Obama's Clean Power Plan

Climate change is having a huge impact already on people all over. Temperatures are rising, with the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1998. Extreme weather disasters are costing the American economy huge amounts of money, 2012 cost more than $100 billion. We are also seeing an increase in health problems due to climate change, like asthma and food-born illness. Greenhouse gases are a huge contributor to climate change, which is what President Obama is hoping to combat.

"WE CAN CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT SUPERSTORM SANDY, AND THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT IN DECADES, AND THE WORST WILDFIRES SOME STATES HAVE EVER SEEN WERE ALL JUST A FREAK COINCIDENCE. OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE OVERWHELMING JUDGMENT OF SCIENCE — AND ACT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE." - PRESIDENT OBAMA

      

President Obama has been working hard to take action against climate change. He understands that now is the time to battle against climate change, because soon it will be too late to fix the problems we have caused. After two years in the making, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Clean Power Plan on August 3rd, 2015. This historic plan will be used to decreased carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and increase the role energy efficiency and renewable energy. The action plan will protect public health, reduce energy bills for households and businesses, create American jobs, and bring clean power to communities all around the country. 

Power plants in the U.S. are the largest source of emissions, accounting for about one-third of all greenhouse gas pollution. It seems only logical that we would work towards reducing emissions from said power plants. The Clean Power Plan sets standards to reduce CO2 emissions by 32% from our 2005 levels by 2030. This is the first time we have established national standards. The plan does allow for states to develop tailored plans to meet these standards. 

Key Features of the Plan:

• Allow flexibility for states to choose how they will meet the new standards. States will make new plans to make sure that their power plants are meeting the CO2 emission standards. This flexibility also allows for states to engage in an emission credit market with other states. Low-carbon electricity generation technologies can also be included in the plans. 
• Offer more time to states when paired with incentives for early deployment of clean energy. State plans are due September 2016, but states can request extensions up to two years if they need more time. 
• Create jobs and save money. The Clean Power Plan is pushing for newer, cleaner technologies. This will create many new jobs as we expand in the area of clean energy. Furthermore, the plan calls for 28% of our energy to come from renewables by 2030. This will reduce energy costs for the American people. 
• Rewards for early investment in clean energy. Credits will be given to states that generate electricity from renewables in 2020 and 2021. Double the credits will be given to those in areas of low-income communities. 
• Grid reliability. States must address reliability in their plans. 
• U.S. leadership on climate change. The U.S. wants to continue to lead the world in taking action against climate change, especially going into the Paris climate talks in December.
• State targets set in a way that is fair and directly responsive to their input. 
• Energy efficiency is a key tool. Efficiency could save enough energy to power 30 million homes. 
• States must engage with vulnerable populations. States must meet with minority, low-income, and tribal communities when making their plans. They are also urged to meet with workers in the utility sector.
• EPA also released a proposed federal plan. This plan can be a model for states. 

For those that would like to know more about it, here is the Clean Power Plan. 

If you are looking to learn more about climate change and ways to combat it, I urge you to take a look at the White House's page on Climate Change. 

Each state is developing a plan to meet the standards set by the Federal Government and EPA. So, what does this mean for Wisconsin? Wisconsin has a moderate state goal, based on power plants and coal dependency. The EPA says that Wisconsin already has legislation and energy sources in place that should make this transition easier. Wisconsin needs its elected officials to take the steps to improve our emissions and reduce our reliance on coal, oil, and fossil fuels. Currently, Wisconsin is protesting the new plan by filing a federal lawsuit against sections of Obama's plan, joining 23 other states that have already filed lawsuits. 

Sources:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change#section-lead-international-efforts 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/08/03/fact-sheet-president-obama-announce-historic-carbon-pollution-standards 

http://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/clean-power-plan-existing-power-plants 

http://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2015/08/wisconsins-clean-power-plan 

http://fox6now.com/2015/11/03/wisconsin-joins-23-others-in-filing-federal-lawsuit-against-another-section-of-obamas-clean-power-plan/