On Aug. 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its plan to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s power plants, the Affordable Clean Energy proposed rule. It would roll back President Obama’s 2015 regulation, known as the Clean Power Plan, which would have imposed strict regulations on coal-fired power plants and was widely opposed by the construction industry. The CPP was stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court and has never been in effect. In December 2014, ABC joined in comments on the Obama-era final rule, highlighting how it would increase costs for small businesses, manufacturers and households and threaten electric reliability for hardworking Americans. 

The proposed rule would limit federal overreach and allow for more state-driven solutions to curb carbon emissions from power plants. On Jan. 16, ABC submitted comments in support of the EPA’s proposal to repeal the 2015 final rule. ABC looks forward to reviewing the EPA’s plan and favors proposals that take reasonable approaches to addressing carbon emissions while focusing both on supporting businesses and jobs and providing necessary environmental protection to communities.