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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 180
BY SENATOR WARD
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to rely on state regulators
when developing guidelines for regulating carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-
fueled power plants.
WHEREAS, a reliable and affordable energy supply is vital to Louisiana's economic
growth, jobs, and the overall interest of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy, because it is in
the best interest of Louisiana and the nation; and
WHEREAS, the United States has abundant supplies of coal that provide economic
and energy security benefits; and
WHEREAS, coal provides affordable and reliable electricity to the citizens of
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, carbon regulations for existing coal-fueled power plants could threaten
the affordability and reliability of Louisiana's electricity supplies and risk substantial job
losses through the premature closure of power plants that have just invested in pollution
controls to meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent mercury
regulations; and
WHEREAS, carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fueled power plants represent only
three percent of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the United States Energy Information Administration projects the
electric sector carbon dioxide emissions in the United States will be fourteen percent below
2005 levels in 2020, and that carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fueled power plants in the
United States will be nineteen percent below 2005 levels in 2020; and
WHEREAS, on June 25, 2013, the president directed the administrator of the EPA
to issue standards, regulations, or guidelines to address carbon dioxide emissions from new,
existing, modified, and reconstructed fossil-fueled power plants; and SR NO. 180 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, the president expressly recognized that states "will play a central role
in establishing and implementing carbon standards for existing power plants"; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to establish a procedure under
which each state shall develop a plan for establishing and implementing standards of
performance for existing sources within the state; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act expressly allows states, in developing and applying
such standards of performance, "to take into consideration, among other factors, the
remaining useful life of the existing source to which such standard applies"; and
WHEREAS, the EPA's existing regulations provide that states may adopt "less
stringent emissions standards or longer compliance schedules" than the EPA's guidelines
based on factors such as "unreasonable cost of control", "physical impossibility of installing
necessary control equipment", or other factors that make less stringent standards or longer
compliance times "significantly more reasonable"; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of electricity consumers in Louisiana to continue
to benefit from reliable, affordable electricity provided by coal-based generating plants.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby request the United States Environmental Protection Agency, in developing
guidelines for regulating carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, to respect the
primacy of Louisiana and to rely on state regulators to develop performance standards for
carbon dioxide emissions that take into account the unique policies, energy needs, resource
mix, and economic priorities of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EPA should issue guidelines and approve
state-established performance standards that are based on reductions of carbon dioxide
emissions achievable by measures undertaken at fossil-fueled power plants.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EPA should allow Louisiana to set less
stringent performance standards or longer compliance schedules for power plants within
their jurisdiction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Louisiana should be given maximum flexibility
by the EPA to implement carbon dioxide performance standards for fossil-fueled power
plants within their jurisdiction. SR NO. 180 ENROLLED
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE