Artwork: Mike LaMark

Let Pres. Obama know you applaud this significant step towards reducing health hazards and curbing climate change.

In 2007 the US Supreme Court instructed the EPA to determine if carbon dioxide was a pollutant under the Clean Air Act, and if so, it must be regulated. In 2009 the EPA decided yes, CO2 was a pollutant. Abiding by that decision, on March 27 EPA announced standards to regulate the emission of CO2 from NEW coal and gas fired power plants. The new standard was applauded by environmental groups, and as expected, denounced by industry and its supporters. On the negative side, bio-mass is not included in the new rule, and some 15 plants under construction will be exempt from the new standards, including the Good Spring IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycle) plant in NE Pennsylvania. The remaining question is “What will EPA do about the remaining antiquated coal-fired plants?”