smaller, frequently used, and less frequently used, combustion turbines.
Once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, there will be a 60-day public comment period. EPA will host two webinars on the proposal on June 6 and June 7.
In addition, EPA will host a virtual public hearing and provide more details about registering for the hearing once the rule is published in the Federal Register.
The pre-publication version of the proposal, information on the webinars, fact sheet, and regulatory impact analysis is available on EPA’s website.
On May 23, 2023, from 2:00-3:30 pm ET, APPA will host a webinar briefing on the proposed rulemaking package. APPA regular members may register to participate in the Zoom webinar.
