US EPA Proposes First New Limits on Carbon from Power Centers

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new carbon pollution limits for coal and gas-fired power plants.

Energy industry groups, Republican lawmakers and some state governors are expected to strongly oppose the EPA proposal.

The possible measures call for restrictions¹ on the amount of carbon dioxide that existing power factories may release as waste gas. These factories are responsible for about 25 percent of total greenhouse gas releases in the U.S. These are gases that trap heat from the sun in Earth's atmosphere, warming the planet.

One proposed rule could force power plants to capture smoke with a technology not widely used in the U.S.

EPA Administrator² Michael Regan announced the proposed measures. He said the administration of President Joe Biden is prepared "to meeting the urgency of the climate crisis and taking the necessary actions required."

The EPA says the rules would affect both existing and future electricity factories. The agency estimates the changes would result in reductions of up to 617 million metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2042. This amount is about equal to yearly emissions⁴ of 137 passenger vehicles, the EPA said.

The plan is likely to be rejected by industry groups and some leaders of conservative states. They argue that such changes could harm the electric grid⁵. The power factory measure is one of at least six EPA rules that aim to limit waste gas releases and wastewater.

"It's truly an onslaught" of government regulation designed to win an early end to coal power production,'' said Rich Nolan. He is president and chief executive of the National Mining Association. His comments were made before the new EPA proposals were officially announced.

Regan told reporters that none of the measures was aimed at shutting down the coal power industry. But he said they are likely to lead to "some coal retirements⁶."

Coal power is responsible for about 20 percent of the country's electricity, down from about 45 percent in 2010. Natural gas provides about 40 percent of U.S. electric power. The rest comes from nuclear energy and other forms of energy such as wind, solar and hydropower.

Tom Kuhn is president of the Edison Electric Institute. The organization represents U.S. investor-owned electric companies. He said the group will look at whether the EPA's proposal fits in with its efforts to seek to provide dependable, clean energy.

Kuhn said carbon emissions from U.S. power production are at the same level as in 1984, while electricity use has climbed 73 percent since then.

The EPA rule would not require, or mandate⁷, use of equipment to capture and store carbon emissions. This kind of technology is costly⁸ and is still being developed. Instead, it would set limits on carbon dioxide pollution that plant operators would have to meet.

Industry experts say some natural gas plants could start mixing gas with another fuel such as hydrogen, which does not emit carbon. But specific actions would be decided⁹ by the industry.

Still, the regulation would likely lead to greater use of carbon capture equipment, a technology the EPA has said has been "adequately demonstrated" to control pollution.

Jay Duffy is a lawyer for the Boston-based Clean Air Task Force. Speaking to The Associated Press before the proposals were announced, he said they are likely to speed up the "deployment¹⁰ of carbon capture" technology far above current usage. Duffy added, "It's a way for (coal and gas) plants to operate in a decarbonized world."

Words in This Story

emission³ – n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source

grid – n. a system of connected wires used to supply electrical power to large areas

onslaught – n. an attack on someone or something or criticism of them

adequate – adj. satisfactory or acceptable in number or quality

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

3 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

6 retirements   

退休( retirement的名词复数 )； 退职； 退役； 退休的实例

参考例句：

• We've had two retirements in our office this year. 今年我们办公室已有二人退休。
• Those may take the form of sackings redundancies, temporary layoffs or retirements. 这些形式有开除，作为编余人员，暂时解雇或退休。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。