Dive Brief:
- The EPA's chair Gina McCarthy told a meeting of state utilities regulators in Dallas this weekend that the new carbon reduction rules would be an "investment opportunity," and not a pollution cutting measure.
- The EPA's proposed regulation for existing power plants to cut carbon emissions aims to decrease carbon emissions throughout the U.S. by 30% through 2030, as compared to 2005 levels.
- McCarthy confirmed that the new regulation would be federally enforced, and that states should voice concerns over the EPA's proposed rule as part of the ongoing 120 day comment period.
Dive Insight:
The chair of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, Donna Nelson, said McCarthy's appearance at the regulators meeting was well-met, but that states like Texas, which has added significantly to its wind generation portfolio over recent years, may be unfairly targeted by the proposal.
Nelson added that although the Commission will hold a workshop to go through the legislation and try to make necessary comments in the 120 day timeframe, that may not happen just due to the sheer "breadth" of the legislation that has to be parsed out. The proposed regulations were released by the EPA on June 2, meaning comments can be submitted up until the end of September.
In response to these concerns, McCarthy said state regulators, the federal government, and utility need to "keep working together," adding, "I think planning is crucial. I am here because the energy world is vital in this discussion. You can help provide an opportunity to bridge what I've always seen as a gap at [the] state and local level between environment and energy regulators in their lack of understanding of what one another does."