EPA Proposes Rules on Greenhouse Gas Permits

On August 12, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed two new rules to ensure factories and power plants will be able to obtain Clean Air Act permits they will need to emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) beginning next year. Earlier this year, EPA finalized its Tailoring Rule, specifying that stationary sources that emit 75,000 tons per year or more of carbon dioxide will require an air permit, beginning in 2011. This rule covers large industrial facilities that are responsible for 70 percent of GHGs from stationary sources. The proposals announced by EPA “are a critical component for implementing the Tailoring Rule and would ensure that GHG emissions from these large facilities are minimized in all 50 states and that local economies can continue to grow,” an EPA press release announced. The agency said it is working to finalize these rules prior to January 2, 2011, the earliest GHG permitting requirements will be effective.

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