Government issues strict ultimatum for coal-fired power plants: 'Major game changer for climate action in this country'
Story by Chloe Bryant • 49m
The regulations will facilitate maximum transparency in the power industry.
The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a new set of rules aimed at reducing pollution emitted from fossil fuel-fired power plants known to contaminate air, water, and land.
The regulations will facilitate maximum transparency in the power industry, requiring plants to capture emissions or cease production. These plants will also be required to reduce toxic wastewater pollutants and safely regulate coal ash in unlined storage ponds.
"One of the biggest environmental challenges facing our nation is manmade pollution — pollution that damages our air, our water, our land," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said at an April 25 news conference about the agency's new regulations. "Not only is this pollution a major threat to public health, but it's pushing our planet to the brink."
According to the EPA, the electric power sector is the second-largest contributor to climate change behind transportation, accounting for over a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
Regan said the regulations will decrease pollution and enhance public health while continuing to support a reliable, long-term electricity supply for Americans.
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