The Biden administration proposed new regulations Thursday that if enacted would aggressively limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the second-most harmful source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. The move stands to force major changes in the energy sector and is likely to set up a legal battle with the energy industry.
The Environmental Protection Agency said the new standards would enable the sector to avoid up to 617 million metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2042, which officials compared to taking roughly half the 300 million cars in the U.S. off the road. The EPA also estimates that the new rules would drastically improve air quality and public health, potentially avoiding more than 300,000 cases of asthma and 1,300 premature deaths every year by 2030.
"The public health and environmental benefits of this proposed rule will be tremendous and we have more than enough reason to be optimistic about what's possible for the future of our nation," EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said on a call Wednesday.for 25% of greenhouse gases, just behind the country's leading source — the transportation industry.