The Environmental Protection Agency today announced it wants a 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxideemissions from existing coal-fired power plants. The draft rule announced in a press conference is the largest cut ever asked for on power plants.
Coal represents nearly 40 percent of all carbon dioxide emitted in the United States.
Emboldened by recent Supreme Court victories, the EPA proposal has been expected for months by environmentalists and the coal industry.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a studyshowing how such changes could damage the economy; estimating a $51 billion cost per year.
But the EPA stood its ground, sayingthat the chamber's study made a host of assumptions that didn't equate with what was in the proposal. The reason the study speculated? It came out before EPA published any draft rules. They argue the report, ignored gains in productivity, job increases in alternative power and health benefits.
What does the largest cut proposed to Coal-power mean to us? What will it mean for Texas power?
*This is the first segment in the June 2 edition of The Source, which airs at 3 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM. Audio from this show will be posted by 5:30 p.m.
