Administrator Regan Previews Encouraging Power Plant Pollution Vision

Houston, TX – Today, in a speech to the fossil fuel industry at CERAWeek, EPA Administrator Michael Regan previewed the Biden Administration’s plans for safeguarding communities from deadly and dangerous power plant pollution. 

Coordination across the EPA is critical given President Biden’s commitment to cutting power sector emissions by 80 percent by 2030 with them being zeroed out entirely five years later and how such rulemaking interacts with other efforts to safeguard the environment and public health. These rules will be especially critical for the 45 million Americans breathing dirtier air as a result of redlining practices.

Since 2009, 265 coal plants have fully retired and 88 more are set to do so prior to 2031. An additional 177 coal plants are still running with no set retirement date. 

In response Sierra Club Director of Beyond Coal Campaign Bill Corcoran released the following statement:

“The Sierra Club is encouraged by Administrator Regan’s comments, and urges the agency to adopt and implement an ambitious clean air and water strategy to reduce the power plant pollution causing damage to communities, public health and ecosystems. With a timely, clear plan of action, EPA can create meaningful change, especially on behalf of the most vulnerable among us, while also leading the power industry to a clean, sustainable future.

“The vision Administrator Regan has laid out can effectively and equitably curb multiple threats to our health and climate posed by power plants. It also highlights the real opportunity to build cleaner communities through healthier energy policies, including moving America beyond the fuels that foul our air and water, and on a path to 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

“We applaud Administrator Regan and the Biden Administration for the plan they detailed today and are eager to see the efforts to safeguard our clean air, clean water, and communities advance swiftly.”