WASHINGTON – On Monday, March 18, 2013, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, will host a climate change symposium to review common sense policy options under the Clean Air Act to regulate power plant greenhouse gas emissions. This public event will be held on Monday, March 18, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. in SR-325 (the Kennedy Caucus Room) in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

BACKGROUND:

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson issued a rule in December 2009 that found greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions may be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare in response to the April 2007 Supreme Court decision Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497. Since then, the EPA has been slowly rolling out regulations to regulate greenhouse gases through different authorities under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA has determined from the GHG registry that power plants are by far the largest sources of GHG emissions in this country – making climate regulations on power plants an important priority for the agency. In March 2012, the EPA used Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act to propose New Source Performance Standards for GHG emissions from new coal and natural gas fired power plants. This rule is predicted to be final this year. The EPA is also expected to propose New Source Performance Standards for GHG emissions from existing power plants using authorities under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act.

WHO:

Dirk Forrister

President and CEO

International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)

David Doniger

Policy Director, Climate and Clean Air Program

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Kyle Danish

Partner

Van Ness Feldman

Conrad Schneider

Advocacy Director

Clean Air Task Force (CATF)

Laura Haynes (moderator)

Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Environment

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.)

WHAT:

A public symposium to discuss ways that pending and upcoming power plant greenhouse gas regulations can be implemented to not only reduce carbon pollution but also protect our growing economy.

WHEN:

Monday, March 18, 2013

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

A reception hosted by IETA will follow the symposium.

WHERE:

Room 325 (Kennedy Caucus Room), Russell Senate Office Building