EPA Clean Power Plan

Back in June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, proposed a master plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants.

The “Clean Power Plan” looks to cut carbon emissions (roughly one third of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions) from these plants by over 25 percent by the year 2030.

The proponents of the plan tout billions of dollars in savings and growth benefitting public health, new job creation and a clean energy efficient economy. The naysayers see heavy job loss, plant closures and a major blow to the U.S.’s largest domestic energy industry, coal.

What is the truth?

Somewhere likely in the middle. In Missouri, we are vulnerable, as we depend on over 80% of our electric energy from domestically imported coal. Any drastic shift could lead to significant cost increases to consumers. The EPA proposal plans for a more gradual approach when addressing heavy coal-dependent states like Missouri, which will lessen the impact, but will it be enough of a curve?

Over 10,000 of you wrote emails to the EPA telling them to slow down and seriously consider the impact on states like Missouri. Below are links to the official plan along with some analysis and opinion on the issue. Stay tuned to our site as we continue to provide the most recent information on the EPA’s plan.