低碳-温室气体系列报告Opportunities for Flexibility and Cost Savings within EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Rules.pdfVIP

Y July 2011 R A M Opportunities for M Flexibility and Cost U Savings within EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Rules S P Dall as Burt raw , Ar t Fra as, Sam Gr aus z, J os h ua Li nn, O Kar en Palm er , and Nat ha n Ri chardson H S K R O 1616 P St. NW Washington, DC 20036 W 202-328-5000 Resources for the Future Burtraw et al. Opportunities for Flexibility and Cost Savings within EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Rules Dallas Burtraw, Art Fraas, Sam Grausz, Joshua Linn, Karen Palmer, and Nathan Richardson Leadership in federal climate policy has passed from Congress to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2007 the Supreme Court confirmed the agency‟s authority to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act (“the Act”). After a formal scientific finding that these emissions pose a danger to health and welfare, the agency began promulgating regulations to mitigate that harm. In September, the EPA will issue proposed regulations affecting steam boiler electricity generating units and refineries. Those regulations will be finalized in 2012. EPA has indicated its intent to issue regulations for existing sources under Section 111(d) of the Act, which requires EPA to establish guidelines and emissions performance standards and states to develop implementation plans.1 On July 18, Resources for the Future convened a small, structured workshop on the forthcoming GHG regulations with participants from academia, industry, nongovernmental organizations, EPA, and the administration. The workshop was specifically focused on the legal feasibility and economic import