THE WASHINGTON POST: HOUSE DEMOCRATS URGE EPA TO SET STRICT POWER PLANT RULES

Fifty-seven House Democrats are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize strong carbon pollution standards for new and existing fossil-fuel-fired power plants by early next year, according to a letter shared exclusively with The Climate 202.

In the letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, which was organized by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, the lawmakers wrote that cleaning up the power sector is “key to decarbonizing the other most polluting sectors of our economy” and avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.

“Swiftly issuing strong carbon pollution standards for power plants is one of the most important single steps President Biden’s administration can take to tackle climate change,” the Democrats wrote.

The letter was led by Reps. Doris Matsui (Calif.), Mike Quigley (Ill.), Paul Tonko (N.Y.), and Mike Levin (Calif.). The lawmakers were motivated to send the letter after an analysis by two environmental groups, Evergreen Action and the Natural Resources Defense Council, found that the carbon pollution standards would help Biden reach his goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035.

The EPA did not respond to a request for comment on the letter.

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