The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a 30% cut in CO2 emissions from the existing power plants by 2030. The power sector would be required, at the federal level, to cut its CO2 emissions by 25% on average by 2020 and by 30% by 2030, based on 2005 emissions (baseline used by the White House to set a global target of greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 17% by 2020). Different targets are set for each state, depending on their current power mix: e.g. West Virginia has to cut CO2 emissions by 19% between 2012 and 2030, while Ohio must cut 28%.
This proposition is aimed at replacing a federal bill that the Congress has been rejecting over the past few years. The EPA rule will not take effect for at least two more years: the rule is expected to be finalised in June 2015, with each state submitting its plans by 2017 (or even 2018 in the case of joint efforts with other states).
In 2013, US energy-related CO2 emissions were 10% below their 2005 levels, having falling regularly since 2008 due to the shift from coal to gas in the power sector. The new rule might accelerate the retirement of coal-fired power plants by 2030.
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