Facing State Doubts, EPA Weighs Additional Flexibility On ESPS' 2020 Goals

摘要

Top EPA officials are weighing steps to address some states' concerns that they will not be able to achieve interim emissions goals the agency is proposing to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) from existing power plants, though the officials say the 2020 interim target already provides significant flexibility. EPA is "looking very hard at the interim goal and the way that was set up," acting EPA air chief Janet McCabe told the Environmental Council of the States' (ECOS) fall meeting here, adding that the agency might need to provide more flexibility to states on those targets. Yet she also said that EPA thought the 15 years EPA is proposing to provide states to meet the goals "was pretty flexible," referencing the time period between the agency's planned finalization of the existing source performance standards (ESPS) next year and the final 2030 compliance goal.