Governor Inslee praises Obama’s plan to cut emissions

Now that the EPA has released its rules, the issue of reducing carbon emissions-and, indeed, whether politicians are willing to say they accept the science of climate change in the first place-will likely become an issue in the 2016 presidential election. These building blocks are critical to displacing coal-based power, which has a long history of causing health and environmental devastation, yet remains a significant portion of many utilities’ power mix.

From Lalit K Jha Washington, August 4 (PTI) US President Barack Obama has unveiled an ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the country’s coal-burning power plants, with the White House hoping that nations like India and China will be fully on board for a landmark climate change deal in Paris.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan is being hailed as a landmark achievement by environmentalists, but others are questioning its potential cost.

Opponents have criticized the plan, claiming that it will lead to a rise in energy prices.

Mr Obama brushed off the notion that the plan is a “War on Coal” that will kill jobs and said he is reinvesting in areas of the US known as “coal country”.

To Democrats, rallying around global climate change is a way to energize liberal supporters and paint Republicans as out of touch.

Power plants account for roughly one-third of all US emissions of the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming, making them the largest single source.

According to commentators, the sweeping new regulations were also thrusting the divisive debate over climate change centre stage with both parties seeing an opportunity to capitalise on it in the race for the White House.

“Existing power plants can still dump unlimited of harmful carbon pollution into the air we breathe”.

Lee Boughey, Tri-State’s senior manager of corporate communications and public affairs, said Tri-State has concerns about the plan but will work to minimize the impact on rural consumers and its employees. We only get one planet. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has already expressed support.

Much of the plan calls for dramatic reductions in the use of coal, which is a main component of the US energy market.

“I believe there is such a thing as being too late”, he said.

The administration counters that states will be able to develop their own plans for complying with the new carbon limits, but to Morrisey and some other state officials, that’s beside the point.