The U.S. Supreme Court on February 24 heard oral arguments in a case involving the Environmental Protection Agency and its efforts to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. Many observers think the Court will stop well short of reversing its 2007 decision that opened the door for EPA to regulate carbon. However, the Court could decide more narrowly which regulatory mechanism the agency may use to write rules.
Last fall, EPA published carbon emission rules for new power plants. These basically set an emission standard equal to a new gas-fired combined cycle power plant. This coming June, the agency is due to publish rules for existing power plants. These are still in the works, but are widely expected to focus on power plant efficiency improvements and even demand-side response measures.
The timing of the Supreme Court case and the EPA’s pending rulemaking couldn’t be better for ELECTRIC POWER attendees. Dr. Robert Wayland, Leader of the Combustion Group for the EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, is a confirmed featured speaker at our annual Environmental Roundtable on April 1. Dr. Wayland’s team is at the forefront of the carbon rule-writing effort. Attendees not only will be able to hear Dr. Wayland speak on a range of air-related rules, but also may ask questions during the Roundtable’s open forum.
Dr. Wayland will be joined on the Roundtable by Jennifer Vosburg, Senior Vice President, NRG Energy Inc.; Chuck Barlow, Vice President, Environmental Policy and Strategy, Entergy Corporation; and Block Andrews, Associate Environmental Engineer, Burns & McDonnell – Energy Division. Make plans to attend this informative session examining some of the most important regulatory issues facing power generators.
–David Wagman, Content Director
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