EPA: Here's How Power Plants (Yes, Power Plants) Will Help Us Fight Global Warming

link: http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/epa-cut-carbon-emissions-30-percent-2030-20140602

In highly anticipated announcement Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency released the draft of a proposed rule that would make the first-ever significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants nationwide, with a plan to cut their carbon emissions 30 percent by 2030.

Carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants – which today generate approximately 40 percent of the nation's electricity – are the proposed rule's main target. Coal is the most carbon-intensive fuel used for electricity generation, and releases roughly twice the emissions of natural gas, the next most widely used fuel.

Today's announcement is the beginning of a process that will take years before the rule is fully implemented. After today, a one-year period of public comment begins, followed by a June 2016 deadline for states to submit their plans to meet their emissions reduction goals.