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Hi BEST members, The Obama administration revealed rules that will regulate carbon pollution from power plants by 30 percent. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally announced the new regulations on power plants which are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, nearly 40 percent. The regulations would reduce carbon pollution from power plants by 2030. The climate crisis we are experiencing is heading in the right direction but there has been a backlash about these new rules. A lobby group for the coal industry, which will be affected the most, said the rules would hurt the economy and can lead America to an energy crisis. The rules could affect 1,600 plants which many are about 50 years old. But overall the rules could increase pollution savings and even lower medical bills. The EPA will set individual reductions target for each state and they will have until 2016 to plan a strategy to meet the targets. This is an essential step to dealing with the problem of climate change. We can switch to a cleaner-burning natural gas, form cap-and-trade markets, and this opens up to using more renewable energy. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/02/obama-rules-coal-climate-change "Obama Unveils Historic Rules to Reduce Coal Pollution by 30%." Suzanne Goldenberg. The Guardian. June 3 2014 Thanks, Natalie Chavez Undergraduate Intern 2014 BioEnergy & Sustainability School Soil and Water Science Department [log in to unmask]