The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues its public engagement and outreach efforts on the hotly debated Clean Power Plan and is holding a series of two-day hearings on the proposed federal plan and model rules.
The agency says the public hearings will provide the opportunity for interested parties to comment on the proposed actions. Furthermore, the EPA is accepting written comments on the proposal through Jan. 21, 2016.
Lauded by the renewable energy industry, the Clean Power Plan seeks to cut carbon pollution from existing U.S. power plants for the first time. As part of the plan, the EPA proposed model rules states can adopt, including increasing electricity generation from non-emitting renewable sources, such as wind and solar.
However, the country appears divided when it comes to the Clean Power Plan, as a coalition of 24 states launched a lawsuit in October against the EPA in an effort to block the emissions-reduction initiative. Not all states oppose the plan, though: A coalition of 25 states, cities and counties filed a motion to defend the Clean Power Plan against legal challenge in November.
The EPA is holding public hearings in Pittsburgh on Nov. 12-13; in Denver on Nov. 16-17; in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18-19; and in Atlanta on Nov. 19-20.
More information on the public hearings is available here.
