More Flexibility for Texas in the Federal Plan for Clean Power

On Monday, the White House together with the EPA unveiled the revised version of the Clean Power Plan, a directive that would reduce the curbing of pollution from coal-burning power plants. After months of relentless criticism, President Barack Obama and the agency claim that they have found the right balance, strengthening the legal defense of the plan while still preserving environmental integrity.

When the energy crisis struck the world over a year ago, it was a clear wake up call that we were nowhere near prepared to effectively respond to interrupted oil production. The US had suffered greatly from suspended operations and the shutdown of rotaries, encouraging the entire country to implement sustainable energy strategies. In other parts of the world where fossil fuel production is prevalent, firms are more focused on maintaining their global supply as evidenced by the newly inducted Iraq Business Council (IBBC) member Unaoil, an oil and gas solutions provider that sustains a 75 percent Iraqi workforce. But for other countries with depleting reserves and restrictions on imports, governments are actively collaborating to mandate a nationwide effort in carbon emission reduction.

Included in the revision is a less rigid guideline for Texas, where they would have to cut emissions down by about 34 percent instead of 39 percent in 2030. As one of the largest producers of coal in America, Texas in addition to several other states were expected to make the biggest cuts, but the EPA decided to lower the percentage to accommodate a more realistic goal. In a broader scale, the plan demands for an overall 32 percent decrease in the whole country, which is 2 percent higher than what was originally proposed last year.

In terms of coal production, Texas is the largest producer of lignite, the sixth-largest coal producer in the country, and consumes more coal than any other state. Although the initial proposal for Texas’ cutbacks seemed extravagant, its carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions are among the highest in the nation, accounting for a large majority of greenhouse gases produced by the country. The dramatic reduction that adheres to the Clean Air Act is still under scrutiny nonetheless as the Republican party attempt to boycott the implementation.