Transcript
Page 1: President  Obama’s Climate Initiative

President Obama’s Climate Initiative

• Congressional Gridlock• Executive Action

Page 2: President  Obama’s Climate Initiative

CLOSING THE POWER PLANT CARBON POLLUTION LOOPHOLE

CLOSING THE POWER PLANT CARBON POLLUTION LOOPHOLE:SMART WAYS THE CLEAN AIR ACT CAN CLEAN UP AMERICA’SBIGGEST CLIMATE POLLUTERS

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Clean Air Act of 1970• Authorizes EPA to reduce air pollution • So far, 70 pollutants have been regulated• Now, carbon pollution• Cleared by Supreme Court

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Section 111 of the Clean Air Act

• 111(b) = new power plants• 111(d) = existing power plants

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The Action Timeline

• 1/20/13: President Obama takes office

• 11/2013: Proposed rules for new plants

• 6/2014: Proposed rules for existing plants

• 6/2015: Final rules for new and existing plants

• 6/2016: State Implementation Plans (SIPs)

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Standards & Plans• EPA Releases Standards

– CO2 Emission Targets– Compliance Guidelines

• States submit Implementation Plans– How they will meet the targets

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State Implementation Plan• Flexible• 50 States, 50 Plans

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SIPs Have Two Goals

• Keep Delivering the Power We Need• Reduce Emissions

These are Compatible

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Energy Yoga Part 1• Inflexible approach

– Emission reductions only “Inside the Fence Line”• Improved efficiency of fuel burning• Cleaner fuels• Capture or Sequester Carbon

– No renewables

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Energy Yoga Part 2• Flexible approach AKA “System-based”

– Reductions both Inside & Outside the Fence Line• Anything inside the fence line, PLUS• Conservation, efficiency & renewables

– States can cooperate– More methods for reductions = more reductions– Most cost-effective way

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Good Cop / Bad Cop, Part 1• How much Power Do We Need to Deliver?

– Bad Cop: “Keep wasting power = more $ for ME!”– Good Cop: “Conserve, be efficient = more $ for the rest of us!”

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Good Cop / Bad Cop, Part 2• Reduce Emissions

– Bad Cop: “Keep burning fossil fuels”• Switch to gas• Spend $$ on “Clean Coal” technology• Bad because CO2 emissions persist

– Good Cop: “Go to clean energy, conservation, etc”

• Substitute renewables for fossil fuels• Get to zero emissions sooner

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Flexible Compliance Options

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Good Plan

• Close the Dirtiest Plants• Switch to Cleaner Fuels on Remaining Plants• Aggressive Conservation and Efficiency• Bring Renewables Online ASAP

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Benefits to Action

• 210,000 jobs, nationwide• Reduce future social costs (health,

food, sea level rise, environmental devastation…)

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Local Impacts

• How this will affect our city, our state


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