US appeals court allows EPA rule on coal-fired power plants to remain

• 4 months ago (2024-07-23)
• David Flin

Coal 299 Emissions 65 North America 1026

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A US Federal appeals court has ruled that a new federal regulation limiting greenhouse emissions from coal-fired power plants can remain in force.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule, announced in April, will require many coal-fired power plants to capture 90 per cent of their carbon emissions or shut down within eight years. The rules are a key part of the President’s pledge to eliminate carbon pollution from the electricity sector by 2035 and from the economy by 2050.

Some industry groups and Republican-led states had asked the court to block the EPA rule, claiming it was unattainable and threatened the reliability of the nation’s power grid.

The power sector is the USA’s second-largest contributor to climate change.

The unanimous ruling of the US Court of Appeals also rejected the claim of immediate harm, saying compliance deadlines did not take effect until 2030 or 2032.

The power plant rule is the first time the federal government has restricted CO2 emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. The rule also would force future electric plants fuelled by coal or natural gas to control up to 90 per cent of their carbon pollution.