THE GUARDIAN
Barack Obama took personal charge of the campaign for historic new climate change regulations on Monday, defending a 30% cut in carbon pollution from power plants from a backlash by business lobbies, conservative groups and Democrats in oil and coal states.
The new rules, unveiled by the Environmental Protection Agency, would cut carbon pollution from power plants 30% from 2005 levels by 2030.
They represent the first time Obama, or any other US president, has moved to regulate carbon pollution from power plants – the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions – and supporters said they could help put America on a path to a clean energy economy and unlock a global deal to end climate change.
But they also set in motion an epic battle for the mid-term elections. A Washington Post-ABC news opinion poll on Monday found 70% of Americans supporting regulation of power plants.
But the Republican leadership still came out en masse against the rule, with the minority leader, Mitch McConnell – who comes from coal state Kentucky – slamming the new rules as “a dagger in the heart of the American middle class”.
Obama, in his first public comments on the new rules, urged supporters to ignore the “naysayers” and “misinformation” and help build support for the EPA's power plant rules.
America's 1,600 power plants are responsible for nearly 40% of the country's carbon dioxide emissions – with a disproportionate share of carbon pollution generated by a relatively small number of ageing coal plants.
The rules – which now undergo 120 days of public comment before they are finalised a year from now – were designed for a 30% cut in the national average of carbon pollution from power plants.
The EPA is also granting states more time – which means the plans will not come into effect in some states until long after Obama has left office.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. States can pick from a portfolio of options,” she said in a speech at EPA headquarters. “”It’s up to states to mix and match to get to their goal.”
States and power companies can retrofit existing power plants to make coal less polluting, switch from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas, expand renewables such as wind and solar power, or encourage customers to use less electricity. They can also join regional cap-and-trade systems.
EPA officials in a conference call with reporters admitted that even by 2030 coal and natural gas will still be the country's leading energy sources, with renewables accounting for just 9%. That's only a sliver higher than renewables' share of the energy mix now, at about 6%.
Even so, reaction from mainstream environmental groups to the new power plant rules ranged from “momentous” to “historic”.
But even with the full-on promotion campaign led by Obama, McCarthy, Democratic leadership in Congress, sustainable business networks, environmental and public health groups, the rules ran into an immediate tide of opposition on Monday from business lobbies, Republicans in Congress and even Democrats facing tough election battles.
Louisiana's Democratic Senator, Mary Landrieu, also opposed the regulations saying that it was not up to EPA to regulate carbon pollution. “This should not be achieved by EPA regulations,” she said in a statement. “Congress should set the terms, goals and timeframe.”
Congress was Obama's first choice for climate action as well. But after attempts to move a climate bill collapsed in 2010 and Republicans in Congress as a bloc opposed cutting carbon pollution – with a strong contingent even acknowledging climate change was occurring – Congress was no longer an option.