Bloomberg Law quoted Washington partner Makram Jaber in an April 13, 2022, story on the compliance challenges associated with new clean air rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
A broad range of industries are monitoring EPA air rules closely, Bloomberg Law reported. The EPA has identified new carbon rules for coal-fired power plants as a priority. The new rules could lead the industry to reassess the cost-effectiveness of operating coal-fired plants, experts said.
“The fact that the cost is increasing this way, may lead to a different kind of solution or incentive, it could be shutting down the unit altogether,” said Jaber, whose practice focuses on Clean Air Act issues.
In addition, new limits on particulate matter (PM) under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) could impact power plants, gas plants and material manufacturing facilities, among others. New levels are expected to be proposed this summer, triggering a new round of NAAQS proceedings and state implementation plans, according to Bloomberg Law.
“PM NAAQS is another thing that’s going to affect everybody and it’s going to potentially throw a lot of areas into non-attainment, which is a whole different ball game on a lot of things,” Jaber said.